Proverbs 9:14
in Proverbs 9She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the heights of the city,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And she sitteth at the door of her house, On a seat in the high places of the city,
KJV
For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,
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This verse in Proverbs 9
Commentary
9 notes on this verseFor she sitteth at the door of her house - Her conduct here marks at once her folly, impudence, and poverty. See above on Pro 7:6 (note), etc., where the reader will find a similar character.
This site's exposition
The woman named Folly is loud
on Proverbs 9:13-18
Folly mirrors Wisdom's table, calling the same passersby with the same line, “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here”. The narrator adds what the guest cannot see, “that her guests are in the depths of Sheol,” closing the first nine chapters on the choice.
This site's exposition
on a seat in the heights of the city
Henry hears in her the voice of rank, offering the young the liberties of people of standing. Her seat in the heights of the city is the place Wisdom called from in verse 3. Folly sits at the door of her house while Wisdom works.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
On a high place of the city. He speaks of wisdom as giving her voice in the high and elevated places; but she rises in the sublimity of virtues, this one elevates herself in the arrogance of pride.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
"Do not all persons of rank and figure in the world" (says she) "give themselves a greater liberty than the strict laws of virtue allow; and why shouldst thou humble thyself so far as to be cramped by them?" Thus the tempter affects to seem both kind and great. Who are the tempted--young people who have been well educated; these she will triumph most in being the ruin of.
Simple - Ignorant, and weak. A former - He shews whom he meant by the foolish, ver. 6, even scorners and wicked men, and presses his last advice of forsaking them because there was no good, but hurt to be got from them. A scorner - An obstinate and incorrigible sinner.
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For she sitteth at the door of her house, Idle and inactive, looking out for her prey; not active and laborious, as Wisdom, building her house, killing her beasts, furnishing her table, and sending out her maidens to call in her guests; but exposing herself in the most public manner, and being at the utmost ease, sitting as a queen; see Rev 18:7; and as it follows, on a seat, or "throne" (p); the same seat, or throne, power, and authority, which the dragon gave to the beast, or antichrist, placed at Rome, where this woman reigns; see Rev 13:2; in the high places of the city; the city of Rome, and its jurisdiction, the high places of which are their temples, or churches; where this foolish woman is noisy and clamorous, proclaims her folly, and endeavours to seduce and raw persons to her superstition and idolatry.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
on a seat--literally, "throne," takes a prominent place, impudently and haughtily. 15, 16. to allure those who are right-minded, and who are addressed as in Pr 9:4, as simple--that is, easily led (Pr 1:4) and unsettled, though willing to do right.
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1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Contrast with Pro 9:1, etc. The foolish woman has her house, but it is no stately palace with seven pillars, like the home of Wisdom. No train of maidens wait on her, and invite her guests, but she herself sits at the door, her position as prominent as that of Wisdom, counterfeiting her voice, making the same offer to the same class (compare Pro 9:16 with Pro 9:4).
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְֽ֭יָשְׁבָה | veyashevah | and she sits | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| לְפֶ֣תַח | lefetach | to [the] doorway of | H6607 → | 164 times |
| בֵּיתָ֑הּ | beitah | house her | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כִּ֝סֵּ֗א | kise' | a seat | H3678 → | 135 times |
| מְרֹ֣מֵי | meromei | [the] heights of | H4791 → | 54 times |
| קָֽרֶת׃ | karet | [the] town | H7176 → | 5 times |
וְֽ֭יָשְׁבָהand she sits
veyashevahH3427 →1079 times
לְפֶ֣תַחto [the] doorway of
lefetachH6607 →164 times
בֵּיתָ֑הּhouse her
beitahH1004 →2046 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כִּ֝סֵּ֗אa seat
kise'H3678 →135 times
מְרֹ֣מֵי[the] heights of
meromeiH4791 →54 times
קָֽרֶת׃[the] town
karetH7176 →5 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 9:3She has sent out her maidservants; she calls out from the heights of the city.
it leads to
- Proverbs 8:1–3
Does not wisdom call out, and understanding raise her voice?
- Matthew 22:3–4
He sent his servants to call those he had invited to the banquet, but they refused to come.
- Psalms 68:11
The Lord gives the command; a great company of women proclaim it:
- Proverbs 1:20–23
Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;
- Luke 14:21–23
The servant returned and reported all this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city,…
- Proverbs 8:1–3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
On this chapter
About Proverbs
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.