Surety

Proverbs 6:1-5 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou have stricken thy hand with a stranger, Thou are snared with the words of thy mouth, thou are taken with the words of thy mouth. Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou are come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend. Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler. 

‘Surety for thy friend.’ Pledging to stand good for anyone tends to relieve the borrower of the responsibility he should feel, and often lowers the respect of a co-signer in the sight of the one he helps. Five facts about surety: The command against surety (22:26). The command to get out of surety as quickly as possible (6:1-5). Surety is a sign of lack of understanding (17:18). Suffering and disappointment are what is promised in surety (11:15). To refrain from surety is the only safe way (11:15).

‘Stricken thy hand.’ Shaking hands was considered the ratification of a verbal contract or promise, and thus a man became ensnared with the words of his mouth (6:1-2; cp. Job 17:3).

‘Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou are come into the hand of thy friend.’ Continue to press the one you are surety for to pay his debt, or you will be left to pay it. If you are ensnared and obligated, make every effort, as the antelope taken in a net or a bird in a snare, to free yourself from captivity (6:3-5).