The Meaning of Proverbs 9:3 Explained

Proverbs 9:3

KJV: She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,

YLT: She hath sent forth her damsels, She crieth on the tops of the high places of the city:

Darby: she hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the summits of the high places of the city,

ASV: She hath sent forth her maidens; She crieth upon the highest places of the city:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

She hath sent forth  her maidens:  she crieth  upon  the highest places  of the city, 

What does Proverbs 9:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 9:1-18 - Two Contrasted Invitations
There is an age-long competition between Wisdom and Folly, Virtue and Vice. The palace of Wisdom is very attractive-well built and well furnished. It is reared upon seven well-hewn marble pillars, in a quadrangular form, the entrance being left wide-open. An eternal mansion, it is stable and beautiful. Great preparations are made for the feast, which is open to all-in striking contrast to the private supper to which Vice allures the unwary youth. The beautiful owner also sends forth her maidens into the public thoroughfares to give free invitations to all who will accept them. See Matthew 22:1, etc.
Only to the simple or child-hearted, and not to the scorner, is the invitation addressed. Wisdom lets the scorner pass, because a word to him would only recoil on herself, and would add to his wickedness. To scoff at things which are holy and scorn the divine power is to risk the sin that is never forgiven. Such is the man who enters the feast without the wedding garment. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 9

1  The discipline
4  and the doctrine of wisdom
13  The custom
16  and error of folly

What do the individual words in Proverbs 9:3 mean?

She has sent out her maidens she cries out from the places highest of the city
שָֽׁלְחָ֣ה נַעֲרֹתֶ֣יהָ תִקְרָ֑א עַל־ גַּ֝פֵּ֗י מְרֹ֣מֵי קָֽרֶת

שָֽׁלְחָ֣ה  She  has  sent  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
נַעֲרֹתֶ֣יהָ  her  maidens 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: נַעֲרָה  
Sense: girl, damsel, female servant.
תִקְרָ֑א  she  cries  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
גַּ֝פֵּ֗י  the  places 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: גַּף 
Sense: body, self (only in phrase, eg by himself).
מְרֹ֣מֵי  highest 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מָרֹום  
Sense: height.
קָֽרֶת  of  the  city 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: קֶרֶת  
Sense: city, town.