Proverbs 7:11 — Word Study
WLCהֹמִיָּ֣ה הִ֣יא וְסֹרָ֑רֶת בְּ֝בֵיתָ֗הּ לֹא־ יִשְׁכְּנ֥וּ רַגְלֶֽיהָ׃
BSAShehûwʼ is loudhâmâh [clamorous and wilful] and defiantçârar [stubborn, rebellious] her feetregel [the foot, the leg] do notlôʼ remainshâkan▸ [or stay, abide] at homebayith [in her house, her dwelling place]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הֹמִיָּ֣ה | [is] boisterous | Verb, Qal, participle (active) feminine singular |
| הִ֣יא | she | Pronoun |
| וְסֹרָ֑רֶת | and rebellious | Conjunction, verb qal participle (active) feminine singular |
| בְּ֝בֵיתָ֗הּ | in house her | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| לֹא־ | not | Particle |
| יִשְׁכְּנ֥וּ | they stay | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| רַגְלֶֽיהָ׃ | feet her | Noun common feminine dual construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home. |
| KJV | (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: |
| ASV | (She is clamorous and wilful; Her feet abide not in her house: |
| YLT | Noisy she [is], and stubborn, In her house her feet rest not. |
| WEB | She is loud and defiant. Her feet don’t stay in her house. |
| BBE | She is full of noise and uncontrolled; her feet keep not in her house. |
The translations agree on the key terms used to describe the woman in this verse.
The verse has a main clause followed by two phrases that elaborate on her character and actions.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectהִיא
verbהָמָה
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 7:11
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 — Warning Against the Seductressgenerated
Proverbs 7:11 describes a woman who is loud and defiant, suggesting a character that is both boisterous and rebellious. This verse serves as a warning against the dangers of such behavior, which is further elaborated in the surrounding verses. The context emphasizes the importance of discernment in the face of temptation, as the woman is portrayed as one who does not remain at home, indicating her restless and wayward nature.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 9:13 | The woman named Folly is loud; she is naive and knows nothing. |
| 2 | Proverbs 25:24 | Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife. |
| 3 | Proverbs 27:14–15 | If one blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be counted to him as a curse. |
| 4 | Proverbs 31:10–31 | A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies. |
| 5 | Genesis 18:9 | “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked. “There, in the tent,” he replied. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — הֹמִיָּ֣ה, ho.mi.Yahgenerated
The word הֹמִיָּ֣ה (hamah) is a feminine singular participle meaning 'boisterous' or 'clamorous'. It is derived from the root meaning to roar, which conveys a sense of loudness or tumult. The parsing indicates that it describes an ongoing state of being, highlighting the woman's loud and disruptive nature.
This term suggests not just noise but also a sense of chaos or turmoil, reflecting the woman's character as one who is not only loud but also willful and defiant.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations of this verse generally agree on the depiction of the woman as loud and defiant.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse is built around the finite verb סֹרָ֑רֶת, and rebellious, which connects the subject הִ֣יא, she, and the participle הֹמִיָּ֣ה, boisterous. The sentence flows from the description of the woman's character to the action of her feet not remaining at home.
The word order emphasizes the woman's defiance and loudness as defining traits, leading into the description of her actions.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew הֹמִיָּ֣ה is rendered as ἄσωτος, which means 'prodigal' or 'wasteful'. This choice reflects a broader interpretation of her character as not just loud but also reckless in her behavior.
This translation choice indicates a possible emphasis on the consequences of her actions, aligning with the theme of folly in Proverbs.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 7:11 describes a woman who is loud and rebellious, indicating her restless nature. She does not stay at home but instead lurks in the streets, which serves as a warning about the dangers of such behavior.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This indicates that the woman is not only noisy but also exhibits a rebellious attitude, suggesting a lack of restraint.
This suggests that she is restless and seeks attention outside her dwelling, highlighting her wayward nature.
It serves as a warning against the dangers of seduction and folly, encouraging discernment in the face of temptation.
Her traits serve as a cautionary example of how not to behave, particularly in the context of relationships and moral choices.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can loudness and defiance manifest in our lives today?
- How can we recognize when we are being led astray by tempting influences?
- What steps can we take to cultivate a spirit of restraint and wisdom?
- How does the portrayal of the woman in this verse challenge societal norms about behavior?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators, such as Bede, reflect on this verse to discuss the nature of temptation and the importance of remaining steadfast.
Loud and wayward, etc. Desiring to disturb the peace of the Church.Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 7 →
Unable to remain at home with her feet. There is no heresy content with its first disciples: for they are its house, but it always seeks new ones to deceive.Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 7 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 7:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleShe [is] loud and stubborn,.... "Loud"; not that her voice may be heard, and so be found by those that seek her in the dark, as Aben Ezra interprets it; but rather clamorous, noisy, and talkative,
Read John Gill on Proverbs 7 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: (Parenthetical description of the whorish woman's characteristics.) (She (is) loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house.
