Proverbs 6:1 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

PROVERBS CHAPTER 6 A dehortation against suretiship, Proverbs 6:1. The danger of it, Proverbs 6:2; and the way of delivery, Proverbs 6:3-5. Sluggards reproved by a similitude of the ant, Proverbs 6:6-11. The carriage of the wicked described, Proverbs 6:12-14; and his sudden ruin, Proverbs 6:15. Of seven things which are displeasing to God, Proverbs 6:16-19. The benefits of keeping the commandments, Proverbs 6:20-24. The mischief of adultery, Proverbs 6:25. Its evil consequences, Proverbs 6:26-35. Surety, to wit, rashly, without considering for whom or how far thou dost oblige thyself, or how thou shalt discharge the debt, if occasion require it. Otherwise suretiship in some cases may be not only lawful, but an act of justice, and prudence, and charity. See Genesis 42:37, Genesis 43:9 Philemon 1:19. Or, to (as this prefix most commonly signifies) a friend. Stricken thy hand; obliged thyself by giving thy hand, or joining thy hands with another man s, as the custom then was in such cases; of which see Job 17:3 Proverbs 17:18, Proverbs 22:26. With a stranger; with the creditor, whom he calls a stranger, because the usurers in Israel, who lent money to others for their necessary occasions, upon condition of paying use for it, were either heathens, or were reputed as bad as heathens, because this practice was forbidden by God's law, Deuteronomy 23:9. Or, to or for a stranger; for here is the same prefix which is rendered for in the former clause. And so he may imply, that whether a man be surety to or for a friend, or to or for a stranger, the case and course to be used is much of the same kind.