Proverbs 23:27 — Word Study
WLCכִּֽי־ שׁוּחָ֣ה עֲמֻקָּ֣ה זוֹנָ֑ה וּבְאֵ֥ר צָ֝רָ֗ה נָכְרִיָּֽה׃
BSAForkîy [because of this reason] a prostitutezânâh [harlot, loose woman] is a deepʻâmôq [profound, mysterious] pitshûwchâh [ditch, hollow] and an adulteressnokrîy [wayward wife, strange woman] is a narrowtsar [tight, confined] wellbᵉʼêr [water-hole, spring]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| כִּֽי־ | for | Particle |
| שׁוּחָ֣ה | [is] a pit | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| עֲמֻקָּ֣ה | deep | Adj |
| זוֹנָ֑ה | a prostitute | Verb, Qal, participle (active) feminine singular |
| וּבְאֵ֥ר | and [is] a well | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| צָ֝רָ֗ה | narrow | Adj |
| נָכְרִיָּֽה׃ | a foreign [woman] | Adj |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an adulteress is a narrow well. |
| KJV | For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit. |
| ASV | For a harlot is a deep ditch; And a foreign woman is a narrow pit. |
| YLT | For a harlot [is] a deep ditch, And a strange woman [is] a strait pit. |
| WEB | For a prostitute is a deep pit; and a wayward wife is a narrow well. |
| BBE | For a loose woman is a deep hollow, and a strange woman is a narrow water-hole. |
Where they part company is נָכְרִיָּֽה — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has two main clauses, each highlighting the dangers posed by the figures described.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectזָנָה
verbזָנָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Proverbs 23:27
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Wisdom's Warning Against Temptationgenerated
Proverbs 23:27 is part of a father’s counsel to his son, emphasizing the importance of discernment in relationships. The surrounding verses discuss the value of wisdom and the consequences of straying from the right path. This wisdom literature often uses vivid imagery to convey moral lessons, warning against the seductive nature of temptation, particularly from women described in these terms.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 22:14 | The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the wrath of the LORD will fall into it. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — זוֹנָ֑ה, zo.Nahgenerated
The word זוֹנָ֑ה (zanah) is a feminine singular participle derived from the verb meaning 'to fornicate' or 'to be unfaithful.' It encompasses a range of meanings, including adultery and idolatry, highlighting the unfaithfulness in relationships. In this context, it specifically refers to a prostitute, emphasizing moral and spiritual corruption.
The use of this term in Proverbs reflects the broader biblical theme of fidelity and the dangers of temptation, particularly in sexual relationships. The verse suggests that engaging with such a person leads to peril, likening the act to falling into a deep pit.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against. The BSB uses prostitute and adulteress, which aligns with the KJV and ASV, maintaining the moral implications of the original Hebrew.
Where translations differ is in the rendering of נָכְרִיָּֽה — the BSB and WEB use wayward wife, while the KJV and others opt for strange woman. This reflects different interpretations of the term's connotation in the context of fidelity.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse contains two main clauses, each with a subject and a predicate. The first clause is centered around זוֹנָ֑ה, a prostitute, and the second around נָכְרִיָּֽה, a foreign woman. The structure emphasizes the comparison between the two figures and their associated dangers.
The word order in Hebrew places emphasis on the subjects, highlighting the significance of the prostitute and the adulteress as central figures in the warning against temptation.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, זוֹנָ֑ה is rendered as ἀλλότριος, which conveys the idea of someone who is not one's own, emphasizing the unfaithfulness. This choice aligns with the moral implications of the Hebrew text, reinforcing the theme of danger in relationships with such individuals.
The term for שׁוּחָ֣ה, rendered as πίθος, suggests a deep or hollow place, consistent with the Hebrew imagery of a pit, highlighting the perilous nature of engaging with a prostitute.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 23:27 warns that a prostitute is like a deep pit, and an adulteress is like a narrow well. This imagery illustrates the hidden dangers and temptations that can lead one astray in relationships. The father advises his son to be cautious and wise in his choices.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The comparison suggests that engaging with a prostitute can lead to serious consequences and entrapment, much like falling into a deep pit.
A narrow well symbolizes confinement and danger, indicating that relationships with such women can lead to trouble and hardship.
This verse fits within the broader theme of Proverbs, which emphasizes the importance of wisdom, discernment, and the avoidance of temptation.
The warning teaches the importance of being cautious in relationships and recognizing the potential dangers of unfaithfulness.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some ways I can practice discernment in my relationships?
- How can I avoid the pitfalls of temptation as described in this verse?
- What does this verse teach about the consequences of unfaithfulness?
- In what ways can I seek wisdom in my choices regarding relationships?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early Church Fathers often referenced Proverbs for moral teachings. Here, John Chrysostom uses this verse to illustrate the dangers of temptation and the consequences of unfaithfulness.
