Commentaries:
Verse 5 introduces the main symbol in this chapter, the "strange woman," as the King James Version calls her. Other translations refer to this immoral woman as a "seductress," "adulteress," "wayward wife," "loose woman," "adventuress," or "foreigner."
The word translated "strange" indicates a deficient quality in a relationship. It represents something that is lacking or incomplete in comparison to an ideal or a standard. This woman was not living up to the standard or ideal of a godly wife, and so the Bible brands her as strange.
In our own lives, if we do not recognize somebody, we say that person is a stranger. The same principle is at work here—God does not recognize this woman because she does not live by the standards that He has established for women in general, and specifically for a wife.
David C. Grabbe
Strange Women
Besides following the codified laws and instructions of God, we are also told to take it to the next level, looking beyond the phrases beginning with "thou shalt" or "thus saith the Lord." We must go beyond just basic knowledge. Anybody can take a checklist of dos and don'ts and see if a specific situation applies in a literal or legalistic manner. God tells us to understand the command for the principle behind it, so we can apply it widely beyond a specific incident.
Understanding the principle, then, allows us to be wise. The basic definition of wisdom is "the right application" or "the right action" based on what we understand. This is echoed in Psalm 111:10, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments."
To be protected from these strange women, we need to have an understanding of godly principles and then act accordingly. To gain this wisdom and understanding, we must fear and obey God. To put it briefly, we need to have a good relationship with God. If we have the right relationship, we will begin to see things as He does; the things that are "strange" to Him will also become "strange" to us.
David C. Grabbe
Strange Women (Part Two)
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