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Commentary on Proverbs 5 verses 1–14
Here we have,
I. A solemn preface, to introduce the caution which follows, Pro 5:1, Pro 5:2. Solomon here addresses himself to his son, that is, to all young men, as unto his children, whom he has an affection for and some influence upon. In God's name, he demands attention; for he writes by divine inspiration, and is a prophet, though he begins not with, Thus saith the Lord. "Attend, and bow thy ear; not only hear what is said, and read what is written, but apply thy mind to it and consider it diligently." To gain attention he urges, 1. The excellency of his discourse: "It is my wisdom, my understanding; if I undertake to teach thee wisdom I cannot prescribe any thing to be more properly called so; moral philosophy is my philosophy, and that which is to be learned in my school." 2. The usefulness of it: "Attend to what I say," (1.) "That thou mayest act wisely - that thou mayest regard discretion." Solomon's lectures are not designed to fill our heads with notions, with matters of nice speculation, or doubtful disputation, but to guide us in the government of ourselves, that we may act prudently, so as becomes us and so as will be for our true interest. (2.) "That thou mayest speak wisely - that thy lips may keep knowledge, and thou mayest have it ready at thy tongue's end" (as we say), "for the benefit of those with whom thou dost converse." The priest's lips are said to keep knowledge (Mal 2:7); but those that are ready and mighty in the scriptures may not only in their devotions, but in their discourses, be spiritual priests.
II. The caution itself, and that is to abstain from fleshly lusts, from adultery, fornication, and all uncleanness. Some apply this figuratively, and by the adulterous woman here understand idolatry, or false doctrine, which tends to debauch men's minds and manners, or the sensual appetite, to which it may as fitly as any thing be applied; but the primary scope of it is plainly to warn us against seventh-commandment sins, which youth is so prone to, the temptations to which are so violent, the examples of which are so many, and which, where admitted, are so destructive to all the seeds of virtue in the soul that it is not strange that Solomon's cautions against it are so very pressing and so often repeated. Solomon here, as a faithful watchman, gives fair warning to all, as they regard their lives and comforts, to dread this sin, for it will certainly be their ruin. Two things we are here warned to take heed of: -
1.That we do not listen to the charms of this sin. It is true the lips of a strange woman drop as a honey-comb (Pro 5:3); the pleasures of fleshly lust are very tempting (like the wine that gives its colour in the cup and moves itself aright); its mouth, the kisses of its mouth, the words of its mouth, are smoother than oil, that the poisonous pill may go down glibly and there may be no suspicion of harm in it. But consider, (1.) How fatal the consequences will be. What fruit will the sinner have of his honey and oil when the end will be, [1.] The terrors of conscience: It is bitter as wormwood, Pro 5:4. What was luscious in the mouth rises in the stomach and turns sour there; it cuts, in the reflection, like a two-edged sword; take it which way you will, it wounds. Solomon could speak by experience, Ecc 7:26. [2.] The torments of hell. If some that have been guilty of this sin have repented and been saved, yet the direct tendency of the sin is to destruction of body and soul; the feet of it go down to death, nay, they take hold on hell, to pull it to the sinner, as if the damnations slumbered too long, Pro 5:5. Those that are entangled in this sin should be reminded that there is but a step between them and hell, and that they are ready to drop into it. (2.) Consider how false the charms are. The adulteress flatters and speaks fair, her words are honey and oil, but she will deceive those that hearken to her: Her ways are movable, that thou canst not know them; she often changes her disguise, and puts on a great variety of false colours, because, if she be rightly known, she is certainly hated. Proteus-like, she puts on many shapes, that she may keep in with those whom she has a design upon. And what does she aim at with all this art and management? Nothing but to keep them from pondering the path of life, for she knows that, if they once come to do that, she shall certainly lose them. Those are ignorant of Satan's devices who do not understand that the great thing he drives at in all his temptations is, [1.] To keep them from choosing the path of life, to prevent them from being religious and from going to heaven, that, being himself shut out from happiness, he may keep them out from it. [2.] In order hereunto, to keep them from pondering the path of life, from considering how reasonable it is that they should walk in that path, and how much it will be for their advantage. Be it observed, to the honour of religion, that it certainly gains its point with all those that will but allow themselves the liberty of a serious thought and will weigh things impartially in an even balance, and that the devil has no way of securing men in his interests but by diverting them with continual amusements of one kind or another from the calm and sober consideration of the things that belong to their peace. And uncleanness is a sin that does as much as any thing blind the understanding, sear the conscience, and keep people from pondering the path of life. Whoredom takes away the heart, Hos 4:11.