Solomon compared the love of [such a] woman with the deep pit. She calls a halt only when she sees that her lover has been stripped of all his possessions.Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 23 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 23:27 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleFor a whore [is] a deep ditch,.... Or, "as a deep ditch", so Aben Ezra; to which she may be compared for the filthiness of her whoredoms, and for her insatiable lust, as well as for her being never
Read John Gill on Proverbs 23 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryFor a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit. A whore (is) a deep ditch ... a narrow pit - where the fall is great, and whence there is no escape.
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 23 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleA deep ditch; in which a man is in evident danger of perdition, and out of which it is exceeding difficult to escape.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 23 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 23:27 For a whore [is] a deep ditch; and a strange woman [is] a narrow pit.Ver. 27. For an whore is a deep ditch.] Fitly so called, quod nullus neque modus neque finis sit in amore meritricio, because lust is boundless, bottomless. He is a perfect slave that serves a whore.
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 23 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(27) Strange woman (nokhriyyah).—See above, on Proverbs 2:16.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 23 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 27. For a whore is a deep ditch] See on Proverbs 22:14.
Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 23 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible27, 28. A strange woman — A lewd woman. Proverbs 23:27 very forcibly represents the helpless and all but inextricable condition of him who falls a prey to the wiles of a bad woman. As for a prey — Like a robber.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 23 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an adulteress is a narrow well.
For a prostitute is a deep pit; and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an adulteress is a narrow well.
for a prostitute is like a deep pit; a harlot is like a narrow well.
Tyndale line
For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
For a harlot is a deep ditch; And a foreign woman is a narrow pit.
For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
For a lewd woman is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
For a whore is as a deepe ditche, and a strange woman is as a narrowe pitte.
Strictly literal
For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
For a harlot [is] a deep ditch, And a strange woman [is] a strait pit.
For a harlot [is] a deep ditch, || And a strange woman [is] a narrow pit.
For a harlot is a deep ditch, and a strange woman is a narrow well.
For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an immoral woman is a narrow well.
From the Latin
For a harlot is a deep ditch: and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
Simplified
A prostitute is like being trapped in a pit; an immoral woman is like getting stuck a narrow well,
For a loose woman is a deep hollow, and a strange woman is a narrow water-hole.
Word by word, the decisions they made
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text of Proverbs 23:27 states, 'For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an adulteress is a narrow well.' The Septuagint, while it matches the Masoretic Text word for word, presents the text in its own Greek structure. There are no significant differences in meaning between the two, as both convey the same idea regarding the dangers of sexual immorality. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional variations for this verse, so the agreement between the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint is a notable point for understanding this passage.
כִּֽי־ שׁוּחָ֣ה עֲמֻקָּ֣ה זוֹנָ֑ה וּבְאֵ֥ר צָ֝רָ֗ה נָכְרִיָּֽה׃
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Proverbs 23:27
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'
כִּי conj. that, for, when
that
Of time, when, of the past
elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם
when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though
Because, since
base
כִּי אם־
each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:
that if
for if
(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—
limiting the prec. clause, except
the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
after an oath, surely
base
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that
. . Of time, when, of the past
. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם
. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though
. Because, since
H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if
. for if
. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except
. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
. after an oath, surely
H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
3588 kiy kee
a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional
prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent
or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative
conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by
other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,
where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,
even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +
nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,
therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,
whether, while, whom, yea, yet.
כִּי (ki) — for.
1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since
1a) that
1a1) yea, indeed
1b) when (of time)
1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)
1c) because, since (causal connection)
1d) but (after negative)
1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if
1f) but rather, but
1g) except that
1h) only, nevertheless
1i) surely
1j) that is
1k) but if
1l) for though
1m) forasmuch as, for therefore
כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.
1) except if
1a) but if
1b) even though
כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.
1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since
1a) that
1a1) yea, indeed
1b) when (of time)
1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)
1c) because, since (causal connection)
1d) but (after negative)
Conj — ParticleHTc
for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.
In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…
שׁוּחָה (shuwchah) refers to a pit or chasm. It is derived from the root word שׁוּח (shuwch), which also relates to a deep or hollow place. The entries consistently define it as a pit, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
שׁוּחָה n.f. pit
base
H7745 שׁוּחָה
7745 shuwchah shoo-khaw'
from 7743; a chasm:--ditch, pit.
see HEBREW for 07743
שׁוּחָה (shu.chah) — pit.
pit
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
The word translates different Hebrew words of which the most important are:
(1) bor, "pit" or "cistern," made by digging, (Ge 37:20); hence, "dungeon" (Jer 38:6, margin "pit");
(2) be'er, "pit" or "well" made by digging (Ge 21:25);
(3) she'ol, generally rendered "hell" in the King James Version (see HELL);
Pit
A hole in the ground (Ex. 21:33, 34), a cistern for water (Gen. 37:24; Jer. 14:3), a vault (41:9), a grave (Ps. 30:3). It is used as a figure for mischief (Ps. 9:15), and is the name given to the unseen place of woe (Rev. 20:1, 3). The slime-pits in the vale of Siddim were wells which yielded asphalt (Gen. 14:10).
