Cruelty of Adultery

“For by means of a whorish woman [a man is brought] to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.” (Pr 6:26 AV)

This phrase bothers me.  In the sense that I cannot imagine someone who is a habitual adulterer or adulteress seeking to destroy his or her victim.  This type of person remains married to their spouse.  The implication is the adulteress brings her lover to poverty but also desires for the jealousy of her husband to end her lover’s life.  Or, at the very least, destroy what life he has left.  This bothers me because I cannot understand it.

A harlot needs her lovers to live and make a living.  This is the only way she gets paid.  She does not see her lovers has victims.  She sees them as clients.  But the adulteress sees her lovers as victims.  I guess to put it in a way that I can understand, it would be like a popular girl in High School who is dating the star quarterback.  She flirts with, or allows herself to be flirted by, another.  Her motive is to make her boyfriend jealous enough to do something about it.  She wants the attention.  In whatever manner she can get it.  If it means committing adultery to have a second suitor, or her boyfriend taking it out on her amorous acquaintance, she just wants the attention.

When I read this, I was thinking of all the temptations that attack a man; from the images he is faced with in any given day.  They women who flaunt their figures for the husbands of other ladies are tempting us to commit spiritual adultery against our wives.  They wear form fitting cloths, revealing cloths, or none at all.  They do this not to impress other women.  Their target audience is not other ladies.  They are, either on purpose or without thinking about it, attempting to attract the attention of men.  This was the thought that came to mind.  They have no intention of leaving their husbands.  They are just seeking the admiration of more than their husbands.  Men need to be aware and not be tempted with the beauty of another.  God has given us our portion in this life.  That is where our attention must be!