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Commentary on Proverbs 5 verses 15–23
Solomon, having shown the great evil that there is in adultery and fornication, and all such lewd and filthy courses, here prescribes remedies against them.
I. Enjoy with satisfaction the comforts of lawful marriage, which was ordained for the prevention of uncleanness, and therefore ought to be made use of in time, lest it should not prove effectual for the cure of that which it might have prevented. Let none complain that God has dealt unkindly with them in forbidding them those pleasures which they have a natural desire of, for he has graciously provided for the regular gratification of them. "Thou mayest not indeed eat of every tree of the garden, but choose thee out one, which thou pleasest, and of that thou mayest freely eat; nature will be content with that, but lust with nothing." God, in thus confining men to one, has been so far from putting any hardship upon them that he has really consulted their true interest; for, as Mr. Herbert observes, "If God had laid all common, certainly man would have been the encloser." - Church-porch. Solomon here enlarges much upon this, not only prescribing it as an antidote, but urging it as an argument against fornication, that the allowed pleasures of marriage (however wicked wits may ridicule them, who are factors for the unclean spirit) far transcend all the false forbidden pleasures of whoredom.
1.Let young men marry, marry and not burn. Have a cistern, a well of thy own (Pro 5:15), even the wife of thy youth, Pro 5:18. Wholly abstain, or wed. - Herbert. "The world is wide, and there are varieties of accomplishments, among which thou mayest please thyself."
2.Let him that is married take delight in his wife, and let him be very fond of her, not only because she is the wife that he himself has chosen and he ought to be pleased with his own choice, but because she is the wife that God in his providence appointed for him and he ought much more to be pleased with the divine appointment, pleased with her because she is his own. Let thy fountain be blessed (Pro 5:18); think thyself very happy in her, look upon her as a blessed wife, let her have thy blessing, pray daily for her, and then rejoice with her. Those comforts we are likely to have joy of that are sanctified to us by prayer and the blessing of God. It is not only allowed us, but commanded us, to be pleasant with our relations; and it particularly becomes yoke-fellows to rejoice together and in each other. Mutual delight is the bond of mutual fidelity. It is not only taken for granted that the bridegroom rejoices over his bride (Isa 62:5), but given for law. Ecc 9:9, Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of thy life. Those take not their comforts where God has appointed who are jovial and merry with their companions abroad, but sour and morose with their families at home.
3.Let him be fond of his wife and love her dearly (Pro 5:19): Let her be as the loving hind and the pleasant roe, such as great men sometimes kept tame in their houses and played with. Desire no better diversion from severe study and business than the innocent and pleasant conversation of thy own wife; let her lie in thy bosom, as the poor man's ewe-lamb did in his (Sa2 12:3), and do thou repose thy head in hers, and let that satisfy thee at all times; and seek not for pleasure in any other. "Err thou always in her love. If thou wilt suffer thy love to run into an excess, and wilt be dotingly fond of any body, let it be only of thy own wife, where there is least danger of exceeding." This is drinking waters, to quench the thirst of thy appetite, out of thy own cistern, and running waters, which are clear, and sweet, and wholesome, out of thy own well, Pro 5:15. Co1 7:2, Co1 7:3.
4.Let him take delight in his children and look upon them with pleasure (Pro 5:16, Pro 5:17): "Look upon them as streams from thy own pure fountains" (the Jews are said to come forth out of the waters of Judah, Isa 48:1), "so that they are parts of thyself, as the streams are of the fountain. Keep to thy own wife, and thou shalt have," (1.) "A numerous offspring, like rivers of water, which run in abundance, and they shall be dispersed abroad, matched into other families, whereas those that commit whoredom shall not increase," Hos 4:10. (2.) "A peculiar offspring, which shall be only thy own, whereas the children of whoredom, that are fathered upon thee, are, probably, not so, but, for aught thou knowest, are the offspring of strangers, and yet thou must keep them." (3.) "A creditable offspring, which are an honour to thee, and which thou mayest send abroad, and appear with, in the streets, whereas a spurious brood is thy disgrace, and that which thou art ashamed to own." In this matter, virtue has all the pleasure and honour in it; justly therefore it is called wisdom.
5.Let him then scorn the offer of forbidden pleasures when he is always ravished with the love of a faithful virtuous wife; let him consider what an absurdity it will be for him to be ravished with a strange woman (Pro 5:20), to be in love with a filthy harlot, and embrace the bosom of a stranger, which, if he had any sense of honour or virtue, he would loathe the thoughts of. "Why wilt thou be so sottish, such an enemy to thyself, as to prefer puddle-water, and that poisoned too and stolen, before pure living waters out of thy own well?" Note, If the dictates of reason may be heard, the laws of virtue will be obeyed.
