Proverbs 5:20
Proverbs 5:20 in Multiple Translations
Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress, or embrace the bosom of a stranger?
And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
For why shouldest thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, And embrace the bosom of a foreigner?
Why let yourself, my son, go out of the way with a strange woman, and take another woman in your arms?
Why, my son, become intoxicated with an immoral woman? Why embrace the breasts of a woman who acts like a prostitute?
For why shouldest thou delite, my sonne, in a strange woman, or embrace the bosome of a stranger?
And why dost thou magnify thyself, My son, with a stranger? And embrace the bosom of a strange woman?
For why should you, my son, be captivated with an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another?
And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
Why art thou seduced, my son, by a strange woman, and art cherished in the bosom of another?
My son, do not be [RHQ] captivated/charmed by an immoral woman! Do not fondle the breasts of another man’s wife!
Berean Amplified Bible — Proverbs 5:20
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Proverbs 5:20 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וְ/לָ֤/מָּה
תִשְׁגֶּ֣ה
בְנִ֣/י
בְ/זָרָ֑ה
וּ֝/תְחַבֵּ֗ק
חֵ֣ק
נָכְרִיָּֽה
וְ/לָ֤/מָּה
mâh
H4100
what?
Conj | Prep | Part
תִשְׁגֶּ֣ה
shâgâh
H7686
to wander
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms
בְנִ֣/י
bên
H1121
son
N-ms | Suff
בְ/זָרָ֑ה
zûwr
H2114
be a stranger
Prep | Adj
וּ֝/תְחַבֵּ֗ק
châbaq
H2263
to embrace
Conj | V-Piel-Imperf-2ms
חֵ֣ק
chêyq
H2436
bosom
N-ms
נָכְרִיָּֽה
nokrîy
H5237
foreign
Adj
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Proverbs 5:20
וְ/לָ֤/מָּה
mâh
H4100
"what?"
Conj | Prep | Part
This Hebrew word means what or how, often used to ask questions or express surprise, like in Genesis when God asks Adam what he has done. It can also mean why or when, and is used in various ways throughout the Old Testament. It appears in many KJV translations, including how or what.
Definition: interr pron 1) what, how, of what kind 1a) (interrogative) 1a1) what? 1a2) of what kind 1a3) what? (rhetorical) 1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what 1b) (adverb) 1b1) how, how now 1b2) why 1b3) how! (exclamation) 1c) (with prep) 1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means? 1c2) because of what? 1c3) the like of what? 1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often? 1c3b) for how long? 1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose? 1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore? indef pron 2) anything, aught, what may
Usage: Occurs in 655 OT verses. KJV: how (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why. See also: Genesis 2:19; Numbers 21:5; 1 Samuel 19:5.
תִשְׁגֶּ֣ה
shâgâh
H7686
"to wander"
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms
This word means to wander or stray, often used to describe someone who has made a moral mistake or is drunk, like in Proverbs 5:23. It can also mean to lead someone astray.
Definition: 1) to go astray, stray, err 1a)(Qal) 1a1) to err, stray 1a2) to swerve, meander, reel, roll, be intoxicated, err (in drunkenness) 1a3) to go astray (morally) 1a4) to commit sin of ignorance or inadvertence, err (ignorantly) 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to lead astray 1b2) to lead astray, mislead (mentally) 1b3) to lead astray (morally)
Usage: Occurs in 19 OT verses. KJV: (cause to) go astray, deceive, err, be ravished, sin through ignorance, (let, make to) wander. See also: Leviticus 4:13; Psalms 119:118; Psalms 119:10.
בְנִ֣/י
bên
H1121
"son"
N-ms | Suff
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Definition: : child/son
Usage: Occurs in 3653 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth. See also: Genesis 3:16; Genesis 23:3; Genesis 34:18.
בְ/זָרָ֑ה
zûwr
H2114
"be a stranger"
Prep | Adj
This word has several meanings, including being a stranger or foreigner, like when Abraham lived in Egypt as a foreigner. It can also mean to commit adultery, highlighting the idea of turning aside from what is right and proper, as warned against in Proverbs 5.
Definition: 1) to be strange, be a stranger 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to become estranged 1a2) strange, another, stranger, foreigner, an enemy (participle) 1a3) strange woman, prostitute, harlot (meton) 1b) (Niphal) to be estranged 1c) (Hophal) to be a stranger, be one alienated
Usage: Occurs in 76 OT verses. KJV: (come from) another (man, place), fanner, go away, (e-) strange(-r, thing, woman). See also: Exodus 29:33; Proverbs 11:15; Psalms 44:21.
