Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.

Live — Thou shalt live.

Eye — With all possible care and diligence.

Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.

Bind them — As a ring which is continually in a man's eye.

Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:

And call — Acquaint and delight thyself with her.

Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,

Passing — Idle and careless, near the corner of the street in which her house stood.

Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)

Without — Without the door of her house.

Corner — Of the streets, where she might either conceal or discover herself, as she saw fit.

I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.

Offerings — I have paid my peace-offerings which I had vowed. Whereby she signifies, that she had plentiful provisions at her house for his entertainment. For the peace-offerings were to be of the best flesh, Leviticus 22:21, and a considerable part of these offerings fell to the offerer's share.

He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.

Hath taken — Which is an evidence that he designs to stay a considerable time.

At the day — So that we need not fear any surprise.

He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

As an ox — Going to it securely, as if it were going to a good pasture.

Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

His liver — His vital parts, 'till his life be lost.