Can a man take fire - These were proverbial expressions, the meaning of which was plain to every capacity.

Can a man take fire in his bosom,.... A whore is compared to fire, and is so called by the poets (o); and it is a saying of Pythagoras,

"it is a like thing to fall into fire and into a woman (p);''

the Hebrew words "esh", "fire", and "ishah", "a woman", have some affinity in sound; and the phrase of taking it "into the bosom" fitly expresses the impure embraces of a harlot;

and his clothes not be burned? he cannot, it is impossible; and equally vain is it to think that a man can commit whoredom and it not be known, or he not hurt by it in his name and substance, or in his body, soul, and life.

(o) Plauti Bacehides, Acts 4. Sc. 9. v. 15. "Accede ad ignem hunc", Terent. Eunuehus, Acts 1. Sc. 2. v. 5. (p) , apud Maximum, Eclog. c. 39.

The moral necessity of ruinous consequences which the sin of adultery draws after it, is illustrated by examples of natural cause and effect necessarily connected:

27 Can one take fire in his bosom

     And his clothes not be burned?

28 Or can any one walk over burning coals

     And his feet not be burned?

29 So he that goeth to his neighbour's wife,

     No one remains unpunished that toucheth her.

We would say: Can any one, without being, etc.; the former is the Semitic "extended (paratactic)

(Note: The παρατακτικὸς χρόνος denotes the imperfect tense, because it is still extended to the future.)

construction." The first אישׁ has the conjunctive Shalsheleth. חתה signifies to seize and draw forth a brand or coal with the fire-tongs or shovel (מחתּה, the instrument for this); cf. Arab. khât, according to Lane, "he seized or snatched away a thing;" the form יחתּה is Kal, as יחנה (vid., Khler, De Tetragammate, 1867, p. 10). חיק (properly indentation) is here not the lap, but, as Isaiah 40:11, the bosom.

{n} Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?

(n) Meaning, that she will never cease till she has brought you to begging, and then seek your destruction.

27-29. The guilt and danger most obvious.

6:20-35 The word of God has something to say to us upon all occasions. Let not faithful reproofs ever make us uneasy. When we consider how much this sin abounds, how heinous adultery is in its own nature, of what evil consequence it is, and how certainly it destroys the spiritual life in the soul, we shall not wonder that the cautions against it are so often repeated. Let us notice the subjects of this chapter. Let us remember Him who willingly became our Surety, when we were strangers and enemies. And shall Christians, who have such prospects, motives, and examples, be slothful and careless? Shall we neglect what is pleasing to God, and what he will graciously reward? May we closely watch every sense by which poison can enter our minds or affections.