וּ֝/תְחַבֵּ֗ק
châbaq
H2263
"to embrace"
Conj | V-Piel-Imperf-2ms
To embrace means to clasp someone or something tightly, like when Jonathan and David hugged each other in 1 Samuel.
Definition: 1) to embrace, clasp 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to embrace 1a2) to fold one's hands in idleness (fig.) 1b) (Piel) to embrace
Usage: Occurs in 12 OT verses. KJV: embrace, fold. See also: Genesis 29:13; Proverbs 5:20; Proverbs 4:8.
חֵ֣ק
chêyq
H2436
"bosom"
N-ms
The Hebrew word for bosom refers to the chest area, often used figuratively to describe a close or intimate relationship, as seen in the KJV translations of bosom, lap, or midst.
Definition: : embrace/chest bosom, hollow, bottom, midst
Usage: Occurs in 34 OT verses. KJV: bosom, bottom, lap, midst, within. See also: Genesis 16:5; Psalms 79:12; Psalms 35:13.
נָכְרִיָּֽה
nokrîy
H5237
"foreign"
Adj
This Hebrew word describes something or someone foreign or unfamiliar, including people, women, or things. It can also mean wonderful or outlandish. In the Bible, it is often translated as alien or foreigner.
Definition: 1) foreign, alien 1a) foreign 1b) foreigner (subst) 1c) foreign woman, harlot 1d) unknown, unfamiliar (fig.)
Usage: Occurs in 45 OT verses. KJV: alien, foreigner, outlandish, strange(-r, woman). See also: Genesis 31:15; Ezra 10:17; Psalms 69:9.
Study Notes — Proverbs 5:20
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Proverbs 5:20 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Proverbs 5:20
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 5:20
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Proverbs 5:20
- Trapp's Commentary on Proverbs 5:20
- Ellicott's Commentary on Proverbs 5:20
- Barnes' Notes on Proverbs 5:20
- Whedon's Commentary on Proverbs 5:20
- Sermons on Proverbs 5:20
Context — Avoiding Immorality
18May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth:
19A loving doe, a graceful fawn— may her breasts satisfy you always; may you be captivated by her love forever.
20Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress, or embrace the bosom of a stranger?
21For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and the LORD examines all his paths. 22The iniquities of a wicked man entrap him; the cords of his sin entangle him.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 7:5 | that they may keep you from the adulteress, from the stranger with seductive words. |
| 2 | Proverbs 6:24 | to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. |
| 3 | Proverbs 23:33 | Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will utter perversities. |
| 4 | Proverbs 23:27–28 | For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an adulteress is a narrow well. Like a robber she lies in wait and multiplies the faithless among men. |
| 5 | 1 Kings 11:1 | King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh—women of Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Sidon, as well as Hittite women. |
| 6 | Proverbs 22:14 | The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the wrath of the LORD will fall into it. |
| 7 | Proverbs 2:16–19 | It will rescue you from the forbidden woman, from the stranger with seductive words who abandons the partner of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God. For her house sinks down to death, and her tracks to the departed spirits. None who go to her return or negotiate the paths of life. |
Proverbs 5:20 Summary
[This verse is warning us about the dangers of being attracted to someone who is not our spouse, as it can lead to sin and hurt our relationship with God. We are encouraged to focus on our spouse and prioritize our relationship with them, as seen in Proverbs 5:18-19. By doing so, we can avoid the temptation of adultery and stay pure, as instructed in scriptures like 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7. Remember, our actions have consequences, and God is always watching, as stated in Proverbs 5:21.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biblical definition of an adulteress?
An adulteress is someone who is engaged in sexual immorality, often outside of marriage, as seen in Proverbs 5:20, and is warned against in scriptures like Proverbs 2:16-19 and 1 Corinthians 6:18-20.
Why is it wrong to be captivated by an adulteress?
Being captivated by an adulteress is wrong because it leads to sin and separates us from God, as stated in Proverbs 5:20, and is also warned against in scriptures like 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 and Hebrews 13:4.
What does it mean to 'embrace the bosom of a stranger'?
