Audio Bible

Context

Wine is a Mocker
…15There is an abundance of gold and rubies, but lips of knowledge are a rare treasure. 16Take the garment of the one who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner. 17Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel.…

Cross References

Proverbs 27:13
Take the garment of him who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner.Exodus 22:26-27
If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset, / because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? And if he cries out to Me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.Matthew 5:42
Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.Luke 6:34-35
And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. / But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.Proverbs 6:1-5
My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger, / if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth, / then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor. ...Proverbs 11:15
He who puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, but the one who hates indebtedness is secure.Proverbs 17:18
A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.Proverbs 22:26-27
Do not be one who gives pledges, who puts up security for debts. / If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?Job 22:6
For you needlessly demanded security from your brothers and deprived the naked of their clothing.Nehemiah 5:3-5
Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.” / Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. / We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”Matthew 25:14-30
For it is just like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them with his possessions. / To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent—each according to his own ability. And he went on his journey. / The servant who had received the five talents went at once and put them to work and gained five more. ...Luke 19:12-27
So He said, “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to lay claim to his kingship and then return. / Beforehand, he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Conduct business with this until I return,’ he said. / But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’ ...2 Kings 4:1-7
Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!” / “How can I help you?” asked Elisha. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She answered, “Your servant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.” / “Go,” said Elisha, “borrow empty jars from all your neighbors. Do not gather just a few. ...2 Corinthians 8:9
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.2 Corinthians 9:6-7
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. / Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.

Proverbs 11:15
He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.

Proverbs 22:26,27
Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts…

Proverbs 27:13
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.

strange

Proverbs 2:16
To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;

Proverbs 5:3
For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:

Proverbs 7:5,10
That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words…

Jump to Previous

Jump to Next

Proverbs 20

Take the garment of the one who posts security for a stranger;
In ancient Israel, garments were often used as collateral for loans, as they were valuable and essential items. The act of taking a garment as security indicates a serious commitment to repay a debt. This phrase warns against the imprudence of guaranteeing a loan for someone unknown or untrustworthy. The Bible frequently advises caution in financial dealings, emphasizing wisdom and discernment (Proverbs 6:1-5). The garment symbolizes personal responsibility and the potential consequences of rash decisions. This principle reflects the broader biblical theme of stewardship and accountability.

get collateral if it is for a foreigner.
The mention of a "foreigner" highlights the increased risk involved in financial transactions with those outside one's community. In the ancient Near East, foreigners were often seen as outsiders with different customs and legal protections, making transactions with them more precarious. This advice underscores the importance of securing one's interests when dealing with unfamiliar parties. The Bible often addresses the treatment of foreigners, advocating for justice and fairness (Exodus 22:21), yet it also acknowledges the practical need for caution in business matters. This balance reflects the biblical call to be both wise and compassionate in our interactions with others.

Persons / Places / Events

1. The One Who Posts Security
This refers to an individual who guarantees a loan or obligation for another person, often without fully understanding the risk involved.

2. Stranger
In the context of ancient Israel, a stranger could be someone outside the immediate community or someone not well-known to the guarantor.

3. Foreigner
This term often refers to someone from outside the Israelite community, highlighting the increased risk and lack of familiarity.

4. Collateral
An item of value taken as security to ensure the fulfillment of an obligation or repayment of a loan.

5. Ancient Israelite Society
The cultural and legal backdrop of this proverb, where personal responsibility and community trust were highly valued.

Teaching Points

Wisdom in Financial Decisions
The proverb teaches the importance of exercising wisdom and caution in financial commitments, especially when involving strangers or foreigners.

Understanding Risk
It highlights the need to understand the risks involved in guaranteeing another's debt and the potential consequences of such actions.

Personal Responsibility
The verse underscores the value of personal responsibility and the importance of making informed decisions to protect oneself and one's resources.

Community and Trust
It reflects on the dynamics of trust within a community and the potential pitfalls of extending that trust without due diligence.

Practical Caution
The proverb serves as a practical reminder to be cautious and prudent in financial dealings, ensuring that one's actions do not lead to personal loss or hardship.

Bible Study Questions and Answers

1. What is the meaning of Proverbs 20:16?2. How does Proverbs 20:16 warn against irresponsible financial commitments?3. What lessons on trustworthiness can we learn from Proverbs 20:16?4. How does Proverbs 20:16 connect with Jesus' teachings on stewardship?5. How can we apply Proverbs 20:16 to modern financial decisions?6. What practical steps ensure we avoid the pitfalls described in Proverbs 20:16?7. What does Proverbs 20:16 imply about trust and financial responsibility?8. How does Proverbs 20:16 reflect ancient economic practices?9. What is the historical context of Proverbs 20:16?10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Proverbs 20?11. Why does the Bible allow killing in war but forbid murder in the Ten Commandments?12. Does this account conflict with other biblical passages that condemn lying yet here seem to permit it (Genesis 27:6-17)?13. Proverbs 3:5 urges total trust in God--why entrust ourselves to an unseen deity when much suffering and injustice seem unanswered?14. Does the association of the wise with the 'right' and fools with the 'left' (Ecclesiastes 10:2) reflect outdated cultural biases, and how does it align with modern moral or ethical views?

What Does Proverbs 20:16 Mean

Take the garment of the one who posts security for a stranger

– Solomon warns against rashly co-signing for someone you do not know. In ancient Israel, a garment could be pledged as down-payment (Exodus 22:26-27), so “take the garment” pictures insisting on tangible security before entering the arrangement.

