Do not lust
The Hebrew word for "lust" is "חָמַד" (chamad), which means to covet or desire intensely. In the context of Proverbs, this is a warning against allowing one's desires to be controlled by physical attraction. The Bible consistently teaches that lust is a sin that begins in the heart and can lead to destructive actions. Jesus expands on this in Matthew 5:28, emphasizing that even looking at someone with lustful intent is akin to committing adultery in one's heart. This phrase serves as a call to guard one's heart and mind, aligning desires with God's will.

in your heart
The heart, or "לֵב" (lev) in Hebrew, is often seen as the center of one's being, encompassing emotions, thoughts, and will. In biblical terms, the heart is the seat of moral and spiritual life. Proverbs frequently addresses the heart, urging believers to keep it pure and aligned with wisdom. This phrase underscores the importance of internal purity, as actions are often a reflection of the heart's condition. It is a reminder that true righteousness begins internally, not just in outward behavior.

after her beauty
The Hebrew word for "beauty" is "יֹפִי" (yofi), which refers to physical attractiveness. While beauty itself is not condemned in Scripture, the undue focus on external appearance can lead to misplaced priorities and sin. The Bible encourages believers to value inner beauty and character over outward appearance, as seen in 1 Peter 3:3-4. This phrase warns against allowing physical beauty to overshadow spiritual discernment and moral integrity.

or let her captivate you
The word "captivate" comes from the Hebrew "לָקַח" (laqach), meaning to take, seize, or capture. This suggests being ensnared or entrapped by something alluring. In the context of Proverbs, it is a caution against being led astray by seductive influences. The imagery of captivity highlights the danger of losing one's freedom and moral clarity when succumbing to temptation. It serves as a call to remain vigilant and steadfast in one's commitment to God's standards.

with her eyes
Eyes, or "עֵינַיִם" (einaim) in Hebrew, are often symbolic of perception and desire. In biblical literature, eyes can represent both physical sight and spiritual insight. This phrase warns against the seductive power of a glance, which can lead to temptation and sin. The eyes are frequently mentioned in Scripture as gateways to the heart, emphasizing the need for self-control and discernment. It is a reminder to focus on what is pure and righteous, as echoed in Philippians 4:8.

