Madam Folly’s Invitation to Death
9: 13-18
A proverb is a short and memorable saying designed to be our blueprint for living in the world that ADONAI has created. It is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal.
We now come to the climax of the first nine chapters. Previously, we have spoken of a path on which the son is encouraged to walk. That path represents life’s journey. The son has received instruction to stay on the right path and not to go astray on the crooked path. The previous chapters have warned of violent ambushes from evil men and the amorous advances of flattering women. These instructions have come to him from his parents, voiced by his father and from Lady Wisdom. In Chapter 9 a choice presents itself to him, and to us.207 The passage portrays two houses, one on either side of the road. On one side, a house stands open, with an elegant lady named Wisdom inviting us into her house of holiness. On the other side of the road, another house stands open, with a seductive woman (or man) named Folly inviting us into her macabre manor. It is decision time for the son and the simpleminded. Will they embrace Lady Wisdom of Madam Folly?208
The woman named Madam Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without a moral compass (9:13 Hebrew). Unlike Lady Wisdom (to see link click Bn – Lady Wisdom’s Invitation to Life), Madam Folly hasn’t prepared very much. She has no food to give and sends out no servant girls. Instead, her character is outlined, whereas Lady Wisdom’s character was only implied by her words and actions. Madam Folly personifies the rejection of wisdom based on the fear of ADONAI (see Ai – The Fear of ADONAI is the Beginning of Wisdom). In an attempt to cover up her insecurities, she is pictured as being loud; attractive but unruly. Here, as elsewhere, Madam Folly offers immediate gratification, whereas Lady Wisdom offers long-term satisfaction.
Unlike Lady Wisdom, who prepared and searched out her guests, Madam Folly merely sat in her doorway on the heights overlooking the city (9:14 NLT). She has temporarily left her house on the street and ascended to the heights of the city so that she might attract more suiters. Opposed to Lady Wisdom, whose house is given some description, Madam Folly’s gets no depiction. Without a moral compass, she lacks any desire to leave her undisciplined state to seek out righteousness. Opposed to the woman of noble character (see Dy – Wisdom for Women), she embodies foolishness.
She calls out to men passing by who are minding their own business, inviting them to her home (9:15 NLT). Frequently, in Chapters 1-9 we have encountered the metaphor of the path as a reference to one’s life journey. So her invitation comes to those who are living life; she speaks specifically to the simpleminded (1:4). In other words, Madam Folly appeals to the same immature group as Lady Wisdom. They are rivals for the attention of the same group of gullible young men, thus creating the need for a decision.209
“Come in with me,” she urges the simpleminded. These are the same words Lady Wisdom used to invite the young men into her house of life. She is calling out for them to turn aside to her and what she has to offer. Her tempting offer is based on the assumption that what is forbidden or hidden must be better than what is offered by Lady Wisdom. To those who lack good judgment, she says, “Stolen water is sweet.” Stolen water is a subtle way of referring to adultery, stealing what belongs to another, as in 5:15-17 where water is used for sexuality. This is depicted as sweet and attractive. “And bread eaten in secret is tasty” (9:16-17 Hebrew) is parallel with stolen water, and suggests that what is done in her house will not be made known to others. It happens in private, away from prying eyes. This echoes the seductive words of the adulterous woman earlier in the book (see Bi – Avoid the Seductress). Her invitation started off in the same way as Lady Wisdom’s in verse 16, but now in verse 17, it sounds more appealing, as she offers forbidden fruit.210
The last verse of this section, though, shows the horrific consequences that will result from choosing the house of death. But (indicating that the wrong impression given by Madam Folly’s words will now be corrected) he doesn’t realize that the dead are there, and that those who accept her invitation are in the depths of sh’ol with no way out (9:18 CJB). Those who accept Madam Folly’s invitation go expecting to find life and renewed energy, but find death. While her invitation sounded very appealing, it is dangerously deceptive.
As Tremper Longman III relates in his commentary on Proverbs, the final chapter of the first part of the book brings to end several major themes and demands that the reader make a fundamental life decision. Here and there in the first eight chapters, we have encountered the idea that there is a path on which we walk and that this path stands for one’s life journey. We have already heard from Lady Wisdom, and while Madam Folly is a new character in the drama of the book, her human counterpart, the adulterous woman, has anticipated her. Both Lady Wisdom and Madam Folly issue invitations. We must decide.
Who is Lady Wisdom? Wisdom is clearly a personification of ADONAI’s attribute of wisdom. However, she is also associated with her influence over men. After all, we hear about the wise woman of Tekoa (see the commentary on the Life of David Dl – The Wise Woman of Tekoa), and the queen of Sheba (see the Life of Solomon Bu – Solomon and the Queen of Sheba). But if Wisdom is a personification of ADONAI, then who is Madam Folly? To start with, she is the personification of foolish thought and behavior, but more. She too, represents deity, but in her case she stands for all the pagan gods and goddesses who desire to lure Isra’el away from the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. She stands for Marduk, Ba’al, Ishtar, Anat, Asherah, Chemosh, Molech – and the list can go on and on.
Again, the reader/son must make a choice, and this choice is fundamental for wisdom. In the final analysis, there is no wisdom apart from a relationship with Lady Wisdom, meaning ADONAI. In this regard, this metaphor reinforces the point of the “motto” of the book: The fear of ADONAI is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline (1:7). There is no middle path. One is either wise or foolish, associated with one or the other of the two women. Furthermore, as we move into the second part of the book, Chapters 10-31, the very terms “wisdom” and “foolish” and their numerous related terms are full of theological meaning. For instance, Proverbs 10:1 states: A wise son makes a father glad, and a foolish son brings grief to his mother.
We now recognize the meaning of this verse like this. It states that a son who makes a father (who stands for both parents) glad is wise. To be wise means that one acts like one who is in a relationship with ADONAI. On the contrary, those who bring sorrow to the mother (again standing for both parents) show themselves to be fools, and that means they are acting like worshippers of pagan deities. In this way, the proverbs have important theological significance even when they do not explicitly name ADONAI or some well-known theological concept. Wisdom and foolishness themselves are such theological concepts. The two houses of Lady Wisdom and Madam Folly stand behind Yeshua’s teaching that contrasts the house built by a wise person and the one built by the fool (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Dy – The Wise and Foolish Builders). The house built by Lady Wisdom withstands assault, while that by folly leads to destruction.211
Dear heavenly Father, praise You that You are full of steadfast love and mercy. Wisdom looks to the future and chooses to accept Your invitation of love, though trials may come. A future of eternal joy that never ends, is worth far more than any trials that may seem long and very hard now, in light of eternity, all earthly trials will be over in a blink! For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). But Madam Folly looks like an easy way to fulfill sensual desires; but in reality, it is a trap/a bottomless pit into pain and suffering. Following Madam Folly or doing good deeds to be seen by others is foolish and senseless. May Madam Folly’s words fall on deaf ears. May your loving call as Shepherd fall on ears that hear You and quickly to turn your love in faith – your steadfast love, almighty power, and never-ending mercy, love and care. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen
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