2.That we do not approach the borders of this sin, Pro 5:7, Pro 5:8.
(1.)This caution is introduced with a solemn preface: "Hear me now therefore, O you children! whoever you are that read or hear these lines, take notice of what I say, and mix faith with it, treasure it up, and depart not from the words of my mouth, as those will do that hearken to the words of the strange woman. Do not only receive what I say, for the present merely, but cleave to it, and let it be ready to thee, and of force with thee, when thou art most violently assaulted by the temptation."
(2.)The caution itself is very pressing: "Remove thy way far from her; if thy way should happen to lie near her, and thou shouldst have a fair pretence of being led by business within the reach of her charms, yet change thy way, and alter the course of it, rather than expose thyself to danger; come not nigh the door of her house; go on the other side of the street, nay, go through some other street, though it be about." This intimates, [1.] That we ought to have a very great dread and detestation of the sin. We must fear it as we would a place infected with the plague; we must loathe it as the odour of carrion, that we will not come near. Then we are likely to preserve our purity when we conceive a rooted antipathy to all fleshly lusts. [2.] That we ought industriously to avoid every thing that may be an occasion of this sin or a step towards it. Those that would be kept from harm must keep out of harm's way. Such tinder there is in the corrupt nature that it is madness, upon any pretence whatsoever, to come near the sparks. If we thrust ourselves into temptation, we mocked God when we prayed, Lead us not into temptation. [3.] That we ought to be jealous over ourselves with a godly jealousy, and not to be so confident of the strength of our own resolutions as to venture upon the brink of sin, with a promise to ourselves that hitherto we will come and no further. [4.] That whatever has become a snare to us and an occasion of sin, though it be as a right eye and a right hand, we must pluck it out, cut it off, and cast it from us, must part with that which is dearest to us rather than hazard our own souls; this is our Saviour's command, Mat 5:28-30.
(3.)The arguments which Solomon here uses to enforce this caution are taken from the same topic with those before, the many mischiefs which attend this sin. [1.] It blasts the reputation. "Thou wilt give thy honour unto others (Pro 5:9); thou wilt lose it thyself; thou wilt put into the hand of each of thy neighbours a stone to throw at thee, for they will all, with good reason, cry shame on thee, will despise thee, and trample on thee, as a foolish men." Whoredom is a sin that makes men contemptible and base, and no man of sense or virtue will care to keep company with one that keeps company with harlots. [2.] It wastes the time, gives the years, the years of youth, the flower of men's time, unto the cruel, "that base lust of thine, which with the utmost cruelty wars against the soul, that base harlot which pretends an affection for thee, but really hunts for the precious life." Those years that should be given to the honour of a gracious God are spent in the service of a cruel sin. [3.] It ruins the estate (Pro 5:10): "Strangers will be filled with thy wealth, which thou art but entrusted with as a steward for thy family; and the fruit of thy labours, which should be provision for thy own house, will be in the house of a stranger, that neither has right to it nor will ever thank thee for it." [4.] It is destructive to the health, and shortens men's days: Thy flesh and thy body will be consumed by it, Pro 5:11. The lusts of uncleanness not only war against the soul, which the sinner neglects and is in no care about, but they war against the body too, which he is so indulgent of and is in such care to please and pamper, such deceitful, such foolish, such hurtful lusts are they. Those that give themselves to work uncleanness with greediness waste their strength, throw themselves into weakness, and often have their bodies filled with loathsome distempers, by which the number of their months is cut off in the midst and they fall unpitied sacrifices to a cruel lust. [5.] It will fill the mind with horror, if ever conscience be awakened. "Though thou art merry now, sporting thyself in thy own deceivings, yet thou wilt certainly mourn at the last, Pro 5:11. Thou art all this while making work for repentance, and laying up matter for vexation and torment in the reflection, when the sin is set before thee in its own colours." Sooner or later it will bring sorrow, either when the soul is humbled and brought to repentance or when the flesh and body are consumed, either by sickness, when conscience flies in the sinner's face, or by the grave; when the body is rotting there, the soul is racking in the torments of hell, where the worm dies not, and "Son, remember," is the constant peal [plea?]