To 'embrace the bosom of a stranger' means to intimately engage with someone who is not your spouse, which is considered sinful and is warned against in Proverbs 5:20, and is also condemned in scriptures like Proverbs 2:16-19 and Ephesians 5:3.
How can I protect myself from the temptation of adultery?
To protect yourself from the temptation of adultery, focus on your relationship with your spouse, as encouraged in Proverbs 5:18-19, and prioritize your walk with God, as instructed in scriptures like 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 and Psalm 119:9-11.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I can prioritize my relationship with my spouse to avoid temptation?
- How can I recognize the signs of being captivated by someone who is not my spouse?
- What are some scriptures that I can meditate on to help me stay pure and focused on God?
- In what ways can I be intentional about avoiding situations that may lead to sin?
Gill's Exposition on Proverbs 5:20
And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman,.... Or "err with her" (y); after all those inconveniences and miseries that follow upon a conversation with a harlot, and all those
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 5:20
And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Proverbs 5:20
Why wilt thou destroy and damn thyself for those delights which thou mayst enjoy without sin or danger?
Trapp's Commentary on Proverbs 5:20
Proverbs 5:20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?Ver. 20. And why wilt thou, my son?] The premises considered, there is no reason for it, but all against it. Nothing is more irrational than irreligion, and yet nothing more usual with the devil than to persuade his vassals that there is some sense in sinning, and that they have reason to be mad. And, truly, though there were no devil, yet our corrupt nature would act Satan’ s part against itself; it would have a supply of wickedness - as a serpent hath of poison - from itself. It hath a spring within to feed it. Nitimur in vetitum semper, petimusque negata. Nothing would serve the rich man’ s turn but the poor man’ s lamb. If Ahab may not have Naboth’ s vineyard, he hath nothing. The more God forbids any sin, the more we bid for it. ‘ Nay, but we will have a king,’ said they, when they had nothing else to say why they would.
Ellicott's Commentary on Proverbs 5:20
(15-20) Drink waters out of thine own cistern . . .—In these verses Solomon urges his disciples to follow after purity in the married life; he pictures in vivid terms the delights which it affords as compared with the pleasures of sin. Out of thine own cistern.—The “strange woman,” on the other hand, says, “Stolen waters are sweet” (Proverbs 9:17). The same figure is employed in Son 4:15, where a wife is compared to “a fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.” In Jeremiah 2:13 God compares Himself to a “fountain of living waters,” and complains that Israel had deserted Him, and hewed out for themselves “broken cisterns that can hold no water.” This passage in Proverbs has in like manner often been interpreted as an exhortation to drink deeply from the living waters of the Holy Spirit given in the Word and Sacraments (John 7:37).—For ref. see Bishop Wordsworth.
Barnes' Notes on Proverbs 5:20
Emphasis is laid (see the Proverbs 2:16 note) upon the origin of the beguiler.
Whedon's Commentary on Proverbs 5:20
, Land and Book, volume i, page 252. 20. Why… be ravished — For why shouldest thou be fascinated with the love of a strange woman?
Sermons on Proverbs 5:20
| Sermon | Description | |
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(Through the Bible) Proverbs 21-25 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of listening to wise instruction and applying it to our lives. The main message is to trust in the Lord. The speaker also warn |
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(Spiritual Dangers) Danger of Losing Your Passion for Christ by Don Currin | In this sermon, the speaker shares a personal experience of buying a movie for his family. However, upon previewing the movie, he discovers that it contains profanity and takes God |
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(Spiritual Dangers) the Danger of High Places by Don Currin | In this sermon, the speaker shares a personal experience of buying a movie for his family. However, upon previewing the movie, he discovers that it contains profanity and takes God |
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(1 Kings) the Wisdom of Solomon by David Guzik | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the importance of organization and order in the Bible. He uses the example of God organizing the Israelites in the book of Numbers to emphasiz |
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(Spiritual Dangers) Danger in the Way of Cain by Don Currin | In this sermon, the speaker shares a personal experience of buying a movie for his family. However, upon previewing the movie, he discovers that it contains profanity and takes God |
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(Through the Bible) 2 Chronicles 10-13 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the history of Israel and their rebellion against God. He mentions how God had made a covenant with David that there would always be a king fr |
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Manifest Presence - Part 2 by Richard Owen Roberts | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the concept of drawing near to God. He emphasizes that the distance between God and ourselves is not always equal and that God may be farther |