Verse 25. - To keep thee from the evil woman. The specific object to which the discourse was tending. The "commandment" and the "law" illuminate the path of true life generally, but in a special degree they, if attended to, will guard the young against sins of impurity, fornication, and adultery. The evil woman (Hebrew, esheth ra); strictly, a woman of evil, or vileness, or of a wicked disposition, addicted to evil in an extraordinary degree; ra being here a substantive standing in a genitive relation to esheth, as in Proverbs 2:12, "The way of evil (derek ra)." Cf. also tah'pukoth ra, perverstates mali (Proverbs 2:14), and makh'sh'voth ra, cogitationes mali (Proverbs 15:26), and an'shey ra, viri mali (Proverbs 28:5). The Vulgate, however, gives an adjectival force to ra rendering, it muliere mala. The LXX. ἀπὸ γυναικὸς, i.e. "from the married woman," arises from reading rea, "a companion," for ra, "evil." From the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman; i.e. from her enticements; Hebrew, mekhel'kath lashon noh'riyyah; literally, "from the smoothness of a strange tongue," as in the margin. Zockler, however, proposes an emendation of the Masoretic text, and substitutes the construct case, l'shon, for the absolute, lashon, rendering as in the Authorized Version, on the ground that the emphasis lies, not on the "tongue," which would be the case if we render "of a strange tongue," but on "the strange woman," who is the subject of the discourse, as in Proverbs 2:16 and Proverbs 5:20. But nok'riyyah is feminine of the adjective nok'ri, ann in agreement with lashon, which, though common, is more frequently feminine (Gesenius), and hence the two words may stand in agreement. The marginal reading is to be preferred (Wordsworth). Again, me-khel'kath, the construct ease of khel'kah, literally, "smoothness," and metaphorically flattery, with the prefix me, forms one member of the phrase, while the compound expression, lashon nok'riyyah, forms the second. Ewald and Bertheau render, "from the smooth-tongued, the strange woman," thus connecting mekhel'kath lashon, and regarding nok'riyyah as a separate and distinct idea. They agree with Symmachus and Theodotion, ἀπὸ λειογλώσσου ξένης, i.e. "from the smooth-tongued or flattering stranger." So the Vulgate, a blanda lingua extraneae, i.e. from the smooth tongue of the strange woman. The LXX. again favours the marginal reading, ἀπὸ διαβολῆς γλώσσης ἀλλοτρίας, "from the slander of a strange tongue." So the Chaldee Paraphrase. The Syriac reads, "from the accusation of a woman of a strange tongue," i.e. who uses a foreign language. If, however, the Authorized Version be retained, the Hebrew nok'riyyah will, as in other passages, mean "an adulteress" (Gesenius); Proverbs 5:20; Proverbs 7:5; Proverbs 23:27. Under any circumstances, we have here attributed to the tongue what, in fact, belongs to the woman. It is against the enticements and blandishments of a woman of depraved moral character that the "commandment" and "law" form a safeguard to youth. Verse 25. - Lust not after her beauty in thine heart. The admonition of this verse embraces the two sides of the subject - the external allurement and the internal predisposition to vice. Lust not after (Hebrew, al-takh'mod); strictly, desire not, since the verb khamad is properly" to desire, or covet." The same verb is used in Exodus 20:17, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife," and Exodus 34:24, "Neither shall any man desire thy land" (cf. Micah 2:2 and Proverbs 12:12). In Psalm 68:19; Isaiah 1:29; Isaiah 53:2, it has the sense of taking delight in anything. It may be questioned whether it ever has the strong meaning given in the Vulgate (non concupiscat) and adopted in the Authorized Version, "to lust after" (Holden). Aquila, Theodotion, and Symmachus render μὴ ἐπιθυμήσῃς. The use of khamad here reveals the warning of the Decalogue. In thine heart; Hebrew, bil'va-veka. corresponding to the ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ of Matthew 5:28. The admonition is a warning to repress the very first inclinations to unchaste desires. They may be unobserved and undetected by ethers, but they are known to ourselves, and the first duty of repressing them calls for an act of determination and will on our part. Our Lord teaches (Matthew 5:28, cited above), "That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." The LXX. reading is Μή σε νικήσῃ κάλλους ἐπιθυμία, "Let not the desire of beauty conquer thee." Neither let her take thee with her eyelids; i.e. do not let her captivate thee with her amorous glances. Take. The Hebrew verb, lakakh, is "to captivate" with blandishments, "to allure, beguile" (cf. Proverbs 11:30); LXX., μήδε ἀγρευθῃς. With her eyelids (Hebrew, b'aph'appeyah); or perhaps more literally, with her eyelashes (Zockler). The eyelids; Hebrew, aph'appayim, dual of aph'aph, so called from their rapid, volatile motion, are here compared with nets, as by Philostratus ('Epistles:' Γυναικί), who speaks of "the nets of the eyes (τὰ τῶν ὀμμάτων δίκτυα)." The eyelids are the instruments by which the amorous woman beguiles or catches her victims. She allures him by her glances. So St. Jerome says, "The eye of an harlot is the snare of her lover." The wanton glance is expressed in the Vulgate by nutibus illius; cf. "The whoredom of a woman may be known in her haughty looks and eyelids" (Ecclus. 26:9). Milton ('Paradise Lost,' 11:620) speaks of the daughters of men "rolling the eye," amongst other things, in order to captivate the sons of God. Piscator and Mercerus understand the eyelids as standing metonymically for the beauty of the eye; and Bayne, for the general adornment of the head in order to attract attention. Allusion may possibly be made to the custom of Eastern women painting the eyelids to give brilliancy and expression; cf. 2 Kings 9:30 (Wordsworth). A striking parallel to the verse before us occurs in Propertius, lib. 1. 'Eleg.' 1., "Cynthia prima suis miserum me cepit ocellis."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Do not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

lust
תַּחְמֹ֣ד (taḥ·mōḏ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 2530: To desire, take pleasure in

in your heart
בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ (bil·ḇā·ḇe·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 3824: Inner man, mind, will, heart

for her beauty
יָ֭פְיָהּ (yā·p̄ə·yāh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 3308: Beauty

or let her captivate you
תִּ֝קָּֽחֲךָ֗ (tiq·qā·ḥă·ḵā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

with her eyes.
בְּעַפְעַפֶּֽיהָ׃ (bə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pe·hā)
Preposition-b | Noun - mdc | third person feminine singular
Strong's 6079: An eyelash, morning ray


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 6:25 Don't lust after her beauty in your (Prov. Pro Pr)