Proverbs 5:1-6

Today we will start studying chapter 5 of Proverbs. This chapter is primarily about avoiding adultery and staying with “the wife of your youth…” It warns that getting involved in adultery will cause you to have many regrets later on in your life. Today’s study will be on verses 1 through 6.

Proverbs 5:1-6 (NKJV)
The Peril of Adultery

1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom;

Lend your ear to my understanding,

2 That you may preserve discretion,

And your lips may keep knowledge.

3 For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey,

And her mouth is smoother than oil;

4 But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,

Sharp as a two-edged sword.

5 Her feet go down to death,

Her steps lay hold of hell.

6 Lest you ponder her path of life—

Her ways are unstable;

You do not know them.

In these verses, Solomon is speaking to one of his sons, while in later verses, he speaks to more than one of them. He starts out as he has in the last few chapters by trying to get his son’s attention and asking him to “listen” to him… how many of us have started out our conversations to others, particularly young people, or our children, with these two admonishments. “PAY ATTENTION!... LISTEN to me!...”

We studied, in Proverbs 2: 11, that discretion is - the trait of judging wisely and objectively; AND the ability or power to decide responsibly. This ability will “preserve” us, or keep us out of trouble. In this case, it goes on to suggest that the “discretion” in this case, would be in regard to speech.

Verse 3 tells us that “an immoral woman” uses her mouth and lips to draw a man… through her words and also, through sexy looks. We’ve all seen movies and pictures where women use their mouths in ways that many consider tempting or “sexy.” It uses a word picture of “dripping honey” and “being smoother than oil.” Both of these things are symbols that are often used in the Bible as being things to desire or entice.

Verses 4 & 5 goes on to warn that though these type of women look like something that is to be desired, if a young person uses “discretion,” they will see that only bad things will result if they follow those desires. It describes the consequences as being “bitter as wormwood,” and “sharp as a two-edged sword.” It goes on to say that “her feet go down to death… her steps lay hold of hell (sheol).”

“Wormwood” is “something harsh or embittering,” and anything that is as “sharp as a two-edged sword,” can be dangerous and even deadly, as verse 5 makes clear. There were STD’s even in Bible times, and some of the kings even died from them. Today, we are still seeing deaths being caused by the old sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea and syphilis, as well as many new strains.

Another thing that often happens is that a person’s conscience will eat at them and this can also cause stress and problems in life

Verse 6 warns us that pondering the way of life of an immoral woman will show that her “ways” are unstable and that a young person has no idea of what they are getting into by following this slippery path. There are several Bible verses that tell us that those that continue in an adulterous lifestyle will not make it into heaven. ( see I Cor. 6:9 and Rev. 22:15 to name a few)

James 4:4 (NKJV) says: “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God,” and Malachi 3:5 says, “And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against perjurers, against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, and against those who turn away an alien— Because they do not fear Me,” Says the LORD of hosts.

Adultery is so important that it is even one of the ten commandments. Our verses today are talking about an “immoral” or adulterous woman, that a father is warning his son against, but it also applies to men that commit adultery, as we will see farther on in this chapter.

One last note: Even adultery can be and IS forgiven when we repent of it, turn away from it, and accept Christ's free gift that paid for this sin the same as for any other.