Proverbs 5

An exhortation to the study of wisdom, verse 1. An earnest admonition to beware of unchaste women, 3. An exhortation to a chaste and merry life in the state of wedlock, 15. God seeth all things, he taketh and destroyeth the wicked in their own sins, 21.

1. My son, attend unto my wisdom: encline thine ear to my understanding: [Of the difference of these two words, wisdom, and understanding, see above chap.1.on verse 2.]

2. That thou mayest preserve all discretion; [Hebr. Discretions. See above chap.1.on verse 4.] and (that) thy lips may keep knowledge. [to wit, the lips, whereby thou mayest impart and communicate that knowledge unto others, which thou gettest by my teaching and instruction, compare Mal.2.7.]

3. For [Here a reason is given, why the former exhortation should take place with men] the lips [that is, the words. See Job 2.on verse 20. The same signification hath the word palate, or, roof of the mouth, that followeth. So Job 31:30.] of a strange (woman) [see above chap.2.on verse 16.] drop an honey-comb: [that is, bring forth sweet, and pleasant words without ceasing, whereby young men are allured to the love her. See of this phrase Deut.32.2. and the Annot.] and her palate is smoother then oil. [that is, her words slip into the heart, by reason of her sweet and pleasant flattery, as oil slippeth into the stomach by reason of the smoothness and slipperiness thereof. Compare below chap.26. verse 28. See above chap.2.16. and below chap.6.24.]

4. But her last [Or, her end, or issue. The meaning is, that the event, or issue of all the pleasantness and sweetness of the strange woman, and of those that cleave unto her, is no otherwise, then as followeth in the Text. Thus the original word is taken for an unhappy end, Deut.32.20. below chap.14.13. and 23.32. Amos 8,10.] is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword: [Hebr. A sword of mouths: that is, that hath two mouths. Meaning a two-edged sword, or a sword that cutteth on both sides. So Psalms 149:6. Heb.4.12.]

5. Her feet go down to death: her steps take hold on hell. [That is, tend thither, so that they shall not in any wise escape it. See of the signification of the word hell, Gen.37.on verse 35. By death, and hell is in this place meant not onely temporal death, and the visible grave, but also eternal death, and hell it self, even the place of the damned.]

6. Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, [That is, the path which leadeth unto true life. See above cha.2.on verse 19.] her goings [Hebr. Footsteps; that is, her words and works] are unstable [or, move to and fro, hither et thither, are wavering; that is, straying, uncertain, driven with all winds, now cleaving to this, anon to that man, and that for to deceive and seduce him] (that) thou perceives it not. [the Hebrew word rendered here perceivest, is often so taken. See Job 5.on verse 24. Or, (that) thou art not aware of it, or, discernest it not: to wit, that her goings stray from the path of life, and lead a man unto death. The meaning of the whole verse is this, Lest thou come to consider with thyself, whether a man can keep her company, and yet notwithstanding keep the way of life, know of a certain, that her goings and the manner of her actings, are so unstable, mutable, and straying, in using all manner of craft and subtility to deceive and seduce thee, that thou shalt not be able to perceive it, and consequently shalt be caught by her in the net of destruction.]

7. Now then, ye children, hearken unto me; and depart not from the sayings of my mouth.

8. Make thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house. [That is, have no fellowship with her, and beware of coming nigh her.]

9. Lest thou give [To wit, as a prey, and booty, to be deprived of it] thine honour [that is, thy youth, strength, means, good name, and souls prosperity. Understand hereunder also the children which the whoremonger getteth by the whore: for they for the most part abide in the house of the adulteress, or of her that breaketh wedlock] unto others; [to wit, unto the adulteress, and her husband] and years [to wit, thy youthful years, and the best time of thy life] unto the cruel. [meaning the whores company, and the whores husband, who shall cruelly persecute thee, and deliver thee over unto the Magistrate. Compare below chap.6.34, 35.]

