Proverbs 5:16 — Word Study
WLCיָפ֣וּצוּ מַעְיְנֹתֶ֣יךָ ח֑וּצָה בָּ֝רְחֹב֗וֹת פַּלְגֵי־ מָֽיִם׃
BSAWhy should your springsmaʻyân [fountains, sources of satisfaction] flowpûwts▸ [be dispersed abroad, overflow] in the streetschûwts [public squares, open places] your streamspeleg [rivulets, small channels] of watermayim [refreshment, liquid] in the public squaresrᵉchôb [broad places, marketplaces]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יָפ֣וּצוּ | will they overflow? | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| מַעְיְנֹתֶ֣יךָ | springs your | Noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| ח֑וּצָה | [the] outside towards | Noun common masculine singular absolute, suffix |
| בָּ֝רְחֹב֗וֹת | in the open places | Preposition, noun common feminine plural absolute |
| פַּלְגֵי־ | streams of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| מָֽיִם׃ | water | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Why should your springs flow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? |
| KJV | Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets. |
| ASV | Should thy springs be dispersed abroad, And streams of water in the streets? |
| YLT | Let thy fountains be scattered abroad, In broad places rivulets of waters. |
| WEB | Should your springs overflow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares? |
| BBE | Let not your springs be flowing in the streets, or your streams of water in the open places. |
The translations agree on the key terms in this verse.
The sentence poses a rhetorical question, emphasizing the main action of flowing while specifying the locations of that action.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbפּוּץ
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Proverbs 5:16
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Warnings Against Adulterygenerated
Proverbs 5:16 is situated in a series of admonitions aimed at encouraging fidelity in marriage. The speaker warns against the folly of sharing one's intimate joys with those outside the marriage relationship, emphasizing the importance of keeping such blessings private and cherished. This theme is reinforced in the surrounding verses, which discuss the value of marital love and the dangers of infidelity.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deuteronomy 33:28 | So Israel dwells securely; the fountain of Jacob lives untroubled in a land of grain and new wine, where even the heavens drip with dew. |
| 2 | Psalm 68:26 | Bless God in the great congregation; bless the LORD from the fountain of Israel. |
| 3 | Isaiah 48:21 | They did not thirst when He led them through the deserts; He made water flow for them from the rock; He split the rock, and water gushed out. |
| 4 | Genesis 24:60 | And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands upon thousands. May your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.” |
| 5 | Judges 12:9 | He had thirty sons, as well as thirty daughters whom he gave in marriage to men outside his clan; and for his sons he brought back thirty wives from elsewhere. Ibzan judged Israel seven years. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יָפ֣וּצוּ, ya.Fu.tzugenerated
The Hebrew word פּוּץ (puwts) means to scatter or disperse, and in this context, it suggests the idea of overflowing or spreading out. The verb is in the imperfect tense, indicating an ongoing or future action, which raises the question of why one would allow their sources of joy to be dispersed.
This word carries implications of both physical and figurative scattering, as it can refer to the flow of water or the distribution of people. Here, it highlights the concern about sharing personal and intimate joys in public spaces.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations generally agree on the meaning of the verse.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb is יָפ֣וּצוּ, will they overflow?, which governs the entire clause. The structure emphasizes the action of flowing and the implications of that action.
The sentence is constructed with a noun phrase מַעְיְנֹתֶ֣יךָ (your springs) as the subject, followed by prepositional phrases that describe where the action is occurring, creating a clear and direct question about the appropriateness of sharing one's joys.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יָפ֣וּצוּ as ὑπερεκξείσθω, which suggests a strong emphasis on overflowing or excessive dispersion. This choice reflects a more intense interpretation of the original Hebrew, highlighting the potential consequences of sharing one's joys too freely.
