Proverbs 20:16
Take his garment who is surety for a stranger, and hold him in pledge for foreigners.
A Conservative Version
In The King James Version
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
In Context
15There is gold, and abundance of rubies, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
17Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
Cross References
Exodus 22:26If thou at all take thy neighbor's garment to pledge, thou shall restore it to him before the sun goes down,
Proverbs 5:3For the lips of an interloping woman drop honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil.
Proverbs 7:5that they may keep thee from the interloping woman, from the stranger who flatters with her words.
Proverbs 11:15He who is surety for a stranger shall smart for it, but he who hates suretyship is secure.
Proverbs 23:27For a harlot is a deep ditch, and an interloping woman is a narrow pit.
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 20:16
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel. The lips of knowledge (a good understanding to guide the lips and a good elocution to diffuse the knowledge) are to be preferred far before gold, and pearl, and rubies; for, 1. They are more rare in themselves, more scarce and hard to be got. There is gold in many a man's pocket that has no grace in his heart. In Solomon's time there was plenty of gold ( 1 Kings x. 21 ) and abundance of rubies; every body wore them; they… Read the whole commentary →