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 7 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleLoud, or clamorous, or full of talk, which served her design. Stubborn; rebellious against God, and against her husband, and incorrigible by all admonitions of ministers or friends. Her feet abide not in her house; she minds not her business, which lies at home, but gives up herself wholly to idleness and pleasure, which she seeks abroad with other men.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 7 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 7:11 (She [is] loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:Ver. 11. Her feet abide not in her house.] As the modest woman’ s do, who is therefore called domiporta, set forth by the snail, which carries her house on her back, and compared to the vine, that grows by the house side. The Egyptian women wear no shoes, that they might the better keep home. Of the Italian women it is said, that they are magpies at the door, saints in the church, goats in the garden, devils in the house, angels in the streets, and sirens in the windows. Heylin’ s Geog.
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 7 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(11) Her feet abide not in her house.—She is not a “keeper at home,” as St. Paul (Titus 2:5) would have Christian matrons to be.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 7 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 11. She is loud and stubborn] המיה homiyah, she is never at rest, always agitated; busily employed to gain her end, and this is to go into the path of error: סררת sorereth, "turning aside;" preferring any way to the right way. And, therefore, it is added, her feet abide not in her house; she gads abroad; and this disposition probably first led her to this vice.
Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 7 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges11. loud] or clamorous, R.V., as the word is rendered in the parallel passage Proverbs 9:13, A.V. stubborn] Rather, refractory, like a restive animal, as the same Heb. word is used of a heifer that casts off all restraint, Hosea 4:16, where R.V. renders stubborn, though here wilful. Comp. our expression, unbridled lust.
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 7 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleLoud and stubborn - Both words describe the half-animal signs of a vicious nature. Compare Hosea 4:16.
Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 7 →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
She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home.
She is loud and defiant. Her feet don’t stay in her house.
She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home.
(She is loud and rebellious, she does not remain at home –
Tyndale line
(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
(She is clamorous and wilful; Her feet abide not in her house:
She is clamorous, and wilful; her feet abide not in her house:
(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
(She is babling and loud: whose feete can not abide in her house.
Strictly literal
She is clamorous and unmanageable; her feet abide not in her house:
Noisy she [is], and stubborn, In her house her feet rest not.
She [is] noisy, and stubborn, her feet do not rest in her house.
(She is noisy and ungovernable; in her house her feet never rest;
She was loud and wayward; her feet did not stay at home.
From the Latin
Not bearing to be quiet, not able to abide still at home,
Simplified
(She was loud and provocative, never wanting to stay at home.
She is full of noise and uncontrolled; her feet keep not in her house.
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 and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording for this verse, with 6 out of 7 words matching. The Septuagint's rendering, however, reflects a different word order and interpretation, particularly in its choice of ἄσωτος.
הֹמִיָּ֣ה הִ֣יא וְסֹרָ֑רֶת בְּ֝בֵיתָ֗הּ לֹא־ יִשְׁכְּנ֥וּ רַגְלֶֽיהָ׃
6 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 7:11
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.
הָמָה (hamah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to murmur, growl, or roar, and it conveys a sense of loudness or tumult. It can refer to various forms of noise and commotion, including being boisterous or troubled. The entries suggest a range of meanings from making noise to being in a state of uproar, with some nuances in emotional expression, such as mourning or prayer.
[הָמָה] vb. murmur, growl, roar, be boisterous
Qal
growl like a dog
murmur, fig. of soul in discouragement
roar, of waves
be in commotion, stir
be boisterous, turbulent
base
H1993 [הָמָה] murmur, growl, roar, be boisterous
1993 hamah haw-maw'
a primitive root (compare 1949); to make a loud sound like
Engl. "hum"); by implication, to be in great commotion or
tumult, to rage, war, moan, clamor:--clamorous, concourse, cry
aloud, be disquieted, loud, mourn, be moved, make a noise,
rage, roar, sound, be troubled, make in tumult, tumultuous, be
in an uproar.
see HEBREW for 01949
הָמָה (ha.mah) — to roar.
1) to murmur, growl, roar, cry aloud, mourn, rage, sound, make noise, tumult, be clamorous, be disquieted, be loud, be moved, be troubled, be in an uproar
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to growl
1a2) to murmur (fig. of a soul in prayer)
1a3) to roar
1a4) to be in a stir, be in a commotion
1a5) to be boisterous, be turbulent
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) feminine singularHVqrfsa
הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.
הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it
an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)
It resumes the subj. with emph.
Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible
It anticipates (as it seems) the subject
As an emph. predicate, of God
In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)
With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.
base
H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)
. It resumes the subj. with emph.
. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible
. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject
. As an emph. predicate, of God
. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)
. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.
1931 huw' hoo
of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a
primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or
it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also
(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;
sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally
(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),
it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,
this, those, which (is), who.
הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.
pron 3p s
1) he, she, it
1a) himself (with emphasis)
1b) resuming subj with emphasis
1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)
1d) (anticipating subj)
1e) (emphasising predicate)
1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron
2) that (with article)
Pron — PronounHPp3fs
סָרַר (sa.rar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be stubborn or rebellious. It describes a moral turning away or refusal to obey, encompassing notions of backsliding and being refractory. The entries consistently highlight its use in contexts of rebellion and stubbornness, but do not provide specific verse references.
