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

1
My son, pay attention to my wisdom; incline your ear to my insight, ​
2
that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.

The Deceptive Danger of Adultery

3
Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey and her speech is smoother than oil, ​
4
in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a double-edged sword. ​
5
Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to Sheol. ​
6
She does not consider the path of life; she does not know that her ways are unstable.

Consequences of Following the Adulteress

7
So now, my sons, listen to me, and do not turn aside from the words of my mouth.
8
Keep your path far from her; do not go near the door of her house,
9
lest you concede your vigor to others, and your years to one who is cruel; ​
10
lest strangers feast on your wealth, and your labors enrich the house of a foreigner.
11
At the end of your life you will groan when your flesh and your body are spent, ​
12
and you will say, “How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof!
13
I did not listen to the voice of my teachers or incline my ear to my mentors.
14
I am on the brink of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly.”

The Joy of Marital Fidelity

15
Drink water from your own cistern, and running water from your own well. ​
16
Why should your springs flow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? ​
17
Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers.
18
May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth: ​
19
A loving doe, a graceful fawn— may her breasts satisfy you always; may you be captivated by her love forever.
20
Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress, or embrace the bosom of a stranger?

God Sees All Ways

21
For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and the LORD examines all his paths. ​
22
The iniquities of a wicked man entrap him; the cords of his sin entangle him.
23
He dies for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly. ​

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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