Proverbs5

Proverbs 5 warns against the seductive and destructive path of the "strange woman," whose initial allure leads to bitter ruin, loss of honor, and eventual death. The father urges his son to embrace wisdom and find satisfaction and joy within the covenant of marriage with his own wife. The chapter concludes by reminding that God observes all human actions, and the wicked are ensnared by their own folly and sin.

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Listen to Wisdom's Instruction

My son, attend unto my wisdom; Incline thine ear to my understanding:

That thou mayest preserve discretion, And that thy lips may keep knowledge.

The Deceptive Danger of Adultery

For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil:

But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.

Her feet go down to death; Her steps take hold on Sheol;

So that she findeth not the level path of life: Her ways are unstable, andshe knoweth it not.

Consequences of Following the Adulteress

Now therefore, mysons, hearken unto me, And depart not from the words of my mouth.

Remove thy way far from her, And come not nigh the door of her house;

Lest thou give thine honor unto others, And thy years unto the cruel;

Lest strangers be filled with thy strength, And thy labors be in the house of an alien,

And thou mourn at thy latter end, When thy flesh and thy body are consumed,

And say, How have I hated instruction, And my heart despised reproof;

Neither have I obeyed the voice of my teachers, Nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!

I was well-nigh in all evil In the midst of the assembly and congregation.

The Joy of Marital Fidelity

Drink waters out of thine own cistern, And running waters out of thine own well.

Should thy springs be dispersed abroad, And streams of water in the streets?

Let them be for thyself alone, And not for strangers with thee.

Let thy fountain be blessed; And rejoice in the wife of thy youth.

Asa loving hind and a pleasant doe, Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; And be thou ravished always with her love.

For why shouldest thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, And embrace the bosom of a foreigner?

God Sees All Ways

For the ways of man are before the eyes of Jehovah; And he maketh level all his paths.

His own iniquities shall take the wicked, And he shall be holden with the cords of his sin.

He shall die for lack of instruction; And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

Study Notes for Proverbs 5

Verse 1

The chapter begins with a foundational call for the son to focus his mind and heart on the father’s wisdom, establishing the requirement of obedience necessary to receive the warning that follows.

Verse 3

The 'strange woman' (or 'foreigner') is the adulteress, who uses flattery and sensual appeal ('honeycomb,' 'oil') to disguise the destructive nature of her actions.

Verse 4

This verse presents a sharp contrast between the momentary pleasure of sin and its inevitable outcome. Wormwood symbolizes intense bitterness, while the two-edged sword represents swift and devastating judgment.

Verse 5

The path of the adulteress is defined as leading directly to death (Sheol/hell). This emphasizes that sexual immorality is not a minor transgression but a path that destroys life and vitality.

Verse 9

Giving 'honour' unto others refers to the loss of reputation, vitality, and high social standing. The ‘cruel’ are those who exploit the son, likely including the strange woman and her associates.

Verse 11

This describes the ultimate physical and financial ruin, perhaps referencing the effects of sexually transmitted diseases or the general self-destruction and poverty resulting from unbridled passion.

Verse 15

This verse shifts to the positive antidote: disciplined fidelity. The 'cistern' and 'well' are metaphors for one’s own legitimate wife, urging the husband to find all sexual and emotional satisfaction exclusively at home.

Verse 16

These verses (16-17) are best understood as rhetorical questions or a warning against letting the 'waters' (the source of fertility and intimacy) leak out or become public property, thereby violating the exclusivity demanded in verse 17.

Verse 18

The 'fountain' is blessed when it is enjoyed within the confines of a covenant marriage, emphasizing that marital intimacy is God-given and a source of joy.

Verse 21

This verse provides the theological justification for the moral instruction. All actions are performed under the sovereign scrutiny of Yahweh, ensuring that sin will not go unnoticed or unpunished.

Verse 23

The ultimate failure is spiritual death resulting from a refusal to accept instruction (wisdom). The fool is trapped by his own actions, which become the 'cords of his sins' (v. 22).

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Proverbs5

Listen to Wisdom's Instruction

The Deceptive Danger of Adultery

Consequences of Following the Adulteress

The Joy of Marital Fidelity

God Sees All Ways

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