Note: Words are shown in their original Hebrew order, which differs from English translations. This reflects the emphasis and structure of Scripture as originally written. Click any word to see its full lexicon entry.
1My son, pay attention to my wisdom; incline your ear to my insight,
Proverbs 5 is a passionate appeal from a father to his son regarding sexual purity and faithfulness in marriage. The chapter contrasts the seductive but destructive path of adultery with the blessing and satisfaction found in covenant marriage. Using vivid imagery—honeyed lips that lead to bitter ends, feet that go down to death—Solomon warns against the immense personal, relational, and spiritual damage caused by sexual sin. The overarching message is clear: true wisdom means guarding your heart, honoring your marriage vow, and remembering that God sees all our ways.
Solomon begins by calling his son to attend to wisdom and understanding. The invitation to "bow thine ear" suggests humility and openness—a willingness to receive correction before it becomes necessary. The purpose is twofold: to develop discretion (wise judgment in what to pursue or avoid) and to guard one's speech by keeping knowledge close. This sets the tone: what follows is not arbitrary prohibition but loving instruction designed to protect and guide.
Here Solomon paints the allure of the "strange woman"—one who seeks to draw a man away from his covenant wife. Her words are sweet, smooth, and intoxicating, "dropping as an honeycomb." But her end is bitter as wormwood (v. 4). This is the heart of the warning: what tastes good in the moment leads to ruin. "Her feet go down to death" (v. 5) emphasizes the ultimate destination of such a path—spiritual death and separation from God. Verse 6 reveals her dangerous strategy: her ways are deliberately deceptive and shifting, designed to confuse so that her victim cannot discern the path of life.
Solomon now directly commands his children to depart from this temptation. The advice is not to resist from a distance but to remove thy way far from her (v. 8)—complete avoidance is the strategy. Verses 9–11 describe the consequences: loss of honor, wasted labor, consumed health, and regret. Verse 12 presents the saddest moment—too late, the foolish man realizes he hated instruction and despised reproof. This passage teaches that sexual sin is not victimless; it costs reputation, resources, health, and peace of mind.
The passage shifts from warning to blessing. Instead of a "strange woman," Solomon calls his son to drink waters out of thine own cistern (v. 15)—a metaphor for marital intimacy. The imagery of fountains, wells, and running waters speaks to the beauty and satisfaction of exclusive covenant marriage. Verse 17 is key: "Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee." Sexual intimacy is meant to be reserved, sacred, and shared only within marriage.
Verses 18–19 celebrate the wife of one's youth as a source of joy and satisfaction—"a loving hind and pleasant roe." Sexual desire within marriage is not shameful; it is blessed and meant to be fully enjoyed. The shift in verse 20 asks pointedly: why pursue a stranger when such blessing awaits at home? Verses 21–23 close with the sobering reality that God sees all our ways and our iniquities will ensnare us. Sin is its own judgment; the wicked man dies without instruction, trapped in the cords of his own sin.
Application for Today
This chapter speaks urgently to modern believers in an age of sexual temptation. Whether through digital media, workplace relationships, or emotional entanglement, the seduction is real—and the consequences are biblical. Proverbs 5 calls us to guard our hearts, to prioritize our marriage covenants, and to remember that God's design for sexuality within marriage is not restrictive but abundantly generous. Believers should take seriously the call to flee temptation, invest in their marriages, and live with the awareness that all our ways are before the Lord.
Study Notes — Proverbs 5
6 sectionsProverbs 5 is a passionate appeal from a father to his son regarding sexual purity and faithfulness in marriage. The chapter contrasts the seductive but destructive path of adultery with the blessing and satisfaction found in covenant marriage. Using vivid imagery—honeyed lips that lead to bitter ends, feet that go down to death—Solomon warns against the immense personal, relational, and spiritual damage caused by sexual sin. The overarching message is clear: true wisdom means guarding your heart, honoring your marriage vow, and remembering that God sees all our ways.
Solomon begins by calling his son to attend to wisdom and understanding. The invitation to "bow thine ear" suggests humility and openness—a willingness to receive correction before it becomes necessary. The purpose is twofold: to develop discretion (wise judgment in what to pursue or avoid) and to guard one's speech by keeping knowledge close. This sets the tone: what follows is not arbitrary prohibition but loving instruction designed to protect and guide.
Here Solomon paints the allure of the "strange woman"—one who seeks to draw a man away from his covenant wife. Her words are sweet, smooth, and intoxicating, "dropping as an honeycomb." But her end is bitter as wormwood (v. 4). This is the heart of the warning: what tastes good in the moment leads to ruin. "Her feet go down to death" (v. 5) emphasizes the ultimate destination of such a path—spiritual death and separation from God. Verse 6 reveals her dangerous strategy: her ways are deliberately deceptive and shifting, designed to confuse so that her victim cannot discern the path of life.
Solomon now directly commands his children to depart from this temptation. The advice is not to resist from a distance but to remove thy way far from her (v. 8)—complete avoidance is the strategy. Verses 9–11 describe the consequences: loss of honor, wasted labor, consumed health, and regret. Verse 12 presents the saddest moment—too late, the foolish man realizes he hated instruction and despised reproof. This passage teaches that sexual sin is not victimless; it costs reputation, resources, health, and peace of mind.
The passage shifts from warning to blessing. Instead of a "strange woman," Solomon calls his son to drink waters out of thine own cistern (v. 15)—a metaphor for marital intimacy. The imagery of fountains, wells, and running waters speaks to the beauty and satisfaction of exclusive covenant marriage. Verse 17 is key: "Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee." Sexual intimacy is meant to be reserved, sacred, and shared only within marriage.
Verses 18–19 celebrate the wife of one's youth as a source of joy and satisfaction—"a loving hind and pleasant roe." Sexual desire within marriage is not shameful; it is blessed and meant to be fully enjoyed. The shift in verse 20 asks pointedly: why pursue a stranger when such blessing awaits at home? Verses 21–23 close with the sobering reality that God sees all our ways and our iniquities will ensnare us. Sin is its own judgment; the wicked man dies without instruction, trapped in the cords of his own sin.
This chapter speaks urgently to modern believers in an age of sexual temptation. Whether through digital media, workplace relationships, or emotional entanglement, the seduction is real—and the consequences are biblical. Proverbs 5 calls us to guard our hearts, to prioritize our marriage covenants, and to remember that God's design for sexuality within marriage is not restrictive but abundantly generous. Believers should take seriously the call to flee temptation, invest in their marriages, and live with the awareness that all our ways are before the Lord.