[HELL]
A reservoir, either natural or artificial, for water. Pits were sometimes used as dungeons, Ge 37:20; Jer 38:6; or being slightly covered, and baited, they served as traps to catch wild beasts, a device which illustrates the plots of designing men and women, Ps 119:85; Pr 22:14; 26:27; Eze 19:4. The word pit is also used to denote the grave, Ps 28:1; 30:3,9; and hell, Re 20:1.
עָמֹק (amoq) means 'deep' in both a literal and figurative sense, often implying something that is unsearchable or mysterious. It is derived from another Hebrew word, עָמַק (amaq), and is used in contexts that emphasize depth.
עָמֹק 17 adj. deep
lit.
= unsearchable
base
H6013 עָמֹק
6013 `amoq aw-moke'
from 6009; deep (literally or figuratively):--(X exceeding)
deep (thing).
see HEBREW for 06009
עָמֹק (a.moq) — deep.
1) deep, mysterious, depths
1a) deep
1b) unsearchable
Adj — AdjHAafsa
זָנָה (zanah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to commit fornication or to be a harlot. It encompasses a range of actions, including adultery and idolatry, with a focus on unfaithfulness, particularly in a figurative sense regarding one's relationship with God. The entries indicate that it can also refer to cult prostitution and moral defection, with various grammatical forms expressing different nuances of the term.
זָנָה vb. commit fornication, be a harlot
Qal
be or act as a harlot
fig. of improper intercourse with foreign nations
of intercourse with other deities
of moral defection
Pu. fornication was not done (in going) after thee
Hiph.
cause to commit fornication
commit fornication
base
H2181 זָנָה commit fornication, be a harlot
2181 zanah zaw-naw'
a primitive root (highly-fed and therefore wanton); to commit
adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple
fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment); figuratively,
to commit idolatry (the Jewish people being regarded as the
spouse of Jehovah):--(cause to) commit fornication, X
continually, X great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be,
play the) whore, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go
a-whoring, whorish.
זָנָה (za.nah) — to fornicate.
1) to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be a harlot, act as a harlot, commit fornication
1a2) to commit adultery
1a3) to be a cult prostitute
1a4) to be unfaithful (to God) (fig.)
1b) (Pual) to play the harlot
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to commit adultery
1c2) to force into prostitution
1c3) to commit fornication
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) feminine singularHVqrfsa
בְּאֵר (be'er) refers to a well or pit, often created by digging. It can denote a spring as well. The term appears in Genesis 26:21 and is also used as a proper noun for a location in the desert, situated north of Eleutheropolis.
בְּאֵר n.f. Gn 26:21 well, pit
a well, often as made by digging
pit
as n.pr.loc.
a station of Isr. in desert
8 miles north of Eleutheropolis
base
H875 בְּאֵר well, pit
875 'er be-ayr'
from 874; a pit; especially a well:--pit, well.
see HEBREW for 0874
בְּאֵר (be.er) — well.
well, pit, spring
Conj | N-fs — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absoluteHC/Ncfsa
(1) (be'er; compare Arabic bi'r, "well" or "cistern"; usually artificial: "And Isaac's servants digged (dug) in the valley, and found there a well of springing (margin "living") water" (Ge 26:19); some times covered: "Jacob .... rolled the stone from the well's mouth" (Ge 29:10). Be'er may also be a pit: "The vale of Siddim was full of slime pits" (Ge 14:10); "the pit of destruction" (Ps 55:23).
(2) (bor), usually "pit": "Let us slay him, and cast him into one of the pits" (Ge 37:20); may be "well": "drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem" (2Sa 23:16).
Well
(Heb. beer), to be distinguished from a fountain (Heb. ‘ain). A “beer” was a deep shaft, bored far under the rocky surface by the art of man, which contained water which percolated through the strata in its sides. Such wells were those of Jacob and Beersheba, etc. (see Gen. 21:19, 25, 30, 31; 24:11; 26:15, 18-25, 32, etc.). In the Pentateuch this word beer, so rendered, occurs twenty-five times.
