Proverbs 5 is a wisdom poem attributed to Solomon, emphasizing the dangers of immorality—specifically adultery—and the value of faithfulness, particularly in marriage. It’s written as a father’s instruction to his son, a common literary device in Proverbs, urging discernment and obedience to avoid life’s pitfalls.
Structure and Summary
The chapter divides neatly into three sections:
- Warning Against Adultery (Verses 1-6): The father begins with a call to attention, urging the son to heed wisdom and understanding. He warns about the “forbidden woman” (often translated as “adulteress” or “strange woman”), whose seductive words lead to ruin. Her path is unstable, winding toward death, and she herself is oblivious to her destructive trajectory.
- Consequences of Immorality (Verses 7-14): The tone intensifies as the father pleads with his sons (plural here, broadening the audience) to stay far from temptation. He paints a grim picture of the fallout: loss of honor, wealth, and health, ending in regret and public shame as the adulterer groans over squandered potential.
- The Beauty of Faithfulness (Verses 15-23): The chapter shifts to a positive exhortation, using vivid imagery of water and cisterns to celebrate marital fidelity. The son is encouraged to delight in his wife, to find satisfaction in her alone. The passage closes with a theological anchor: God sees all, and the wicked are ensnared by their own choices.
Key Themes
- Wisdom as Protection: The chapter opens with a plea to embrace wisdom and insight (v. 1-2), framing them as shields against moral failure. This aligns with Proverbs’ broader theme that wisdom isn’t just intellectual—it’s practical and relational.
- Seduction’s Deception: The “forbidden woman” isn’t just a literal adulteress; she symbolizes any alluring but destructive temptation. Her “smooth” words (v. 3) contrast with her bitter end (v. 4), a warning about short-term pleasure versus long-term cost.
- Consequences of Choice: Verses 9-14 detail a cascade of losses—reputation, resources, even vitality—showing sin’s ripple effect beyond the individual to the community. The regret in v. 11-13 is poignant: “I didn’t listen.”
- Joy in Covenant Love: The cistern and fountain metaphors (v. 15-18) are striking. In a dry climate, water is life; here, it’s the exclusive, life-giving intimacy of marriage. The call to “rejoice in the wife of your youth” (v. 18) elevates fidelity as both duty and delight.
- God’s Omniscience: The closing (v. 21-23) reminds us that human actions don’t escape divine notice. Sin’s trap is self-made, a sobering note on personal responsibility.
Verse Highlights
- Verse 3-4: “For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.” The imagery is visceral—sweetness masks poison, flattery hides a wound.
- Verse 15: “Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well.” This isn’t just about exclusivity; it’s about satisfaction. What you have is enough.
- Verse 21: “For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his paths.” Accountability to God underpins the moral framework here.
Practical Application
Proverbs 5 speaks to more than sexual ethics—it’s about integrity and where we seek fulfillment. The “forbidden woman” could be any vice: greed, pride, or distraction. The advice is timeless: guard your heart, value what’s yours, and live with the end in mind. For a modern reader, it’s a call to reject the culture of instant gratification—think social media’s endless scroll or consumerism’s empty promises—and invest in what lasts.
It’s also deeply relational. The celebration of marriage isn’t prudish; it’s joyful, almost poetic. The father doesn’t just say “don’t”; he says “do”—delight in what’s good. And that final warning about God’s gaze? It’s not paranoia—it’s a reality check. We’re not as hidden as we think.
Cultural Context
In ancient Israel, adultery wasn’t just a personal failing; it threatened family, inheritance, and community stability. The stakes were high—literal death penalties existed under Mosaic law (e.g., Leviticus 20:10). Solomon, with his own complicated history (hundreds of wives and concubines, 1 Kings 11), might seem an ironic voice here, but that could underscore the lesson: even a wise king can fall without vigilance.
Final Thought
Proverbs 5 isn’t preachy—it’s raw and real. It knows human weakness, the pull of desire, and the ache of regret. But it also knows the power of choice and the beauty of faithfulness. It’s a father saying, “Son, I’ve seen the wreckage. You don’t have to.” Whether you’re married or not, it’s a plea to live intentionally, eyes wide open.