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Proverbs Chapter 5

Old Testament Wisdom/Poetry 23 Verses

What is Proverbs 5 about?

Practical wisdom for daily life, family, work, and worship, all rooted in the fear of the LORD. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1My son, attend unto my wisdom; Incline thine ear to my understanding:
2That thou mayest preserve discretion, And that thy lips may keep knowledge.
3For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil:
4But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.
5Her feet go down to death; Her steps take hold on Sheol;
6So that she findeth not the level path of life: Her ways are unstable, [and] she knoweth [it] not.
7Now therefore, [my] sons, hearken unto me, And depart not from the words of my mouth.
8Remove thy way far from her, And come not nigh the door of her house;
9Lest thou give thine honor unto others, And thy years unto the cruel;
10Lest strangers be filled with thy strength, And thy labors [be] in the house of an alien,
11And thou mourn at thy latter end, When thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
12And say, How have I hated instruction, And my heart despised reproof;
13Neither have I obeyed the voice of my teachers, Nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
14I was well-nigh in all evil In the midst of the assembly and congregation.
15Drink waters out of thine own cistern, And running waters out of thine own well.
16Should thy springs be dispersed abroad, And streams of water in the streets?
17Let them be for thyself alone, And not for strangers with thee.
18Let thy fountain be blessed; And rejoice in the wife of thy youth.
19[As] a loving hind and a pleasant doe, Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; And be thou ravished always with her love.
20For why shouldest thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, And embrace the bosom of a foreigner?
21For the ways of man are before the eyes of Jehovah; And he maketh level all his paths.
22His own iniquities shall take the wicked, And he shall be holden with the cords of his sin.
23He shall die for lack of instruction; And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
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What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“My son, attend unto my wisdom, etc.] Not the wisdom of the world or of the flesh, worldly wisdom and carnal policy; but spiritual and evangelical wisdom; such as one that is greater than Solomon has in him, even Christ; “for in him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”, (<510203>Colossians 2:3); and which he teaches and communicates to others, even all proper instructions for conduct in life: the Gospel, and each of the doctrines of it, which are “the wisdom of God in a mystery”, (<460207>1 Corinthians 2:7): these every child of God, and disciple of Christ, ought carefully and diligently to attend unto;…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“A warning against the seductive arts of wicked women, enforced by considering the advantages of chastity, and the miserable end of the wicked. (Pro. 5:1-23) This connection of wisdom and understanding is frequent (Pro 2:2; Pro 3:7); the first denotes the use of wise means for wise ends; the other, the exercise of a proper discrimination in their discovery.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“The formula of a new counsel, introducing another warning against the besetting sin of youth Proverbs 2:16. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 3
“The lips - It concerns thee to get and to use discretion, that thou mayest be able to resist those temptations to which thou art exposed. Proverbs 5:4”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 1
“5:1-23 These instructions on embracing one’s wife and avoiding immoral women were originally addressed to young men just beginning their professional careers (see also 2:16-22; 7:1-27). This topic is also popular in ancient Egyptian wisdom writing. 5:1-2 Paying attention to instruction results in discernment—the ability to tell a right action from a wrong one. These instructions are vitally important when dealing with an immoral woman.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“attend: Pro 2:1, Pro 4:1, Pro 4:20; Mat 3:9; Mar 4:23; Rev 2:7, Rev 2:11, Rev 2:17, Rev 2:29, Rev 3:6, Rev 3:13, Rev 3:22 bow: Pro 22:17; Jam 1:19 Proverbs 5:2”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · on verse 1
“Here a fourth rule of life follows the three already given, Pro 4:24, Pro 4:25, Pro 4:26-27 : 1 My son, attend unto my wisdom, And incline thine ear to my prudence, 2 To observe discretion, And that thy lips preserve knowledge. 3 For the lips of the adulteress distil honey, And smoother than oil is her mouth; 4 But her end is bitter like wormwood, Sharper than a two-edged sword. 5 Her feet go down to death, Her steps cleave to Hades. 6 She is far removed from entering the way of life, Her steps wander without her observing it. Wisdom and understanding increase with the age of those who earnestly seek after them.…”
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Related study paths

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