The Greek term used indicates a sense of abundance, which aligns with the warning in the Hebrew text about the dangers of public exposure of private joys.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 5:16 asks why one's springs of joy should flow in public places. It warns against sharing intimate joys outside of marriage, emphasizing the importance of keeping such blessings private and cherished.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It suggests that intimate joys should not be shared publicly, highlighting the importance of privacy in personal relationships.
Keeping intimate joys private helps maintain the sanctity of marriage and protects the relationship from outside influences.
This verse fits within a broader context of warnings against infidelity and the value of marital fidelity, encouraging readers to cherish their intimate relationships.
We can learn the importance of valuing and protecting our intimate relationships, ensuring that they remain private and sacred.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I ensure that my intimate relationships are valued and protected?
- How can I apply the wisdom of this verse in my own life?
- What are some potential consequences of sharing personal joys too freely?
- How can I encourage others to cherish their private relationships?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators like Bede reference this verse to discuss the importance of marital fidelity and the implications of sharing intimate joys publicly.
"Let your fountains be dispersed abroad," etc. Give your son and daughter in marriage to others, and do this openly with many witnesses.Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 5 →
"Let them be yours alone," etc. Retain in your own power alone with whom you join your children in marriage, and let neither fornicators nor prostitutes be partakers with your offspring.Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 5 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 5:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleLet thy fountains be dispersed abroad,.... Or "shall abound", as the Targum; that is, streams of water from fountains; which Aben Ezra interprets of a multitude of children, namely, that are lawfully
Read John Gill on Proverbs 5 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryLet thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 5 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThy fountains; thy children proceeding from thy wife, called thy fountain, , and from thyself, as the Israelites are said to come from the fountain of Israel, . Compare . And fountains are here put for rivers flowing from them, as it is explained in the next clause, and as it is , by a metonymy of the cause for the effect. And this title may be the more fitly given to children, because as they are rivers in respect of their parents, so when they grow up, they also become fountains to their children. Be dispersed abroad; they shall be multiplied, and in due time appear abroad in the world to thy comfort and honour, and for the good of others; whereas whores are commonly barren, and men are…
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 5 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 5:16 Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, [and] rivers of waters in the streets.Ver. 16. Let thy fountains be dispersed.] "Thy fountains," that is, thy children. Let thine end in marrying be, that thou mayest have a numerous offspring, that may be as an infantry to the kingdom of heaven. Lawful marriage is usually blessed with many children; and the contrary. Erasmus tells of one Combe, a young woman in Euboea, that being married to one whom she liked, became mother and grandmother to a hundred children. The same author tells of an Englishman, a cripple, that married a blind woman, lived very lovingly with her, and had by her twelve lusty boys, that had no defect or deformity.…
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 5 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(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…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 5 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 16. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad] Let thy children lawfully begotten be numerous.
Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 5 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges16. Let thy fountains] This rendering (retained in R.V. marg.) gives a good sense: purity of married life (Proverbs 5:15) will diffuse itself abroad like streams from a fountain, in a numerous family, and in wholesome influences: but only by such purity can these advantages be secured (Proverbs 5:17). The rendering of R.V. text, Should thy springs &c. with a note of interrogation at the end of the verse, makes however the connection of thought in Proverbs 5:15-17 more clear, and is a return to the warning of the earlier verses of the chapter.
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 5 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleWedded love streams forth in blessing on all around, on children and on neighbors and ill the streets, precisely because the wife’s true love is given to the husband only.
Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 5 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Why should your springs flow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares?
Should your springs overflow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares?
Why should your springs flow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares?
Should your springs be dispersed outside, your streams of water in the wide plazas?
Tyndale line
Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
Should thy springs be dispersed abroad, And streams of water in the streets?
Should thy springs be dispersed abroad, and rivers of water in the streets?
Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
Let thy fountaines flow foorth, and the riuers of waters in the streetes.
Strictly literal
Thy fountains shall be poured forth, as water-brooks in the broadways.
Let thy fountains be scattered abroad, In broad places rivulets of waters.