. Solomon here brings in the convinced sinner reproaching himself, and aggravating his own folly. He will then most bitterly lament it. First, That because he hated to be reformed he therefore hated to be informed, and could not endure either to be taught his duty (How have I hated not only the discipline of being instructed, but the instruction itself, though all true and good!) or to be told of his faults - My heart despised reproof, Pro 5:12. He cannot but own that those who had the charge of him, parents, ministers, had done their part; they had been his teachers; they had instructed him, had given him good counsel and fair warning (Pro 5:13); but to his own shame and confusion does he speak it, and therein justifies God in all the miseries that were brought upon him, he had not obeyed their voice, for indeed he never inclined his ear to those that instructed him, never minded what they said nor admitted the impressions of it. Note, Those who have had a good education and do not live up to it will have a great deal to answer for another day; and those who will not now remember what they were taught, to conform themselves to it, will be made to remember it as an aggravation of their sin, and consequently of their ruin. Secondly, That by the frequent acts of sin the habits of it were so rooted and confirmed that his heart was fully set in him to commit it (Pro 5:14): I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly. When he came into the synagogue, or into the courts of the temple, to worship God with other Israelites, his unclean heart was full of wanton thoughts and desires and his eyes of adultery. Reverence of the place and company, and of the work that was doing, could not restrain him, but he was almost as wicked and vile there as any where. No sin will appear more frightful to an awakened conscience than the profanation of holy things; nor will any aggravation of sin render it more exceedingly sinful than the place we are honoured with in the congregation and assembly, and the advantages we enjoy thereby. Zimri and Cozbi avowed their villany in the sight of Moses and all the congregation (Num 25:6), and heart-adultery is as open to God, and must needs be most offensive to him, when we draw nigh to him in religious exercises. I was in all evil in defiance of the magistrates and judges, and their assemblies; so some understand it. Others refer it to the evil of punishment, not to the evil of sin: "I was made an example, a spectacle to the world. I was under almost all God's sore judgments in the midst of the congregation of Israel, set up for a mark. I stood up and cried in the congregation," Job 30:28. Let that be avoided which will be thus rued at last.
"In the end," [Solomon] says, "you will find what seemed sweet in the beginning to be more bitter than gall and sharper than the edge of a sword." But the nature of righteousness is the opposite: In the beginning, it seems more bitter, but in the end, when it produces fruits of virtue, it is found to be sweeter than honey.
Even when the sinner looks for gratification, he doesn’t find the fruit of his sin pleasant. As the wisdom of God says in another place, “Bread of deceit is pleasant to a man, but after he eats it, his mouth will be filled with gravel.” And, “Honey drips from the lips of an adulteress, and for a time it tastes sweet, but in the end you will find it more bitter than gall and sharper than a two-edged sword.” So he eats and is quite pleased for a little while. Then, when it is too late, when he has cut off his soul from God, he rejects it. But the fool does not know that those who are cut off from God shall perish.
What does it profit a man to be an expert theologian if he is a shameless fornicator; or to be nobly temperate but an impious blasphemer? The knowledge of doctrines is a precious possession. There is need of a vigilant soul, since many there are who would deceive you by philosophy and vain deceit. The Greeks, indeed, by their smooth tongue lead men astray, for honey drops from the lips of a harlot.
