Bible Strands
Proverbs 7:13
She seizes him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him:
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The woman of Proverbs 7, who has been hiding in public thoroughfares, physically confronts a simple man on the street. She initiates contact at a calculated moment when she claims to be free from domestic obligations.
The words — הֵעֵזָה (he.'E.zah) literally means "she has made firm," describing her unyielding boldness, while וְ/הֶחֱזִיקָה (ve./he.che.Zi.kah) translates to "she takes hold," denoting her physical seizure of him.
The thread — Her aggressive advance mirrors the master’s wife in Genesis 39:7 and Genesis 39:12, who similarly seizes Joseph’s cloak, and parallels the public seduction recorded in Numbers 25:6.
Why it lands — The text records a calculated physical and verbal assault designed to bypass hesitation. It requires the reader to identify how external pressure attempts to override internal resolve.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
Cross-references
- Genesis 39:12 She grabbed Joseph by his cloak and said, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his cloak in her hand, he escaped and ran outside.
- Numbers 25:6 Just then an Israelite man brought to his family a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and the whole congregation of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
- Genesis 39:7 and after some time his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.”
- Numbers 25:1 While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab,
- Numbers 31:16 “Look, these women caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to turn unfaithfully against the LORD at Peor, so that the plague struck the congregation of the LORD.
- Proverbs 21:29 A wicked man hardens his face, but the upright man makes his way sure.
- Isaiah 50:7 Because the Lord GOD helps Me, I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set My face like flint, and I know that I will not be put to shame.
- Ezekiel 2:4 They are obstinate and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you are to say to them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says.’
- Ezekiel 2:6 But you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns surround you, and you dwell among scorpions. Do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their presence, though they are a rebellious house.
- Ezekiel 3:7 But the house of Israel will be unwilling to listen to you, since they are unwilling to listen to Me. For the whole house of Israel is hard-headed and hard-hearted.