Proverbios 6:27

Can a man take fire in his bosom ,.... A whore is compared to fire, and is so called by the poets F15 Plauti Bacehides, Acts 4 . Sc. 9. v. 15. "Accede ad ignem hunc", Terent. Eunuehus, Acts 1 . Sc. 2. v. 5. ; and it is a saying of Pythagoras,

"it is a like thing to fall into fire and into a woman F16 το εις πυρ και εις γυναικα , apud Maximum, Eclog. c. 39. ;'

the Hebrew words אש , "esh", "fire", and אישה , "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.