The harlot knows not how to love, but only to ensnare. Her kiss has poison, and her mouth a pernicious drug. And if this does not immediately appear, it is the more necessary to avoid her on that account, because she veils that destruction, and keeps that death concealed, and does not permit it to become manifest from the outset. So if any one pursues pleasure and a life full of gladness, let him avoid the society of fornicating women, for they fill the minds of their lovers with a thousand conflicts and tumults, setting in motion against them continual strifes and contentions, by means of their words and all their actions. And just as it is with those who are the most virulent enemies, so the object of their actions and schemes is to plunge their lovers into shame and poverty and the worst extremities. And in the same manner as hunters when they have spread out their nets, they try to drive the wild animals into them, in order that they may put them to death. So also it is with these women.
Let us reflect on what is written concerning dissipation and evil desires: “The lips of an adulteress are sweet for a time,” it says, “but in the end she is more bitter than gall.” Now since our life in this world is known to be, as it were, a road, it is necessary for us to reach rest as the result of our labor rather than labor as the result of rest. It is better for us to work for a short time on the way, in order that afterwards we may be able happily to reach eternal joy in our [home country], with the help of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever.
In a very short time [the devil] leads the proud and wicked to death on a broad and spacious path. Christ our Lord, on the contrary, leads the humble and obedient to life on the straight and narrow path. Both of these roads, the wide one and the narrow one, have an end and are very short. Labor is not long on the narrow road, nor is joy lengthy on the broad one. Those whom the broad way of wickedness delights, after brief joy will have endless punishment. Those who follow Christ on the narrow way, after brief tribulations will merit to reach eternal rewards. If a layman who is in the world possesses pride, it is a sin for him. If a monk is proud, it is a sacrilege. You ought to show yourselves living so holy a life, so justly and piously in such a way that your merits may not only suffice for you but also find pardon in this world for other sinners. If we do not bridle our tongue, our religion is not true but false; and it would have been better not to have made a vow than after the vow not to do what was promised.
But her end is bitter, etc. The drink of wormwood becomes bitter within the bowels, outwardly the members are wounded by the sword. Therefore, to show the wicked in the final retribution, both internally to be filled, and externally surrounded by perpetual punishments, he assures that they will be tormented by the bitterness of wormwood, and slaughtered by the sword. And why the same sword is called two-edged, the Lord opens when he says: But fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10).
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SUMMARY
Proverbs 5:4 delivers a stark and sobering warning, contrasting the initial deceptive allure of the immoral woman—and by extension, all sin—with its inevitable and devastating consequences. While her words may initially entice with their sweetness and smoothness, the ultimate outcome of yielding to such temptation is depicted as intensely bitter, like the poisonous wormwood, and sharply destructive, akin to the piercing wound of a two-edged sword. This verse serves as a potent admonition, emphasizing the painful and ruinous end that invariably follows the fleeting pleasures of immorality, urging the reader to prioritize long-term spiritual and relational integrity over immediate, deceptive gratification.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Proverbs 5:4 masterfully employs potent Simile to convey its urgent warning. The phrase "bitter as wormwood" directly compares the outcome of immorality to the acrid taste of wormwood, a plant known for its extreme bitterness and symbolic of judgment and profound sorrow. This simile powerfully evokes a sensory experience of intense unpleasantness and lasting regret, suggesting a lingering, internal anguish. Similarly, "sharp as a twoedged sword" utilizes another vivid comparison, likening the destructive consequences to the piercing and cutting power of a formidable weapon. This simile emphasizes the deep, severe, and pervasive harm inflicted, indicating that the damage is not superficial but cuts to the core. The verse also utilizes stark Contrast, setting up a profound opposition between the initial "honey" and "oil" of the immoral woman's words in Proverbs 5:3 and the "bitter" and "sharp" reality of her "end" in Proverbs 5:4. This powerful juxtaposition highlights the inherently deceptive nature of sin and the inevitable, painful consequences that invariably follow fleeting, illicit pleasures.