– Scripture repeatedly cautions that guaranteeing another person’s debt exposes you to loss (Proverbs 6:1-5; 11:15).

– Wisdom here is protective, not punitive: if the borrower defaults, the guarantor—who offered to stand in—must feel the weight of responsibility he accepted. Tangible collateral helps ensure accountability, discouraging careless promises.

get collateral if it is for a foreigner

– The term “foreigner” points to someone outside one’s close community, whose reliability is harder to verify. Moses allowed lending to outsiders with interest while forbidding it among Israelites (Deuteronomy 23:20), acknowledging the different level of trust.

– Requiring collateral when the borrower is distant or unknown is simply prudent stewardship. Jesus tells us to be “wise as serpents” (Matthew 10:16), and Paul urges believers to “owe no one anything” (Romans 13:8).

– Practical take-aways:

• Do not obligate your family’s resources for people whose character you cannot assess.

• When generosity is appropriate, give rather than guarantee, so you are not ensnared by another’s failure (Luke 6:34-35).

• A pledge should match the risk; even friendly loans benefit from clear terms and accountability (Philemon 18-19).

summary

Proverbs 20:16 offers timeless counsel: safeguard your resources by requiring real security before shouldering another’s debt, especially when the borrower is outside your circle of trust. God’s Word prizes compassion, yet it pairs compassion with responsibility, urging believers to exercise discernment so that generosity does not become entanglement.

(16) Take his garment that is surety for a stranger.--Another warning against suretiship. (See above on Proverbs 6:1.) If a man is rash enough to become surety for another, he must suffer for his imprudence, and learn wisdom by feeling the effects of his folly.

And take a pledge of him for a strange woman.--Rather, take him as a pledge (seize upon his person who has become surety) for a strange woman, (according to the margin) or, for strangers (as the text reads).

Verse 16. - Take his garment that is surety for a stranger. The maxim is repeated in Proverbs 27:13; and warnings against suretyship are found in Proverbs 6:1, etc.; Proverbs 11:15; 17:18; 22:26, etc. The second portion of the clause is translated also, "For he is surety for another." If a man is so weak and foolish as to become security for any one, and is unable to make good his engaged payment, let him lose his garment which the creditor would seize; his imprudence must bring its own punishment. And take a pledge of him for a strange woman. The Authorized Version probably adopts this rendering in conformity with Proverbs 27:13, where it occurs in the text, as here in the margin (the Keri). But the Khetib has, "for strangers," which seems to be the original reading; and the first words ought to be translated, "hold him in pledge;" i.e. seize his person for the sake of the strangers for whom he has stood security, so as not to suffer loss from them. The Law endeavoured to secure lending to needy brethren without interest (see Psalm 15:5; Ezekiel 18:8, 13, etc.; Ezekiel 22:12): but it allowed the creditor to secure himself by taking pledges of his debtor, while it regulated this system so as to obviate most of its severity and oppressiveness (see the restrictions in Exodus 22:26, etc.; Deuteronomy 24:6, 12, etc.). "Where the debtor possessed nothing which he could pledge, he gave the personal security of a friend. This was a very formal proceeding. The surety gave his hand both to the debtor and to the creditor before an assembly legally convened, he deposited a pledge, and, in accordance with this twofold promise, was regarded by the creditor in just the same light as the debtor himself, and treated accordingly. If the debtor, or in his place the surety, was unable to pay the debt when it fell due, he was entirely at the mercy of the creditor. The authorities troubled themselves but little about these relations, and the law, so far as it is preserved to us, gave no directions in the matter. We see, however, from many allusions and narratives, what harsh forms these relations actually took, especially in later times, when the ancient national brotherly love which the Law presupposed was more and more dying out. The creditor could not only forcibly appropriate all the movable, but also the fixed property, including the hereditary estate (this at least till its redemption in the year of jubilee), nay, he could even (if he could find nothing else of value) carry off as a prisoner the body of his debtor, or of his wife and child, to employ them in his service, though this could only he done for a definite period" (Ewald, 'Antiquities,' p. 184, etc., transl.). Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Take
לְֽקַח־ (lə·qaḥ-)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

the garment
בִּ֭גְדוֹ (biḡ·ḏōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 899: A covering, clothing, treachery, pillage

of the one
כִּי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

who posts security
עָ֣רַב (‘ā·raḇ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6148: To braid, intermix, technically, to traffic, give to be security

for a stranger;
זָ֑ר (zār)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2114: To turn aside, to be a, foreigner, strange, profane, to commit adultery

get collateral
חַבְלֵֽהוּ׃ (ḥaḇ·lê·hū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2254: To wind tightly, to bind, a pledge, to pervert, destroy, to writhe in pain

if it is for
וּבְעַ֖ד (ū·ḇə·‘aḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 1157: In up to, over against, at, beside, among, behind, for

a wayward woman.
נָכְרִיָּ֣ה (nā·ḵə·rî·yāh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 5237: Foreign, alien

Links

Proverbs 20:16 NIV
Proverbs 20:16 NLT
Proverbs 20:16 ESV
Proverbs 20:16 NASB
Proverbs 20:16 KJVProverbs 20:16 BibleApps.com
Proverbs 20:16 Biblia Paralela
Proverbs 20:16 Chinese Bible
Proverbs 20:16 French Bible
Proverbs 20:16 Catholic BibleOT Poetry: Proverbs 20:16 Take the garment of one who puts (Prov. Pro Pr)