Wells in Palestine are usually excavated from the solid limestone rock, sometimes with steps to descend into them. (Genesis 24:16) The brims are furnished with a curb or low wall of stone, bearing marks of high antiquity in the furrows worn by the ropes used in drawing water. It was on a curb of this sort that our Lord sat when he conversed with the woman of Samaria, (John 4:6) and it was this, the usual stone cover, which the woman placed on the mouth of the well at Bahurim, (2 Samuel 17:19) where the Authorized Version weakens the sense by omitting the article. The usual methods for raising water are the following: The rope and bucket, or waterskin. (Genesis 24:14-20;
The Hebrew word צַר (tsar) is built from the root meaning 'narrow' or 'tight.' It encompasses a range of meanings including 'distress,' 'adversary,' and 'hard pebble' or 'flint.' The term can refer to physical tightness or metaphorical trouble, as well as an enemy or foe. It appears in contexts of anguish and tribulation, with a specific verse reference in Isaiah 5:28.
צַר adj. narrow, tight
base
צַר n.[m.] straits, distress
base
צַר 68 n.m. adversary, foe
base
צַר n.[m.] hard pebble, flint;—Is 5:28
ref
H6862a צַר narrow, tight H6862b צַר straits, distress H6862c צַר adversary, foe H6862d צַר hard pebble, flint
6862 tsar tsar
or tsar {tsawr}; from 6887; narrow; (as a noun) a tight place
(usually figuratively, i.e. trouble); also a pebble (as in
6864); (transitive) an opponent (as crowding):--adversary,
afflicted(-tion), anguish, close, distress, enemy, flint, foe,
narrow, small, sorrow, strait, tribulation, trouble.
see HEBREW for 06887
see HEBREW for 06864
צַר (tsar) — narrow.
narrow, tight
צַר (tsar) — distress.
straits, distress
צַר (tsar) — enemy.
adversary, foe, enemy, oppressor
צַר (tsar) — hard.
hard pebble, flint
Adj — AdjHAafsa
נָכְרִי (nokriy) means foreign or alien, covering a range of meanings from a foreign person to something unfamiliar or strange. It can also refer specifically to a foreign woman or harlot. The word is built from a root that suggests strangeness in various contexts.
נָכְרִי adj. foreign, alien
base
H5237 נָכְרִי foreign, alien
5237 nokriy nok-ree'
from 5235 (second form); strange, in a variety of degrees and
applications (foreign, non-relative, adulterous, different,
wonderful):--alien, foreigner, outlandish, strange(-r,
woman).
see HEBREW for 05235
נׇכְרִי (nokh.ri) — foreign.
1) foreign, alien
1a) foreign
1b) foreigner (subst)
1c) foreign woman, harlot
1d) unknown, unfamiliar (fig.)
Adj — AdjHAafsa
woom'-an ('ishshah, "a woman" (feminine of 'ish, "a man"]; gune, "a woman" "wife"):
I. IN THE CREATIVE PLAN
II. IN OLD TESTAMENT TIMES
1. Prominence of Women
2. Social Equality
3. Marriage Laws
4. Inheritance
5. Domestic Duties
6. Dress and Ornaments
7. Religious Devotion and Service
(1) in Idolatry and False Religion
(2) in Spiritual Religion
III. INTER-TESTAMENTAL ERA
IV. IN NEW TESTAMENT TIMES
1. Mary and Elisabeth
2. Jesus and Women
3. In the Early Church
4. Official Service
5. Widows
6. Deaconesses
IV. LATER TIMES
1. Changes in Character and Condition
2. Notable Examples of Christian Womanhood
3. Woman in the 20th Century
The generic term "man" includes woman. In the narrative of the creation (Ge 1:26,27) Adam is a collective term for mankind. It may signify human being, male or female, or humanity entire. "God said, Let us make man .... and let them"…
Woman
Was “taken out of man” (Gen. 2:23), and therefore the man has the preeminence. “The head of the woman is the man;” but yet honour is to be shown to the wife, “as unto the weaker vessel” (1 Cor. 11:3, 8, 9; 1 Pet. 3:7). Several women are mentioned in Scripture as having been endowed with prophetic gifts, as Miriam (Ex. 15:20), Deborah (Judg. 4:4, 5), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), Noadiah (Neh. 6:14), Anna (Luke 2:36, 37), and the daughters of Philip the evangelist…
Is spoken of in Scripture as the beloved and honored companion and helpmeet, not the servant, of man, Ge 2:23,24, created as the necessary completion of man, Ge 3:16 1Co 11:3,8,9 14:34,35 1Ti 2:11-14, yet specially qualified for that sphere, and as necessary in it as man in his. Man and woman are indeed essentially one, the natural qualities of each so responding to those of the other as to lay the foundation of the most tender and abiding unity. The Bible thus raised the Jewish woman high above the woman of heathenism; and the Old Testament contains some of the finest portraitures of female character. But still greater is the contrast between the women of heathenism and…