Proverbs 5:17 — Word Study
WLCיִֽהְיוּ־ לְךָ֥ לְבַדֶּ֑ךָ וְאֵ֖ין לְזָרִ֣ים אִתָּֽךְ׃
BSALet them behâyâh▸ [exclusively, only] alonebad [to yourself, apart] neverʼayin to be sharedʼêth [given to, distributed among] with strangerszûwr [foreigners, those outside your covenant]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יִֽהְיוּ־ | let them belong | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| לְךָ֥ | to you | Preposition, suffix |
| לְבַדֶּ֑ךָ | to alone you | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| וְאֵ֖ין | and not | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| לְזָרִ֣ים | to strangers | Preposition |
| אִתָּֽךְ׃ | with you | Preposition, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers. |
| KJV | Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee. |
| ASV | Let them be for thyself alone, And not for strangers with thee. |
| YLT | Let them be to thee for thyself, And not to strangers with thee. |
| WEB | Let them be for yourself alone, not for strangers with you. |
| BBE | Let them be for yourself only, not for other men with you. |
Where they part company is לְבַדֶּךָ — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause is supported by phrases that clarify ownership and exclusivity, with a negation emphasizing what should be avoided.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbהָיָה
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 5:17
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 — The Warning Against Adulterygenerated
Proverbs 5:17 is part of a larger discourse that advises the listener to maintain fidelity in their relationships. The preceding verses highlight the consequences of sharing intimate aspects of one's life with outsiders, while the following verses encourage joy and satisfaction in one's own spouse. This passage serves as a reminder of the sanctity of marital bonds.
Cross References
The Key Word — יִֽהְיוּ־, yih.yu-generated
The verb הָיָה (hayah) means 'to be' or 'to exist'. It is a common verb in Hebrew, indicating a state of being or existence. In this context, it emphasizes that the relationship should belong exclusively to the individual.
The parsing indicates that it is in the imperfect tense, third person masculine plural, suggesting an ongoing or habitual state. This reinforces the idea that the relationship is not just a momentary condition but a continuous commitment.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb יִֽהְיוּ governs the sentence, indicating what is to be. The structure includes a prepositional phrase that specifies to whom it belongs, and another prepositional phrase that indicates with whom it should not be shared.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the exclusivity of the relationship, with the verb leading and the phrases following to clarify ownership and separation.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יִֽהְיוּ as ἔστω (estō), which also means 'let it be' or 'may it be'. This choice maintains the imperative tone of the original Hebrew, emphasizing the desired state of exclusivity.
The translation of לְבַדֶּךָ as μόνῳ (monō) further underscores the idea of being alone or separate, aligning closely with the Hebrew intent.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 5:17 tells us to keep certain relationships exclusive and not to share them with outsiders. It emphasizes the importance of loyalty and commitment in marriage, warning against the dangers of infidelity.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means to dedicate oneself to one partner and not share intimate aspects of that relationship with others.
Sharing with strangers can lead to infidelity, which can harm the trust and bond in a committed relationship.
You can apply this by valuing your relationships and ensuring that they remain private and exclusive.
Not following this advice can lead to broken trust, emotional pain, and damage to relationships.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I ensure that my relationships remain exclusive and trustworthy?
- How do I understand the importance of commitment in my personal relationships?
- What steps can I take to avoid situations that might lead to infidelity?
- How can I strengthen the bond with my partner to ensure loyalty?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 5:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleLet them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee. Or "they shall be thine own" (u), as the Targum; meaning not the cistern, the well, or the wife, but the fountains and rivers, or the
Read John Gill on Proverbs 5 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryLet them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee. Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee.
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 5 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHereby thou mayst be secured, that thou dost not father and leave thine estate to other men’ s children; whereas the parents of harlots’ children are common or uncertain.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 5 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 5:17 Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee.Ver. 17. Let them be only thine own.] Sint, vel erunt; Let them be, or they shall be. It is both an exhortation and a promise; q.d., Far be it from thee to be a pander to thine own bed, as the Lituanians, of whom Maginus relates that they have their connubii adiutores, their coadjutors in wedlock, and prize them far above all their acquaintance. God also will bless thee with an honest wife, that shall be true to thy bed, and not obtrude upon thee children to keep that are not thine. St Paul gives charge, "that no man go beyond, or defraud his brother in the matter". - that is, in re venerea, in the matter of the marriage…
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 5 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(17) Let them be only thine own.—The deepest joys and sorrows of each heart are sacred, and cannot be shared with others (Proverbs 14:10), and so it is with the various relations of family life also, strangers have no part in them.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 5 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 17. Let them be only thine own] The off-spring of a legitimate connection; a bastard brood, however numerous, is no credit to any man.
Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 5 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges15–19. The remedy against sin is to be found in the holy estate which God has ordained. “The resemblance between the two Books (the Song of Solomon and the Book of Proverbs) in their treatment of this subject is singularly striking.” Speaker’s Comm., ad loc.
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 5 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleTO AND PROPER DUTIES, Proverbs 5:15-23. 15-17. Drink waters — Waters often stand for posterity. Numbers 24:7. Fountains, wells, and cisterns, in the East were regarded as of great importance.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon 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
Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers.
Let them be for yourself alone, not for strangers with you.
Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers.
Let them be for yourself alone, and not for strangers with you.
Tyndale line
Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee.
Let them be for thyself alone, And not for strangers with thee.
Let them be for thyself alone, and not for strangers with thee.
Let them be only thy own, and not for strangers with thee.
But let them bee thine, euen thine onely, and not the strangers with thee.
Strictly literal
Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee.
Let them be to thee for thyself, And not to strangers with thee.
Let them be to you for yourself, || And not to strangers with you.
They will be thy own only, and not those of strangers with thee.
Let them be for yourself alone and not for strangers with you.
From the Latin
Keep them to thyself alone, neither let strangers be partakers with thee.
Simplified
Keep them for yourselves alone. They're not for you to share with strangers.
Let them be for yourself only, not for other men with you.
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 reads, "יִֽהְיוּ־ לְךָ֥ לְבַדֶּ֑ךָ וְאֵ֖ין לְזָרִ֣ים אִתָּֽךְ׃" which translates to "Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers." The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in its word correspondence, matching all six words, although it presents them in a different order and structure. There are no significant differences in meaning between these texts for this verse.
יִֽהְיוּ־ לְךָ֥ לְבַדֶּ֑ךָ וְאֵ֖ין לְזָרִ֣ים אִתָּֽךְ׃
6 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 5:17
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 הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be
Qal
Fall out, happen
occur, take place, come about, come to pass
esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass
וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
Come into being, become
abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
sq. prep.
become
sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
sq. pred. adj.
become like
sq. pred. לְ pers.
sq. לְ pred.
oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.
with עַל and לְ
sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)
exist, be in existence
abide, remain, continue
with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie
as copula, joining subj. & pred.
H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen
. occur, take place, come about, come to pass
. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
. sq. prep.
. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
. sq. pred. adj.
. become like
. sq. pred. + לְ pers.
. sq. לְ pred.
. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.
. with עַל and לְ
. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence
. abide, remain, continue
1961 hayah haw-yaw
a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,
come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or
auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,
committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,
fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit
(one-)self, require, X use.
see HEBREW for 01933
הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.
1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) ---
1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass
1a1b) to come about, come to pass
1a2) to come into being, become
1a2a) to arise, appear, come
1a2b) to become
1a2b1) to become
1a2b2) to become like
1a2b3) to be instituted, be established
1a3) to be
1a3a) to exist, be in existence
1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)
1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)
1a3d) to accompany, be with
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about
1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
V-Qal-Juss-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp
ךָּ (ka) — you.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person masculine singular
HR/Sp2ms — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp2ms
בַּד (bad) refers to separation or being alone, often indicating a part or branch of something. It can denote physical separation, such as limbs or bars, as well as figurative uses like 'chief of a city.' The entries consistently highlight meanings related to being apart or alone, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
בַּד, בָּ֑ד n.m. separation, concr. part
prop. in a state of separation, alone, by itself
concr. part
parts, specif. extended from something
base
H905 בַּד, בָּ֑ד separation, concr. part . prop. in a state of separation, alone, by itself
. concr. part
. parts, specif. extended from something
905 bad bad
from 909; properly, separation; by implication, a part of the
body, branch of a tree, bar for carrying; figuratively, chief
of a city; especially (with prepositional prefix) as an
adverb, apart, only, besides:--alone, apart, bar, besides,
branch, by self, of each alike, except, only, part, staff,
strength.
see HEBREW for 0909
בַּד (bad) — alone: pole.