Let your fountains be scattered abroad, || In broad places streams of waters.
So will thy springs overflow abroad; and in the open streets will be thy rivulets of water;
Should your springs overflow everywhere and your streams of water flow in the public squares?
From the Latin
Let thy fountains be conveyed abroad, and in the streets divide thy waters.
Simplified
Why should your springs be spilled outside, your streams of water poured out in the streets?
Let not your springs be flowing in the streets, or your streams of water in the open places.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree on the wording of this verse, with four of the six Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. This indicates a consistent transmission of the text's meaning across these traditions.
יָפ֣וּצוּ מַעְיְנֹתֶ֣יךָ ח֑וּצָה בָּ֝רְחֹב֗וֹת פַּלְגֵי־ מָֽיִם׃
4 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Proverbs 5:16
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word פּוּץ (puwts) primarily means to scatter or disperse, applicable to both people and armies. It can also convey the idea of flowing or overflowing. The noun form מֵפִיץ (mephits) refers to a scatterer. Additionally, it has connotations of breaking or shattering, as seen in related forms.
[פּוּץ] vb. be dispersed, scattered
Qal be dispersed, disperse; be scattered, of enemies
Niph.
be scattered, of army
be spread abroad, of peoples
Hiph.
trans. scatter
intrans. scatter
base
מֵפִיץ n.m. scatterer, disperser
base
פּוּץ vb. flow, overflow
base
[פָּצַץ] vb. break (Ar. break, break asunder; Nab. break asunder; Syr. crush)
Pō‛. a hammer which shatters rock.
Pilp. he [God] dashed me in pieces (fig.).
base
H6327a פּוּץ be dispersed, scattered .be dispersed, disperse; be scattered, of enemies
. . be scattered, of army
. be spread abroad, of peoples
. . trans. scatter
. intrans. scatter
H6327b מֵפִיץ scatterer, disperser H6327c פּוּץ flow, overflow H6327d [פָּצַץ] break (Ar. break, break asunder; Nab. break asunder; Syr. crush) . a hammer which shatters rock.
. he [God] dashed me in pieces (fig.).
6327 puwts poots
a primitive root; to dash in pieces, literally or
figuratively (especially to disperse):--break (dash, shake)
in (to) pieces, cast (abroad), disperse (selves), drive,
retire, scatter (abroad), spread abroad.
פּוּץ (puts) — to scatter.
1) to scatter, be dispersed, be scattered
1a) (Qal) to be dispersed, be scattered
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be scattered
1b2) to be spread abroad
1c) (Hiphil) to scatter
1d) Hithpael) scatter
מֵפִיץ (me.phits) — scatterer.
n.m.
scatterer
פּוּץ (puts) — to flow.
(Qal) to flow, overflow
פָּצַץ (pa.tsats) — to shatter.
1) to break
1a) (Polel) to shatter
1b) (Pilpel) to dash to pieces
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp
מַעְיָן (ma`yan) means 'spring' and refers to a source of water, such as a fountain or well. It can also be used figuratively to denote a source of satisfaction. The word is derived from a root meaning to spring forth, and it appears in contexts like Psalm 114:8.
מַעְיָן n.m. spring
base
H4599 מַעְיָן spring
4599 ma`yan mah-yawn'
or ma ynow (Psa. 114:8) {mah-yen-o'}; or (feminine) ma yanah
{mah-yaw-naw'}; from 5869 (as a denominative in the sense of a
spring); a fountain (also collectively), figuratively, a
source (of satisfaction):--fountain, spring, well.
see HEBREW for 05869
מַעְיָן (ma.yan) — spring.
spring
N-mp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHNcfpc/Sp2ms
חוּץ (chuwts) refers to the concept of being outside or outward, often associated with streets or highways. It is derived from a root meaning to sever, indicating separation by a wall. The term covers various contexts, including outdoors and fields.