II. "See the eye of God always upon thee and let his fear rule in thy heart," Pro 5:21. Those that live in this sin promise themselves secresy (the eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight, Job 24:15); but to what purpose, when it cannot be hidden from God? For, 1. He sees it. The ways of man, all his motions, all his actions, are before the eyes of the Lord, all the workings of the heart and all the outgoings of the life, that which is done ever so secretly and disguised ever so artfully. God sees it in a true light, and knows it with all its causes, circumstances, and consequences. He does not cast an eye upon men's ways now and then, but they are always actually in his view and under his inspection; and darest thou sin against God in his sight, and do that wickedness under his eye which thou durst not do in the presence of a man like thyself? 2. He will call the sinner to an account for it; for he not only sees, but ponders all his goings, judges concerning them, as one that will shortly judge the sinner for them. Every action is weighed, and shall be brought into judgment (Ecc 12:14), which is a good reason why we should ponder the path of our feet (Pro 4:26), and so judge ourselves that we may not be judged.
III. "Foresee the certain ruin of those that go on still in their trespasses." Those that live in this sin promise themselves impunity, but they deceive themselves; their sin will find them out, Pro 5:22, Pro 5:23. The apostle gives the sense of these verses in a few words. Heb 13:4, Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. 1. It is a sin which men with great difficulty shake off the power of. When the sinner is old and weak his lusts are strong and active, in calling to remembrance the days of his youth, Eze 23:19. Thus his own iniquities having seized the wicked himself by his own consent, and he having voluntarily surrendered himself a captive to them, he is held in the cords of his own sins, and such full possession they have gained of him that he cannot extricate himself, but in the greatness of his folly (and what greater folly could there be than to yield himself a servant to such cruel task-masters?) he shall go astray, and wander endlessly. Uncleanness is a sin from which, when once men have plunged themselves into it, they very hardly and very rarely recover themselves. 2. It is a sin which, if it be not forsaken, men cannot possibly escape the punishment of; it will unavoidably be their ruin. As their own iniquities do arrest them in the reproaches of conscience and present rebukes (Jer 7:19), so their own iniquities shall arrest them and bind them over to the judgments of God. There needs no prison, no chains; they shall be holden in the cords of their own sins, as the fallen angels, being incurably wicked, are thereby reserved in chains of darkness. The sinner, who, having been often reproved, hardens his neck, shall die at length without instruction. Having had general warnings sufficient given him already, he shall have no particular warnings, but he shall die without seeing his danger beforehand, shall die because he would not receive instruction, but in the greatness of his folly would go astray; and so shall his doom be, he shall never find the way home again. Those that are so foolish as to choose the way of sin are justly left of God to themselves to go in it till they come to that destruction which it leads to, which is a good reason why we should guard with watchfulness and resolution against the allurements of the sensual appetite.
Clothed as you are in the rotten garments of your offenses and “held fast in the meshes of your own sins,” listen to the prophet’s voice saying, “Wash yourselves clean! Put away the misdeeds of your souls from before my eyes,” that the angelic choir may chant over you: “Happy [are] they whose faults are taken away, whose sins are covered.”
Let those who are bound fear, those who are loosed fear. Let those who are loosed be afraid of being bound; those who are bound pray to be loosed. “Each one is tied up in the threads of his own sins.” And apart from the church, nothing is loosed.
I have previously said that we are punished by God because of our sins, and now I say that we are punished by ourselves. Both are true. We are, indeed, punished by God, but we act so that he has to punish us. Since we ourselves cause our own punishment, who doubts that we punish ourselves for our own crimes? For, whoever gives cause for his punishment punishes himself, according to the saying, “Each one is bound by the rope of his own sins.” Therefore, if evil people are bound by the ropes of their own sins, each and every sinner, doubtless, binds himself when he sins.
The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, etc. There is a difference between a sinner and a wicked person, because a sinner is called anyone who falls into either small or great crimes; but a wicked person is one who either never accepts the faith or, by the enormity of his crimes, becomes anathema from the faith he once received, like heretics or Catholics involved in public scandals, who are bound by the chains of their sins and perish with the incessant increase of their depravity. For one who makes a rope, always by twisting and entangling thread upon thread, increases it. Such is the strength of evil deeds, such are the books of heretics, in which they bind wrong with wrong, doing nothing other in writing than tightening the bonds.
