Proverbs 20:16-18
"Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger, hold it in pledge if he does it for a wayward woman. Food gained by fraud tastes sweet to a man but he ends up with a mouth full of gravel. Make plans by seeking advice, if you wage war, obtain guidance."
At first glance, these do not seem to have anything to do with one another. Yet all three of the commentaries that I read on these verses lump them together as encounters with weak, foolish men.
The fool who pledges for a wayward (or promiscuous)woman deserves to have his cloak taken and held from him. This is in direct violation of the Exodus 22:26 ruling that if you take a man's cloak, you should return it by sundown. Who would pledge for a wayward woman?
Similarly, when a fool has defrauded someone and enriched himself, it should come as no surprise that there will be a consequence and it is not likely to be a good one.
And the last one is a backward slap to those who would just make war without consulting their advisors. Something our kings that we have been reading about here in 2 Chronicles seem to do a lot. (Except uber perfect Hezekiah.)
The very premise of these three verses are that weak, foolish men are dangers to themselves and others. They cause problems for the society and problems for the wise man. Avoid them if possible and when not, take extra precautions.
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