סָרַר vb. be stubborn, rebellious
base
H5637 סָרַר be stubborn, rebellious
5637 carar saw-rar'
a primitive root; to turn away, i.e. (morally) be
refractory:--X away, backsliding, rebellious, revolter(-ing),
slide back, stubborn, withdrew.
סָרַר (sa.rar) — to rebel.
1) to rebel, be stubborn, be rebellious, be refractory
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be stubborn
1a2) stubborn, rebel (subst)
Conj | V-Qal — Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) feminine singularHC/Vqrfsa
The Hebrew word בַּיִת (*bayith*) means 'house' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including dwelling, family, and place. It can refer to physical structures, such as homes and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like the body or household affairs. The word is built from the root related to 'between' and appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.
בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between
base
בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house
house
place
receptacle
of house as containing a family
household, family (592 t.)
house, including household affairs
lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards
מִבַּיִת
adv. on the inside
prep. within
base
H1004a בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between H1004b בַּ֫יִת house
1004 bayith bah'-yith
probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest
variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court,
daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as
would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold),
inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet,
temple, web, + within(-out).
see HEBREW for 01129
בֵּית (bet) — place.
nm
place, origin, between
בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — house: home.
: home/temple/building
nm
1) house
1a) house, dwelling habitation
1b) shelter or abode of animals
1c) human bodies (fig.)
1d) of Sheol
1e) of abode of light and darkness
1f) of land of Ephraim
2) place
3) receptacle
4) home, house as containing a family
5) household, family
5a) those belonging to the same household
5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body
6) household affairs
7) inwards (metaph.)
8) (TWOT) temple
adv
9) on the inside
prep
10) within
בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(ashbea).
nm
This name is used for a house, habitation
Combined with ash.be.a (אַשְׁבֵּעַ "Ashbea" H0791)
בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth (Haggan).
nm
This name is used for a house, habitation
Combined with hag (גַּן "Haggan" H1588)
בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(togarmah).
nm
This name is used for a house, habitation
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part — ParticleHTn
שָׁכַן (shakan) is a Hebrew verb meaning to settle down, abide, or dwell. It encompasses various forms of residing, both literally and figuratively, and includes nuances of establishing or causing to dwell. The entries indicate its use in different grammatical forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hiphil, which express actions related to dwelling and establishing habitation.
שָׁכַן, שָׁכֵ֑ן 129 vb. settle down, abide, dwell
Qal
settle down to abide
abide, dwell
Pi.
make settle down, establish
make to dwell
Hiph.
lay
cause birds to settle
cause to dwell
base
H7931 שָׁכַן, שָׁכֵ֑ן settle down, abide, dwell
7931 shakan shaw-kan'
a primitive root (apparently akin (by transmission) to 7901
through the idea of lodging; compare 5531, 7925); to reside or
permanently stay (literally or figuratively):--abide,
continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-er), have habitation,
inhabit, lay, place, (cause to) remain, rest, set (up).
see HEBREW for 05531
see HEBREW for 07925
שָׁכַן (sha.khan) — to dwell.
1) to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to settle down to abide
1a2) to abide, dwell, reside
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to make settle down, establish
1b2) to make or cause to dwell
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to lay, place, set, establish, settle, fix
1c2) to cause to dwell or abide
Aramaic equivalent: she.khan (שְׁכֵן "to dwell" H7932)
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp
sta: Is derived from two distinct forms. From one derivation it has the meaning "to stand" and so "to continue in one place" (Ge 8:10; Le 13:23,28, etc.), "to forbear to act" (Ru 1:13), "to rest," "to be trustful" (King James Version, the English Revised Version Isa 10:20; see below). Transitively it means "to cause to stay," "to hinder" (Da 4:35, etc.), and "stay" as a noun means "cessation of progress"' (Le 13:5,37), "sojourn." From the second derivation the verb means "to support" (Ex 17:12;
רֶ֫גֶל (regel) means 'foot' and can refer to a foot or leg in various contexts, including anthropomorphic references to God and other beings. It also implies steps or paces. The word is derived from a root meaning related to walking, and it appears in multiple forms, such as feet and paces.
רֶ֫גֶל 247 n.f. foot
foot
three times (feet, paces)
base
H7272 רֶ֫גֶל foot . foot
. three times (feet, paces)
7272 regel reh'-gel
from 7270; a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a
step; by euphem. the pudenda:--X be able to endure, X
according as, X after, X coming, X follow,
((broken-))foot((-ed, -stool)), X great toe, X haunt, X
journey, leg, + piss, + possession, time.
see HEBREW for 07270
רֶ֫גֶל (re.gel) — foot.
1) foot
1a) foot, leg
1b) of God (anthropomorphic)
1c) of seraphim, cherubim, idols, animals, table
1d) according to the pace of (with prep)
1e) three times (feet, paces)
Aramaic equivalent: re.gal (רְגַל "foot" H7271)
N-fd | Suff — Noun common feminine dual construct · suffixHNcfdc/Sp3fs