What is the meaning of Proverbs 7:20? He took with him a bag of money • The adulterous woman’s excuse rests on the fact that her husband has departed on business with sufficient funds for an extended stay. Proverbs 7:19 confirms, “My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.” • A “bag of money” implies planned travel, commercial dealings, and time away (cf. Genesis 42:25; Luke 10:35). • The literal detail shows the Bible’s realism: real people, real commerce, real temptation. • The point: she views her marriage as a temporary obstacle; the cash in his hand guarantees he won’t need to rush home for provisions, leaving her free to lure the young man (Proverbs 6:26). And will not return • The certainty in her words—“will not return”—emboldens the sin. Similar confidence appears in Psalm 10:11, where the wicked believe God will not call them to account. • For the naïve youth, this sounds like absolute safety; in reality, it signals the complete absence of accountability (Proverbs 5:20–23). • Scripture consistently warns against presuming on someone’s absence or on a delay in reckoning (Matthew 24:48–50). The husband’s distance does not erase the moral law or God’s presence (Psalm 139:7–12). Till the moon is full • A “full moon” marks roughly a month on the Hebrew calendar (cf. Psalm 81:3). She is promising a lengthy window—plenty of nights, plenty of secrecy. • Time, rather than softening sin, here magnifies it: “Stolen water is sweet” (Proverbs 9:17), yet prolonged opportunity only deepens guilt. • Her timeline ignores the Lord’s timeline; God can interrupt any moment (Job 34:21–22). The supposed safe interval is an illusion. summary The verse portrays the seductive woman’s calculated assurance: her husband’s well-funded journey grants her a season of hidden sin. She trusts in distance, money, and the lunar calendar; but Proverbs exposes that false security. God sees, truth endures, and sin’s consequences will arrive long before—or at—the next full moon. |
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