Bible Strands
Proverbs 9:13
The woman named Folly is loud; she is naive and knows nothing.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The wisdom author addresses the simple and scoffers immediately after warning that scoffers alone bear the consequences of their rejection (9:12) and just before Folly issues her own summons (9:14).
The words — The phrase וּ/בַל־ יָ֥דְעָה (u-val yada'ah) combines the negative particle בַל (val) with the verb יָדְעָה (yada'ah) to literally render "and she knows not" or "she knows nothing."
The thread — The text's description of Folly's loudness and lack of understanding parallels the portrayal of the adulteress in Proverbs 7:11 and 5:6, while her contentious temperament echoes the warning in Proverbs 21:19.
Why it lands — The text defines folly by her boisterous speech and complete lack of knowledge, demanding that readers recognize her as an untrustworthy source before she can successfully lure them in.
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
A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.
Cross-references
- Proverbs 7:11 She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home.
- Proverbs 5:6 She does not consider the path of life; she does not know that her ways are unstable.
- Proverbs 21:19 Better to live in the desert than with a contentious and ill-tempered wife.
- 1 Timothy 6:4 he is conceited and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and disputes about words, out of which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions,
- Proverbs 21:9 Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.