Proverbs 20:16
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
Original Language Analysis
כִּי
H3588
כִּי
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
3 of 8
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
עָ֣רַב
that is surety
H6148
עָ֣רַב
that is surety
Strong's:
H6148
Word #:
4 of 8
to braid, i.e., intermix; technically, to traffic (as if by barter); also or give to be security (as a kind of exchange)
זָ֑ר
for a stranger
H2114
זָ֑ר
for a stranger
Strong's:
H2114
Word #:
5 of 8
to turn aside (especially for lodging); hence to be a foreigner, strange, profane; specifically (active participle) to commit adultery
וּבְעַ֖ד
H1157
וּבְעַ֖ד
Strong's:
H1157
Word #:
6 of 8
in up to or over against; generally at, beside, among, behind, for, etc
Historical Context
Ancient law allowed creditors to take cloaks as collateral but required returning them by night (Exodus 22:26-27). This proverb addresses the imprudence of guaranteeing debts for unreliable people.
Questions for Reflection
- Have you committed financially in ways that are unwise or enable another's irresponsibility?
- How do you balance generous helping with wise discernment about enabling sin?
Analysis & Commentary
This verse addresses surety (pledging collateral for another's debt). If someone is foolish enough to guarantee a stranger's debt, creditors should 'take his garment'—hold collateral to secure payment. The 'strange woman' likely refers to an adulteress or foreigner, emphasizing the foolishness of such entanglement. The principle: don't subsidize folly or wickedness through unwise financial commitment. While charity and generosity are virtues, enabling irresponsibility or sin is not. This wisdom protects both the guarantor (who shouldn't pledge what he cannot afford to lose) and society (which shouldn't enable vice). Believers must balance compassion with discernment, helping the genuinely needy while not enabling wickedness.