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SUMMARY
Proverbs 5:22 delivers a profound and sobering warning, asserting that a life characterized by wickedness inevitably leads to self-inflicted capture and spiritual bondage. The verse powerfully illustrates how an individual's own moral perversions and sinful actions become the very instruments of their entrapment, creating an inescapable state of entanglement from which true freedom is impossible without divine intervention. This foundational principle underscores that sin is not merely an external transgression but an internal, insidious force that ensnares and holds its perpetrator captive.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Proverbs 5:22 is rich in Imagery and Metaphor, painting a vivid picture of entrapment and bondage. The phrase "cords of his sins" serves as a powerful Metaphor for the binding nature of habitual wrongdoing, likening sin to physical ropes or snares that restrict freedom and lead to captivity. This imagery is further enhanced by Personification, as "iniquities" are depicted as active agents that "take" or capture the wicked, giving abstract concepts a tangible, menacing quality. The verse also employs Synonymous Parallelism, where the second clause ("and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins") restates and reinforces the idea of the first clause ("His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself") using different but related imagery. This repetition deepens the impact and emphasizes the inevitability of the consequences, underscoring that the wicked are caught by their own doing and bound by their own choices.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Proverbs 5:22 powerfully articulates the biblical principle of inherent consequences, where sin is not merely an isolated act but a pervasive force that binds and enslaves its perpetrator. It reveals a divinely ordered universe where moral actions have natural, inescapable repercussions, demonstrating that God's justice is often woven into the very fabric of creation. This verse highlights the deceptive nature of sin, which promises freedom and pleasure but ultimately delivers spiritual bondage and ruin. It underscores the profound personal responsibility each individual bears for their choices, showing how repeated transgression hardens the heart and creates habits that become like unbreakable chains, making repentance and escape increasingly difficult without divine intervention.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Proverbs 5:22 serves as a timeless and profoundly sobering warning for all who contemplate or are entangled in sin. It compels us to recognize that sin is not a trivial matter or a harmless indulgence, but a deceptive and insidious force that, while promising pleasure or freedom, ultimately leads to a self-made prison. The vivid imagery of "the cords of his sins" powerfully illustrates how seemingly small transgressions, when repeated and unaddressed, weave together to form strong bonds of habit, addiction, and spiritual blindness, making escape increasingly difficult. This verse calls us to profound introspection, urging us to consider the long-term ramifications of our choices and to understand that our actions have inherent consequences that will inevitably "take" and "hold" us. True liberty is found not in indulging fleeting desires but in aligning our lives with God's wisdom, which leads to genuine freedom, flourishing, and life, rather than the spiritual bondage described here. It challenges us to cultivate a keen awareness of the insidious nature of sin and to proactively seek righteousness, breaking free from any entanglements before they become unbreakable chains that dictate our destiny.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does this verse imply that all suffering is a direct result of personal sin?
Answer: While Proverbs 5:22 strongly emphasizes the self-inflicted consequences of wickedness, it does not imply that all suffering or hardship is a direct result of personal sin. The Bible presents a complex view of suffering, acknowledging that it can arise from various sources, including living in a fallen world (Romans 8:22), the sins of others, or even as a means of divine testing or refinement (Job 23:10). This proverb specifically addresses the natural, inherent outcome of a life characterized by "iniquities" and "sins," where the very actions of the wicked become their undoing. It focuses on the internal logic of sin's destructive power, rather than providing a comprehensive theology of suffering that accounts for all its complexities.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Proverbs 5:22, with its stark depiction of humanity ensnared by the "cords of his sins," powerfully foreshadows the profound and desperate need for a divine deliverer. The wicked are "holden" by their own iniquities, trapped in a self-made prison from which there is no escape through human effort or will. This universal human condition of spiritual bondage finds its ultimate solution and glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is the Lamb of God who came to "take away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), not merely to forgive but to break the very bonds that hold us captive. Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, Jesus bore the "iniquities" of humanity, becoming sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). He is the one prophesied to "proclaim liberty to the captives" and "release from darkness for the prisoners" (Luke 4:18). Where the cords of sin lead to death and spiritual bondage, Christ offers true freedom and eternal life, inviting all who are weary and heavy-laden to find rest in Him, for His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30). He is the only one capable of severing the destructive "cords" of our past and empowering us to walk in newness of life, no longer enslaved to sin but alive to God (Romans 6:11-14).