10. Lest strangers [Meaning not onely the adulteress, and her husband, but also all ruffians, panders and panderesses, and all the adulterous crew, that reap any profit or gain by such unclean and filthy acts] satisfy themselves with thy wealth; [that is, with thy temporal means, or estate. So Hos.7.9.] and all thy painful labour [that is, all that thou hast gotten or gained by thy labour, joined with pain, and trouble. Compare below chap.14.23. and Isa.58.3.] (come) into the house of one unknown: [Or, of an alien, foreigner, outlandish person: so below verse 20.]

11. And thou roar [Or, cry, bawl. The Hebrew word signifieth properly the noise, and roaring, that beasts, and especially lions make, when they are in any danger or distress, although they are not sensible, from whence it cometh. Compare Psalms 32:3. Isa.5.29,30. Ezek.24.2.] at the last, when thy flesh, and thy body is consumed.

12. And say, how have I hated discipline? And mine heart despised reproof?

13. And have not hearkened to the voice of my instructors; nor inclined mine ear unto my teachers?

14. I was almost in all evil, [Heb. I was almost, or, within a little in all evil: to wit, the evil of punishment, see Gen.19.on vers.19. Or, understand withal, the evil of sin, of which see Job 20:12.] in the midst of the Congregation, and of the assembly. [that is, publicly before the Church of God, and all the world.]

15. Drink water out of thine (own) cistern, and floods [Or, streams] out of the midst of thine (own) well. [this is a figurative description, from the beginning prosperity, and quietness of mind of those, who live purely and chastely in the holy state of wedlock, according to the ordinance of God. The meaning is, that every one ought to delight onely in his own lawful yoak-fellow in all honesty and sobriety, as followeth, verse 18,19. Others have understood this of the lawful possession and use of temporal goods or riches, and of the liberality and mercifulness, that we ought to shew therewith unto the poor and needy.]

16. Let thy fountains [Meaning thy children, that issue from thee as from a fountain. Compare Isa.51.1.] spread themselves, abroad, (and) the water-brooks [See Psalm 1.on verse 3.] in the streets. [the meaning is, that every one ought to bring up his children honestly, that they may not onely be a grace and a credit to their family, but also in their places according to their abilities, be useful and serviceable unto others.]

17. Let them be onely thine (own) and not a strangers with thee. [To wit, they taking and acknowledging thee onely to be their father, and thou them to be thy children: which cannot be done among those children that are born of an adulteress.]

18. Let thy fountain [That is, thy lawful wife, from whom thy children do proceed and issue, as from a springing Fountain] be blessed, and rejoice because of the wife of thy youth;

19. A very loving hind [Hebr. Hind of loves. Of this mention is made here, because she is most dearly and intimately beloved of the hart, as some do write] and a pleasant wild goat: [Hebr. Roe of pleasantness] let her breasts at all times make thee drunk; [or, moisten, drench, refresh thee; that is, fill thee with joy and pleasure. Compare below chap.7.18.] err continually in her love. [that is, recreate thy self with her, as a man useth to recreate and delight himself in the thing that is lawful, and so to forget himself in it, that he not once regardeth the thing that is unlawful.]

20. And why shouldest thou, my son, erre in a strange (woman), [That is, in the love of a strange (woman)] and embrace the bosom of the unknown (woman?) [Or, foreign, outlandish (woman)]

21. For the wars of every one [Or, of a man] are before the eyes of the LORD: and he pondereth all his goings. [Hebr. Weigheth, or, pondereth all his steps; that is, he trieth as with a plummet every ones ways, whether they be right or crooked, knowing fully all the commissions and omissions of men. Compare 2 Chron.16.9. Job 31:5. and 34.21. Prov.15.3. Jerem.16.17. and 32.19.]

22. His (own) iniquities shall take the wicked (himself); and he shall be held fast with the words of his (own) sin.

23. He shall die, because he was without discipline; [That is, because he would not hear instruction or discipline, or when he heard it, would not receive it] and in the greatness of his felly [or, multitude: that is, great or manifold folly] be shall go astray. [to wit, from the way of life, and so run to damnation.]