Bible Commentaries
Proverbs 5

Verse 1

My son. See note on Proverbs 1:8 .

understanding =. discernment.

Verse 2

regard discretion, &c. Hebrew infinitive = to guard deep counsels and knowledge. Let them mount guard over thy lips. Compare James 3:8 , "the tongue can no man tame".

Verse 3

a strange woman. Two words are used for "strange" and "stranger": one, Hebrew. zur, an apostate Israelite woman gone over to the idolatrous impurities of heathen religion; the other nakar, a purely foreign woman of a similar character. The danger is religious rather than moral. Hence here it is zur. See note on Proverbs 2:16 .

drop as an honeycomb = distil honey. The invitations of religious idolatry suit the tastes of the natural man.

Verse 5

hell = the grave. Hebrew. sheol. App-35 .

Verse 6

Lest thou shouldest ponder. Render: So that she findeth not the level path of life; her ways are unstable and she knoweth it not.

Verse 7

children = sons.

words = sayings. Hebrew. 'imrah. App-73 .

Verse 8

door = entrance.

Verse 9

years. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for what happens in them.

Verse 10

wealth. Hebrew strength: put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6 , for what is produced by it.

labours. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), for what is produced by it.

a stranger = a foreigner. Hebrew. nakar. Not the same word as in verses: Proverbs 5:3 , Proverbs 5:17 . See note above and on Proverbs 2:16 .

Verse 13

obeyed = hearkened to.

Verse 14

I was almost in all evil. The Beth Essentiae denotes "in", in the sense of "as" = I soon became as an evil man, &c. See App-75 .

almost = in a little while. Hebrew. kim'at. Occurs eighteen times (Genesis 26:10 . 2 Samuel 19:36 . 1 Chronicles 16:19 . 2 Chronicles 12:7 . Ezra 9:8 . Job 32:22 .Psalms 2:12 ; Psalms 73:2 ; Psalms 81:14 ; Psalms 94:17 ; Psalms 105:12 ; Psalms 119:87 . Psa 5:14 ; Psa 10:20 . Song of Solomon 3:4 .Isaiah 1:9 ; Isaiah 26:20 . Ezekiel 16:47 ). It is rendered "almost" only in Psalms 73:2 , Psalms 119:87 , and here, where it may as well be rendered "soon" or "quickly" as in Job 32:22 .Psalms 81:14 ; Psalms 94:17 (margin) It denotes in a little time, as in Psalms 2:12 ; Psalms 105:12 (= soon numbered). 2 Chronicles 12:7 (= a little while). Song of Solomon 3:4 (= a little while; i.e. scarcely). Isaiah 26:20 .

evil. Hebrew. ra'a'. App-44 .

Verse 16

Let thy fountains. Septuagint reads "Let not thy fountain", &c. This must be the sense from the context. The Revised Version obtains it by a question, "Should thy fountain . . . ?".

fountains. Plural of emphasis: i.e. thine own wife. Compare Song of Solomon 4:12 .

And = As or nor [thy].

rivers of waters = divisions of waters. Hebrew. palgey mayim: i.e. thy garden irrigation channels in the streets. See note on Proverbs 21:1 .

streets = open places.

Verse 18

thy fountain: i.e. thine own wife. Compare Proverbs 5:16 .

rejoice with = get thy joy with. Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "in" instead of "with".

Verse 20

strange = apostate. Hebrew. zur . See note on Proverbs 5:3 .

stranger = alien or foreigner. Hebrew. nakar. See note on verses: Proverbs 5:3 , Proverbs 5:10 .

Verse 21

man = a man. Hebrew. 'ish. App-14 . Illustrations: Cain (Genesis 4:5 , Genesis 4:6 ); Babel's builders (Genesis 11:4-7 ); Sodom (Genesis 18:21 , &c.); Uzzah ( 2Sa 6:6 , 2 Samuel 6:7 ; 1 Chronicles 15:13 .Numbers 4:15; Numbers 4:15 ); David (2 Samuel 12:9 ); Baasha (1 Kings 15:29 . Compare Proverbs 16:7 ); Ahab(1 Kings 21:19 ); Belshazzar (Daniel 5:22-28 ); Nathanael (John 1:48 ); The Seven Assemblies (Revelation 2:2 , Revelation 2:9 , Revelation 2:13 , Revelation 2:19 ; Revelation 3:1 , Revelation 3:8 , Revelation 3:15 ). Compare 1 Samuel 16:7 .

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

Verse 22

iniquities. Hebrew. 'avah. App-44 .

take = trap or entrap him.

wicked = a lawless man. Hebrew. rasha, '. App-44 .

he shall be holden. Illustrations: Saul (1 Samuel 18:8 , 1 Samuel 18:9 . Compare Proverbs 24:16 , Proverbs 24:17 ; Proverbs 26:21 ; Proverbs 28:5-20 ); Jerusalem (Jeremiah 2:16-19 . Ezekiel 22:31 ); Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17:23 ); Judas (John 12:6 . Matthew 26:47-49 ). Compare Proverbs 23:29 , Proverbs 23:35 .

sins. Hebrew. chata;. App-44 .

Verse 23

die without instruction. Illustration: Saul (1 Chronicles 10:13 , 1 Chronicles 10:14 ).