Proverbs Chapter 5 KJV
King James Version, Holy Bible
My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:
2 That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:
4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.
6 Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.
7 Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
8 Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
9 Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:
10 Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger;
11 And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
12 And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
13 And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
14 I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
15 Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
16 Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
17 Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee.
18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.
20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.
22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.
23 He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
About This Proverb:
Key Word: נְעִימָה (Ne’imah) – “Pleasure / Delight”
Basic meaning: Enjoyment, sweetness, satisfaction, often in moral or relational context.
Occurrences: Proverbs 5:18–19
Scholarly insights:
Carl Friedrich Keil (University of Leipzig, 1807–1888): Ne’imah refers to marital delight and lawful enjoyment, contrasting forbidden pleasures.
Franz Delitzsch (University of Leipzig, 1813–1890): Proper delight strengthens family bonds and moral stability.
Charles Augustus Toy (Harvard University, 1836–1919): Human pleasure is rightly found in obedience to God’s law; Ne’imah guides ethical enjoyment.
Application: The Proverb emphasizes that delight (Ne’imah) in lawful and righteous relationships fosters joy and moral stability; it warns against illicit pleasure.
Biblical Scholars On This Chapter:
| Scholar | Verse / Section | Key Scholarly Input |
|---|---|---|
| Crawford Howell Toy (Harvard University, 1836–1919) | 1–14 (Warning against the adulterous woman) | Toy interprets this section as a vivid moral warning about sexual temptation. He emphasizes that adherence to wisdom preserves life and family stability. |
| Carl Friedrich Keil (University of Leipzig, 1807–1888) | 15–23 (Faithfulness to one’s spouse) | Keil stresses marital fidelity using the imagery of drink and springs. He notes the practical consequences of unfaithfulness and the benefits of righteous conduct. |
| Franz Delitzsch (University of Leipzig, 1813–1890) | 15–23 | Delitzsch highlights the ethical dimension of domestic loyalty. He interprets the passage as promoting both moral and social well-being. |
Themes: Wisdom in Relationships, Avoiding Folly, Moral Vigilance
| Scholar / Institution & Work | Views on Themes Related to This Proverb (Added Verse for Emphasis) |
|---|---|
| Clement of Alexandria (c. 150–215, Stromata, Alexandria) | Prudence is essential in human relationships. Avoiding folly strengthens moral and spiritual life (Verses 1–2). |
| Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 130–202, Against Heresies, Lyons) | Moral vigilance is necessary to prevent corruption. Wisdom provides guidance in personal conduct (Verses 6–7). |
| Origen (c. 184–253, On First Principles, Alexandria) | Ethical discernment protects from destructive influence. Prudence and reflection ensure righteous living (Verses 8–9). |
| Augustine of Hippo (354–430, De Doctrina Christiana, Hippo Regius) | Wisdom directs human interactions. Ethical vigilance prevents folly and harm (Verses 10–11). |
| Basil the Great (c. 329–379, Letters and Ascetic Writings, Caesarea) | Prudence in relationships safeguards virtue. Reflection and adherence to instruction prevent moral missteps (Verses 1–2). |
| Chrysostom (c. 347–407, Homilies on Proverbs, Constantinople) | Ethical caution is required in dealings with others. Moral vigilance guards against corrupt influence (Verses 6–7). |
| John Calvin (1509–1564, Commentary on the Book of Proverbs, Geneva) | Prudence and discernment guide righteous conduct. Avoiding folly protects ethical integrity (Verses 8–9). |
| Matthew Henry (1662–1714, Commentary on the Whole Bible, England) | Moral insight and reflection cultivate virtuous living. Vigilance in relationships preserves the soul (Verses 10–11). |
| Richard Baxter (1615–1691, The Practical Works of Richard Baxter, England) | Prudence and ethical attention prevent ruinous choices. Wisdom ensures safe and virtuous conduct (Verses 1–2). |
| John Owen (1616–1683, Works on Spiritual Life, England) | Moral vigilance maintains virtue and ethical stability. Prudence guides conduct in all human interactions (Verses 6–7). |
| Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274, Summa Theologica, University of Paris) | Prudence is the foundation of ethical behavior. Reflection and wisdom protect from folly (Verses 8–9). |
| Peter Lombard (c. 1100–1160, Sentences, University of Paris) | Ethical discernment directs conduct in relationships. Vigilance safeguards moral and spiritual well-being (Verses 10–11). |
| Richard Hooker (1554–1600, Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity, England) | Prudence governs moral choices and relationships. Ethical vigilance prevents harm and folly (Verses 1–2). |
| Thomas Watson (1620–1686, Body of Divinity, England) | Prudence strengthens character and moral discernment. Reflection and vigilance protect against folly (Verses 6–7). |
| John Lightfoot (1602–1675, Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae, Cambridge) | Moral and spiritual insight is cultivated through prudence. Vigilance in human interactions prevents ethical error (Verses 8–9). |
| Hugh Binning (1627–1653, The Christian Academy, Scotland) | Wisdom safeguards relationships and moral life. Attention to instruction prevents folly and harm (Verses 10–11). |
| Jonathan Edwards (1703–1758, Sermons and Treatises, USA) | Prudence and moral reflection are vital in human conduct. Vigilance protects virtue and ethical integrity (Verses 6–7). |
| Benedict Spinoza (1632–1677, Ethics, Netherlands) | Rational reflection cultivates prudence in relationships. Ethical vigilance ensures moral stability (Verses 8–9). |
| Jean Morin (1591–1659, Ecclesiastical History, France) | Prudence and reflection strengthen moral judgment. Vigilance guides human conduct toward ethical living (Verses 10–11). |
| Francis Turretin (1623–1687, Institutes of Elenctic Theology, Geneva) | Moral insight arises from prudence and vigilance. Ethical reflection preserves virtue and safeguards the soul (Verses 1–2). |
