Proverbs

[John Reece]

Proverbs 7:17a

Text (BHS):

נַפְתִּי מִשְׁכָּבִי מֹר

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (NRSV):

I have perfumed my bed with myrrh

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

נַפְתִּי (nap̱tı̂) : Qal perfect 1 c.s. of נוּף () : I have besprinkled.
מִשְׁכָּבִי () : noun מִשְׁכָּב () + pronominal 1 c.s. suffix : my bed.
מֹר (mōr) : [with] myrrh.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 7:17b

Text (BHS):

אֲהָלִים וְקִנָּמוֹן

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (NRSV):

aloes, and cinnamon.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

אֲהָלִים (ʾᵃhālı̂m) : plural of אהל: (ʾhl) : aloes.
וְקִנָּמוֹן () : conj. וְ (wᵉ) + noun קִנָּמוֹן () : and cinnamon.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 7:18a

Text (BHS):

לְכָה נִרְוֶה דֹדִים עַד־הַבֹּקֶר

Transliteration (Accordance):

lᵉḵāh nirweh ḏōḏı̂m ʿaḏ-habbōqer

Translation (Waltke):

Come let us drink our fill* with making love** until morning

*Although the form could be imperfect, it is better taken as cohortative after the imperative (IBHSnṯʿlsh.
**Dōdı̂m is alway plural with the meaning "sensual love, the pleasure of love." The abstract plural may signify a repeated series of actions (IBHS

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

לְכָה (lᵉḵāh) : Qal imperative 2 m.s. of הָלַךְ (hālaḵ) + voluntative ה : come
נִרְוֶה (nirweh) : Qal cohortative* 1 c.p. of רָוָה (rāwāh) : let us take our fill.
דֹדִים (ḏōḏı̂m) : plural abstract** : of love.
עַד (ʿaḏ) : preposition until.
הַבֹּקֶר (habbōqer) : definite article + noun בֹּקֶר (bōqer) : the morning.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 7:18b

Text (BHS):

נִתְעַלְּסָה בָּאֳהָבִים

Transliteration (Accordance):

niṯʿallᵉsāh boʾᵒhāḇı̂m

Translation (Waltke):

let us enjoy each other* with love**

*The Hithpael probably has a reciprocal ("let us make each other delighted" IBHS
**Probably an abstract plural.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

נִתְעַלְּסָה (niṯʿallᵉsāh) : Hithpael imperfect 1 c.p. of עָלַס (ʿālas) + voluntative ה : let us enjoy each other.*
בָּאֳהָבִים (boʾᵒhāḇı̂m) : prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + plural** of אֹהַב (ʾōhaḇ) : with the pleasure of love (HALOT).

[John Reece]

Proverbs 7:19a

Text (BHS):

כִּי אֵין הָאִישׁ בְּבֵיתוֹ

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

for my husband is not at home*

*Literally "in the house."

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

כִּי (kı̂) : conjunction : for.
הָאִישׁ () : definite article + noun אִישׁ () : the man.
אֵין () : negation : [is] not.
בְּבֵיתוֹ () : prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + noun בַּיִת (bayiṯ) + pronominal 3 m.s. suffix : in his house.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 7:19b

Text (BHS):

הָלַךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ מֵרָחוֹק

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

he went on a distant* journey,

*Literally "from a distance" (see Prov. 15:29), signifying that the source or origin of the journey is far off (cf. Isa. 22:3; 23:7).

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

הָלַךְ (hālaḵ) : Qal perfect 3 m.s. of הָלַךְ (hālaḵ) : he has gone.
בְּדֶרֶךְ (bᵉḏereḵ) : prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + noun דֶּרֶךְ (dereḵ) : on a journey.
מֵרָחוֹק () : prep. מִן (min) + m.s. adj. רָחוֹק () : from a distance.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 7:20a

Text (BHS):

צְרוֹר־הַכֶּסֶף לָקַח בְּיָדוֹ

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

He took in his hand a purse filled with silver

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

צְרוֹר () : construct : a bag of.
הַכֶּסֶף (hakkesep̱) : definite article + noun כֶּסֶף (kesep̱) : the silver.
לָקַח (lāqaḥ) : Qal perfect 3 m.s. of לָקַח (lāqaḥ) : he took.
בְּיָדוֹ () : prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + noun יָד (yāḏ) + pronominal 3 m.s. suffix : in his hand.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 7:20b

