Focused Passage

Proverbs 5:15-23

Wisdom for Sexual Faithfulness: The Bitter End of Adultery and the Joy of Covenant Marriage

The chapter moves from attentive wisdom, to exposure of sexual seduction, to urgent avoidance, to positive marital delight, to the LORD's omniscient examination and sin's enslaving consequences.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

15Drink water from your own cistern, and running water from your own well.

16Why should your springs flow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares?

17Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers.

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.

23He dies for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 15

Cross-references

Hebrews 13:4Classic cross-references Proverbs 18:22Classic cross-references Psalms 128:3Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 7:2Classic cross-references Song of Solomon 4:12Classic cross-references

Original words

Drinkשְׁתֵה־H8354Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularwaterמַ֥יִםH4325Noun - masculine pluralfrom your own cisternמִבּוֹרֶ֑ךָH953Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularand running waterוְ֝נֹזְלִ֗יםH5140Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralfromמִתּ֥וֹךְH8432Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructyour own wellבְּאֵרֶֽךָ׃H875Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular

Verse 16

Cross-references

Psalms 128:3Classic cross-references Psalms 127:3Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 33:28Classic cross-references Genesis 24:60Classic cross-references Isaiah 48:21Classic cross-references

Original words

Why should your springsמַעְיְנֹתֶ֣יךָH4599Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularflowיָפ֣וּצוּH6327Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralin the streetsח֑וּצָהH2351Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singularyour streamsפַּלְגֵי־H6388Noun - masculine plural constructof waterמָֽיִם׃H4325Noun - masculine pluralin the public squaresבָּ֝רְחֹב֗וֹתH7339Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural

Verse 17

Original words

Let them beיִֽהְיוּ־H1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralyoursלְךָ֥Preposition | second person masculine singularaloneלְבַדֶּ֑ךָH905Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularneverוְאֵ֖יןH369Conjunctive waw | Adverbto be sharedאִתָּֽךְ׃H854Preposition | second person masculine singularwith strangersלְזָרִ֣יםH2114Preposition-l | Adjective - masculine plural

Verse 18

Cross-references

Ecclesiastes 9:9Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 7:2Classic cross-references Malachi 2:14Classic cross-references Isaiah 54:6Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 24:5Classic cross-references

Original words

May your fountainמְקוֹרְךָ֥H4726Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularbeיְהִֽי־H1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singularblessedבָר֑וּךְH1288Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularand may you rejoiceוּ֝שְׂמַ֗חH8055Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularin the wifeמֵאֵ֥שֶׁתH802Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular constructof your youthנְעוּרֶֽךָ׃H5271Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular

Verse 19

Cross-references

Song of Solomon 7:3Classic cross-references Song of Solomon 2:9Classic cross-references Song of Solomon 4:5Classic cross-references Song of Solomon 8:14Classic cross-references Acts 9:36Classic cross-references

Original words

A lovingאֲהָבִ֗יםH158Noun - masculine pluraldoeאַיֶּ֥לֶתH355Noun - feminine singular constructa gracefulחֵ֥ןH2580Noun - masculine singularfawnוְֽיַעֲלַ֫ת־H3280Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular constructmay her breastsדַּ֭דֶּיהָH1717Noun - masculine dual construct | third person feminine singularsatisfy youיְרַוֻּ֣ךָH7301Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | second person masculine singularalwaysבְכָל־H3605Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct. . .עֵ֑תH6256Noun - common singularmay you be captivatedתִּשְׁגֶּ֥הH7686Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularby her loveבְּ֝אַהֲבָתָ֗הּH160Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singularforeverתָמִֽיד׃H8548Adverb

BSB notes

Or be led astray; also in verse 20

Verse 20

Cross-references

Psalms 139:3Classic cross-references Proverbs 6:24Classic cross-references Proverbs 7:5Classic cross-references

Original words

Whyוְלָ֤מָּהH4100Conjunctive waw | Interrogativebe captivatedתִשְׁגֶּ֣הH7686Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularmy sonבְנִ֣יH1121Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularby an adulteressבְזָרָ֑הH2114Preposition-b | Adjective - feminine singularor embraceוּ֝תְחַבֵּ֗קH2263Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - second person masculine singularthe bosomחֵ֣קH2436Noun - masculine singular constructof a strangerנָכְרִיָּֽה׃H5237Adjective - feminine singular

BSB notes

Or a foreign woman or another man’s wife

Verse 21

Cross-references

2 Chronicles 16:9Classic cross-references Proverbs 15:3Classic cross-references Genesis 16:13Classic cross-references Hebrews 4:13Classic cross-references Proverbs 16:2Classic cross-references

Original words

Forכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctiona man’sאִ֑ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularwaysדַּרְכֵי־H1870Noun - common plural constructare beforeנֹ֨כַח׀H5227Prepositionthe eyesעֵינֵ֣יH5869Noun - cdcof the LORDיְ֭הוָהH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularand [the LORD] examinesמְפַלֵּֽס׃H6424Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singularallוְֽכָל־H3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructhis pathsמַעְגְּלֹתָ֥יוH4570Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

Or ponders or makes level

Verse 22

Cross-references

John 8:34Classic cross-references Psalms 10:2Classic cross-references Proverbs 8:36Classic cross-references Proverbs 1:18Classic cross-references Psalms 35:8Classic cross-references

Original words

The iniquitiesעַֽווֹנוֹתָ֗יוH5771Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singularof a wicked manהָרָשָׁ֑עH7563Article | Adjective - masculine singularentrap himיִלְכְּדֻנ֥וֹH3920Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singular, Paragogic nun-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe cordsיִתָּמֵֽךְ׃H8551Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularof his sinחַ֝טָּאת֗וֹH2403Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularentangle himוּבְחַבְלֵ֥יH2256Conjunctive waw, Preposition | Noun - masculine plural construct

Verse 23

Cross-references

Job 36:12Classic cross-references Job 4:21Classic cross-references 2 Peter 2:15Classic cross-references Proverbs 10:21Classic cross-references Proverbs 14:32Classic cross-references

Original words

Heה֗וּאH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singulardiesיָ֭מוּתH4191Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularfor lackבְּאֵ֣יןH369Preposition-b | Adverbof disciplineמוּסָ֑רH4148Noun - masculine singularled astrayיִשְׁגֶּֽה׃פH7686Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularby his own greatוּבְרֹ֖בH7230Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructfollyאִוַּלְתּ֣וֹH200Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular

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