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Proverbs 5:4 serves as a profound theological statement on the intrinsic nature of sin and its inevitable, devastating consequences. It underscores the foundational biblical principle that sin, while often initially alluring and seemingly harmless, ultimately leads to suffering, destruction, and spiritual death. This truth is deeply embedded in the Old Testament's understanding of covenant faithfulness, where disobedience invariably brings curses and bitter outcomes, while obedience leads to blessing and life. The "bitterness" and "sharpness" described are not merely emotional states but represent the comprehensive unraveling of life, the decay of relationships, and the erosion of spiritual vitality that result from straying from God's wisdom and established order. This verse functions as a powerful warning against the illusion of harmless pleasure, revealing the true, devastating cost of moral compromise and reinforcing God's righteous judgment against unholiness and rebellion against His decrees.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Proverbs 5:4 offers timeless wisdom that transcends its original ancient context, speaking powerfully to contemporary challenges of temptation, moral decision-making, and the pursuit of true flourishing. It challenges us to cultivate spiritual foresight, urging us to look beyond immediate gratification and to discern the long-term, often devastating, ramifications of our choices. The "immoral woman" can be understood as a potent symbol for any seductive temptation—whether it be illicit relationships, addictive behaviors, dishonest practices, or any pursuit that compromises integrity and God's standards for fleeting pleasure. This verse serves as a crucial and sobering reminder that sin, regardless of its initial appeal or perceived harmlessness, carries an inherent and unavoidable cost. It calls us to value purity, faithfulness, and divine wisdom, recognizing that true flourishing and lasting peace come not from indulging every desire but from adhering to God's established boundaries, which are meticulously designed for our ultimate good, protection, and eternal well-being. We are urged to diligently guard our hearts and minds, recognizing that the path of true wisdom involves discerning between momentary pleasure and lasting well-being, ultimately choosing life over the bitter and sharp end of folly.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "wormwood" symbolize in the Bible, and why is it used here?
Answer: Wormwood (Hebrew: laʻănâh) is a plant known for its extreme bitterness and is often associated with poison. In biblical literature, it frequently symbolizes intense sorrow, calamity, divine judgment, or the bitter consequences of sin, disobedience, and idolatry. For example, in Jeremiah 9:15, God threatens to feed His people wormwood because of their profound disobedience. Its use in Proverbs 5:4 powerfully conveys the profound, acrid, and lingering pain that inevitably follows the initial, deceptive sweetness of immorality. It suggests a spiritual and emotional anguish that is not fleeting but deeply felt and lasting, a just recompense for straying from God's path.
How is the "twoedged sword" metaphor used differently here compared to other biblical passages?
Answer: In Proverbs 5:4, the "twoedged sword" (Hebrew: chereb peh - literally "sword of mouths" or "sword of edges") symbolizes the destructive, cutting, and piercing power of the consequences of immorality. It highlights that sin inflicts deep, severe, and comprehensive wounds upon one's life, reputation, relationships, and soul, leaving lasting devastation. This usage contrasts with its application in passages like Hebrews 4:12, where the "twoedged sword" metaphorically represents the living, active, and discerning power of God's Word. In Hebrews, the Word of God penetrates to the deepest parts of human existence to reveal truth, expose motives, and judge thoughts and intentions, bringing conviction and transformation. While both uses convey power and penetration, one describes the destructive, ruinous force of sin's outcome, and the other, the transformative, discerning, and life-giving power of divine truth.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Proverbs 5:4, with its stark imagery of the bitter and sharply destructive end of sin, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Humanity's pervasive sin, personified in the "strange woman" and its inevitable bitter end, is fully borne by Christ on the cross. He became sin for us, drinking the cup of God's righteous wrath and experiencing the ultimate "bitterness" of spiritual separation from the Father, so that we might not. The sharp, piercing consequences of sin, which cut into the very fabric of human existence and relationships, were absorbed by His body, broken for us, and His side, pierced for our transgressions (Isaiah 53:5). Through His unparalleled sacrifice, Jesus offers profound redemption from the destructive power of sin, transforming its bitter end into the sweet fruit of salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life (Romans 6:23). He is the true Wisdom personified, inviting us to a path that leads to abundant life and flourishing, rather than the ruinous path of folly (John 14:6). In Christ, the sharp sword of judgment that sin inevitably brings is turned away from us, and instead, His living Word becomes the "sharp twoedged sword" that discerns, transforms, and brings life and truth rather than destruction to all who believe (Revelation 1:16). He is the divine antidote to wormwood, the healing balm for the sword's wound, offering profound healing, restoration, and new life where sin has brought only desolation.