Text (BHS):

לְיוֹם הַכֵּסֶא יָבֹא בֵיתוֹ

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

he will come home at full moon.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

לְיוֹם () : prep. לְ (lᵉ) + construct יוֹם () : at the day of
הַכֵּסֶא (hakkēseʾ) : definite article + noun כֶּסֶא (keseʾ) : the full moon.
יָבֹא (yāḇōʾ) : Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of בּוֹא () : he will come [to].
בֵיתוֹ () : noun בַּיִת (ḇayiṯ) + pronominal 3 m.s. suffix : his house/home.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 7:21a

Text (BHS):

הִטַּתּוּ בְּרֹב לִקְחָהּ

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation TNIV):

With persuasive words she led him astray

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

הִטַּתּוּ () : Hiphil perfect 3 f.s. of נָטָה (nāṭāh) + pronominal 3 f.s. suffix + she persuaded him.
בְּרֹב (bᵉrōḇ) : prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + construct רֹב (rōḇ) : with the greatness of.
לִקְחָהּ (liqḥāh) : noun לֶקַח (leqaḥ) + 3 f.s. possessive pronoun suffix : her persuasion

[John Reece]

Proverbs 7:21b

Text (BHS):

בְּחֵלֶק שְׂפָתֶיהָ תַּדִּיחֶנּוּ

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation TNIV):

she seduced him with her smooth talk.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

בְּחֵלֶק (bᵉḥēleq) : prep. בְּ (bᵉ) + construct חֵלֶק (ḥēleq) : with the seductiveness of.
שְׂפָתֶיהָ () : plural of שָׂפָה (śāp̱āh) + pronominal 3 f.s. suffix : her lips.
תַּדִּיחֶנּוּ () : Hiphil imperfect 3 f.s.. of נָדַח (nāḏaḥ) + 3 m.s. suffix : she compelled/forced him (by flattery ― BDB).

[John Reece]

Proverbs 7:22a

Text (BHS):

הוֹלֵךְ אַחֲרֶיהָ פִּתְאֹם

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation TNIV):

All at once he followed her

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

הוֹלֵךְ () : Qal participle of הָלַךְ (hālaḵ) : he went.
אַחֲרֶיהָ () : preposition אַחַר (ʾaḥar) + pronominal 3 f.s. suffix : after her.
פִּתְאֹם (piṯʾōm) : adverb : suddenly.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 7:22b

Text (BHS):

כְּשׁוֹר אֶל־טָבַח יָבוֹא

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation TNIV):

like an ox going to the slaughter

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

כְּשׁוֹר () : preposition כְּ (kᵉ) + noun שׁוֹר () : like an ox.
אֶל (ʾel) : preposition : to.
טָבַח (ṭāḇaḥ) : noun : slaughter.
יָבוֹא () : Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of בּוֹא () : goes.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 7:22c

Text (BHS):

וּכְעֶכֶס אֶל־מוּסַר אֱוִיל

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

and as a stag stepping into a noose*

*

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וּכְעֶכֶס () : conj. וּ () + prep. כְ (ḵᵉ) + noun עֶכֶס (ʿeḵes) : and as a stag.
אֶל (ʾel) : into.
מוּסַר () : construct : the fetters of (HALOT).
אֱוִיל (ʾᵉwı̂l) : a fool.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 7:23a

Text (BHS):

עַד יְפַלַּח חֵץ כְּבֵדוֹ

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

until an arrow splits open his liver

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

עַד (ʿaḏ) : preposition : until.
חֵץ (ḥēṣ) : noun : an arrow
יְפַלַּח (yᵉp̱allaḥ) : Piel imperfect 3 m.s. of פָּלַח (pālaḥ) : cleaves.
כְּבֵדוֹ () : noun כָּבֵד (kāḇēḏ) + pronominal 3 m.s. suffix : his liver.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 7:23b

Text (BHS):

כְּמַהֵר צִפּוֹר אֶל־פָּח

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

as a bird hastens into a trap

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

כְּמַהֵר (kᵉmahēr) : prep. כְּ (kᵉ) + Piel infinitive construct of מָהַר (māhar) : as ... hastens.
צִפּוֹר () : noun a bird.
אֶל (ʾel) : preposition : into.
פָּח (pāḥ) : pausal vocalization of פַּח (paḥ) : a trapping net (HALOT).