: pole
1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone
1a) separation, alone, by itself
1a1) only (adv)
1a2) apart from, besides (prep)
1b) part
1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars
בַּד (bad) — alone.
: alone
1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone
1a) separation, alone, by itself
1a1) only (adv)
1a2) apart from, besides (prep)
1b) part
1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars
בַּד (bad) — alone: each.
: each
1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone
1a) separation, alone, by itself
1a1) only (adv)
1a2) apart from, besides (prep)
1b) part
1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars
בַּד (bad) — alone: besides.
: besides/apart from
1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone
1a) separation, alone, by itself
1a1) only (adv)
1a2) apart from, besides (prep)
1b) part
1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms
אַ֫יִן (ayin) primarily means 'nothing' or 'nought' and serves as a negative particle indicating absence or negation, such as 'is not' or 'there is not.' It can also express lack of possession or existence. The word is derived from a root meaning to be non-existent, and it appears frequently in various grammatical constructions.
אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought
to nothing, as nothing
cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not
אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not
in circumst. clauses
with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …
with prefixes
base
H369 אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought . to nothing, as nothing
. cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not
. אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not
. in circumst. clauses
. with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …
. with prefixes
369 'ayin ah'-yin
as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not
exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative
particle:--else, except, fail, (father-)less, be gone,
in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any,
thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable),
well-nigh, without. Compare 370.
see HEBREW for 0370
אַ֫יִן (a.yin) — nothing.
1) nothing, not, nought n
1a) nothing, nought neg
1b) not
1c) to have not (of possession) adv
1d) without w/prep
1e) for lack of
Conj | Part — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular constructHC/Ncmsc
זוּר (zuwr) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be a stranger or to become estranged. It can describe a person as strange or foreign, and it also has connotations of loathsomeness. The word can refer to committing adultery or being alienated, with its usage found in contexts involving estrangement or foreignness.
[זוּר] vb. be a stranger
Qal
Pf. become estranged
Pt. as adj. strange, or as noun stranger
Niph. Pf. be estranged
Hoph. Pt. estranged
H2114a זוּר be a stranger .. Pf. become estranged
. Pt. as adj. strange, or as noun stranger
. Pf. be estranged
. Pt. estranged
H2114b זוּר, זִיר be loathsome
2114 zuwr zoor
a primitive root; to turn aside (especially for lodging);
hence to be a foreigner, strange, profane; specifically
(active participle) to commit adultery:--(come from) another
(man, place), fanner, go away, (e-)strange(-r, thing, woman).
זוּר (zur) — be a stranger.
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
זוּר (zur) — be loathsome.
loathsome (of breath) (participle)
Prep | Adj — PrepositionHR/Aampa
The Hebrew word אֵת (eth) is a preposition indicating nearness or proximity, often translated as 'with' or 'near.' It conveys a sense of companionship or association, distinguishing itself from similar terms by expressing closer relationships. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including possession and memory, but do not provide specific verse references.
אֵת, prep. with—prep. denoting proximity
Of companionship, together with
Of localities
אֵת פּ׳ denotes specially
in one's possession or keeping
in one's knowledge or memory
מֵאֵת from proximity with
Note. אֵת expresses closer association than עִם: hence while מֵעִם sts. denotes hardly more than from the surroundings or belongings of, מֵאֵת expresses from close proximity to.
base
H854 אֵת with—prep. denoting proximity . Of companionship, together with
. Of localities
. אֵת פּ׳ denotes specially . in one's possession or keeping
. in one's knowledge or memory
. מֵאֵת from proximity with
Note. אֵת expresses closer association than עִם: hence while מֵעִם sts. denotes hardly more than from the surroundings or belongings of, מֵאֵת expresses from close proximity to.
854 'eth ayth
probably from 579; properly, nearness (used only as a
preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by,
at, among, etc.:--against, among, before, by, for, from,
in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional
prefix.
see HEBREW for 0579
אֵת (et) — with.
1) with, near, together with
1a) with, together with
1b) with (of relationship)
1c) near (of place)
1d) with (poss.)
1e) from...with, from (with other prep)
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp2ms