חוּץ n.[m.] the outside, sts., esp. in pl., spec. a street
base
H2351 חוּץ
2351 chuwts khoots
or (shortened) chuts {khoots}; (both forms feminine in the
plural) from an unused root meaning to sever; properly,
separate by a wall, i.e. outside, outdoors:--abroad, field,
forth, highway, more, out(-side, -ward), street, without.
חוּץ (chuts) — outside.
outside, outward, street, the outside
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular absolute · suffixHNcmsa/Sd
רְחוֹב (re.chov) refers to a broad open place or plaza, often translated as street. It is derived from the root meaning width and encompasses areas like avenues or public spaces. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning related to open areas, with no significant disagreement noted among the lexicons.
רְחוֹב n.f. broad open place, plaza
base
H7339 רְחוֹב broad open place, plaza
7339 rchob rekh-obe'
or rchowb {rekh-obe'}; from 7337; a width, i.e. (concretely)
avenue or area:--broad place (way), street. See also 1050.
see HEBREW for 07337
see HEBREW for 01050
רְחוֹב (re.chov) — street/plaza.
broad or open place or plaza
Prep | N-fp — Preposition · noun common feminine plural absoluteHRd/Ncfpa
פֶּ֫לֶג (peleg) refers to a small channel of water, such as a stream or canal. It is built from the root meaning 'to cleave' or 'split.' The term is used in contexts related to irrigation and water flow.
פֶּ֫לֶג n.m. (cleft) channel, (artif.) canal
base
H6388 פֶּ֫לֶג (cleft) channel, (artif.) canal
6388 peleg peh'-leg
from 6385; a rill (i.e. small channel of water, as in
irrigation):--river, stream.
see HEBREW for 06385
פֶּ֫לֶג (pe.leg) — stream.
channel, canal
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural constructHNcmpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
מַי (mayim) is a Hebrew word meaning 'water' and is used in the plural form. It encompasses various meanings, including literal water, urine, and metaphorical uses related to refreshment or danger. The entries indicate it is derived from a primitive noun and is primarily referenced in contexts involving water.
[מַי] 580 n.m. only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
base
H4325 מַי only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
4325 mayim mah'-yim
dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense);
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen:--+
piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).
מַי (ma.yim) — water.
1) water, waters
1a) water
1b) water of the feet, urine
1c) of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.)
מַי (ma.yim) — Water (Gate).
This name means water, refreshment
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
wo'-ter (mayim; hudor):
(1) The Greek philosophers believed water to be the original substance and that all things were made from it. The Koran states, "From water we have made all things." In the story of the creation (Ge 1:2) water plays an elemental part.
(2) Because of the scarcity of water in Palestine it is especially appreciated by the people there. They love to go and sit by a stream of running water. Men long for a taste of the water of their native village (1Ch 11:17). A town or village is known throughout the country for the quality of its water, which is described by many adjectives, such as "light," "heavy," etc.
(3) The rainfall is the only source of supply of water for Palestine. The moisture is carried up from the sea in clouds and falls on the hills as rain or snow.…
See CISTERN and WELLS.
In Isa 35:7, the Hebrew word for "parched ground" that shall become a pool of water, is the same with the Arabic term for the mirage, a peculiar optical illusion by which travelers in hot and dry deserts think they see broad lakes and flowing waters; they seem to discern the very ripple of the waves, and the swaying of tail trees on the margin in the cool breeze; green hills and houses and city ramparts rise before the astonished sight, recede as the traveler advances, and at length melt away in the hot haze. Not so the blessings of the gospel; they are no alluring mockery, but real waters of everlasting life, Isa 55:1 Joh 4:14 Re 22:1. Compare
→ Creation of Ps 148:4,5
→ Covered the whole earth Ge 1:9
→ Daily allowance of Eze 4:11
→ City waterworks 2Ki 20:20
→ Vision of, by Ezekiel Eze 47:1-5
→ Of separation Nu 19:2-22