Proverbs 7:10–15 — The Strange Woman as a State of Consciousness

Proverbs 7:10–15 describes a scene where a woman, often called the "strange woman" or "adulteress," approaches a young man with seductive and persuasive speech. Here's the passage:

“And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.”
— Proverbs 7:10–15 (KJV)

According to Neville Goddard’s symbolic and psychological interpretation of the Bible, this passage isn't about literal sexual immorality. Instead, it's a parable about the seductive pull of the external world—or more precisely, the temptation to direct imagination toward appearances and sense-data rather than the inner vision of faith.

Here’s how a Neville-inspired interpretation might be laid out in an article:

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Proverbs 7:10–15 — The Strange Woman as a State of Consciousness

In Neville Goddard’s teachings, every character in scripture is a state of consciousness. The “strange woman” (or prostitute or harlot in some translations) in Proverbs 7 is not a person, but a symbolic representation of the enticing suggestion to believe in appearances over imagination.

She wears the attire of a harlot—meaning she disguises herself as appealing, promising satisfaction or truth, but she has no anchor in the inner house (the stable, inner awareness of "I AM"). She’s loud and stubborn, constantly roaming the streets—symbolising the scattered attention and noisy world of appearances that pull the individual away from inner stillness.

When she says, “I have peace offerings with me; this day have I paid my vows,” she mimics the language of religious or spiritual fulfilment, offering the illusion of righteousness. This represents false satisfaction—momentary pleasures or promises that come from following the senses, rather than the sustained joy that comes from inner conviction and alignment with the true self.

The phrase “I came forth to meet thee... I have found thee” represents how outer circumstances often appear to “seek us out” when our attention is scattered. These are the manifestations that match our unfocused or reactionary states—rather than the disciplined inner knowing Neville urges his students to cultivate.

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The Deeper Message

Neville would likely say that Proverbs 7 is a cautionary tale against spiritual adultery—not infidelity between people, but the betrayal of your imagination. When you “sleep” with the strange woman, you give your creative power to fear, doubt, and external facts instead of keeping it anchored in the inner vision of your desire fulfilled.

This passage calls the reader to watchfulness: to recognise when you are tempted to be seduced by appearances, and to remain faithful to your inner world—your imagination, your I AM.