Proverbs 5:20

Pro 5:20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?

Ver. 20. And why wilt thou, my son?] The premises considered, there is no reason for it, but all against it. Nothing is more irrational than irreligion, and yet nothing more usual with the devil than to persuade his vassals that there is some sense in sinning, and that they have reason to be mad. And, truly, though there were no devil, yet our corrupt nature would act Satan’s part against itself; it would have a supply of wickedness - as a serpent hath of poison - from itself. It hath a spring within to feed it. Nitimur in vetitum semper, petimusque negata. Nothing would serve the rich man’s turn but the poor man’s lamb. If Ahab may not have Naboth’s vineyard, he hath nothing. The more God forbids any sin, the more we bid for it. {Rom 7:8} ‘Nay, but we will have a king,’ said they, when they had nothing else to say why they would.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Pro 5:20-21. And why wilt thou be ravished with a strange woman? — Consider a little, and deny, if thou canst, that it is an unaccountable folly to seek that satisfaction and comfort in a vile harlot, which thou mayest enjoy more pleasantly, securely, and constantly, as well as more innocently, in a pious wife of thine own people. For the ways of man are before the Lord — “From whom no one can hide his most private actions, but he plainly sees and weighs all that a person doth, wheresoever he be; and will exactly proportion rewards and punishments according as he behaves himself.”

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Or, go astray with a stranger?

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman,.... Or "err with her" (y); after all those inconveniences and miseries that follow upon a conversation with a harlot, and all those advantages of a marriage state set before thee; why wilt thou be, so foolish and mad as to have a fondness for an harlot and dote upon her, and neglect entering into a marriage state, or forsake the wife of youth? and yet though things are so clearly stated and aptly represented, and the expostulation made in the most tender and affectionate manner; it is suggested as if after all it would not be attended unto, but a harlot be preferred to a wife of youth, a filthy beast to a loving hind, and dirty puddles of water in a ditch to running streams from a well or fountain;

and embrace the bosom of a stranger? that is not thy wife; a description of unlawful love and impure embraces, which are dissuaded from.

(y) "Errares", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "aberrares", Cocceius.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Emphasis is laid (see the Pro 2:16 note) upon the origin of the beguiler.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Why wilt thou destroy and damn thyself for those delights which thou mayst enjoy without sin or danger?

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

THOMPSON, Land and Book, volume i, page 252.

20. Why… be ravished — For why shouldest thou be fascinated with the love of a strange woman? a strong and affectionate remonstrance against such folly, as an unnecessary and baneful indulgence.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 20, 21. The adulterer to be restrained by the fact of Gods omniscience and the Divine punishment. Vers. 20 and 21 should apparently be taken together. The teaching assumes a higher tone, and rises from the lower law which regulates fidelity to the wife, based upon personal attractions, to the higher law, which brings the husband"s conduct into relation with the duty he owes to Jehovah. Not merely is his conduct to be regulated by love and affection alone, but it is to be fashioned by the reflection or consciousness that the Supreme Being presides over all, and takes cognizance of human action. Without losing sight that the marriage contract has its own peculiar obligations, the fact is insisted upon that all a man"s ways are open to the eyes of the Lord.

And why; i.e. what inducement is there, what reason can be given, for conjugal infidelity, except the lewd and immoral promptings of the lower nature, except sensuality in its lowest form? Ravished. The verb shagah recurs, but in a lower sense, as indicating "the foolish delirium of the libertine hastening after the harlot" (Zockler). With a strange woman (Hebrew, b"zarah); i.e. with a harlot. On zarah, see Pro_2:16 and Pro_7:5. The b (B) localizes the sources of the intoxication. Embrace (Hebrew, t"khab-bek). On this verb, see Pro_4:8. The bosom of a stranger (Hebrew, kheh nok"riyyah). A parallel expression having the same force as its counterpart. The more usual form of khek is kheyk, and means "the bosom" of a person. In Pro_16:33 it is used of the lap, and in Pro_17:23 and Pro_21:14 for the bosom or folds of a garment.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

With such a view as we have had of the deadly enticement of sin on the one hand (Pro 5:9-11 ), and the calm happiness provided on the other by the ordinance of God (Pro 5:15-19 ), surely none but the infatuated would leave the wholesome fountain for the poisoned and forbidden spring. If he were not stupified, would he slight the "honourable" state of marriage (Heb 13:4 ), to embrace the bosom of a stranger, ’loveless, joyless, unendeared?’ Would not the thought, that the ways of man are before the LORD, arrest him in his course?†1 But no. Practical atheism is the root of human depravity. (Psa 14:1-3 .) The eye of man, even of a child, is a check upon him (Job 24:15 . Isa 29:15 ); but the thought of an all-seeing God, even if it enters his mind (Psa 10:4 ), inspires no alarm, conviction, or restraint. Oh! if men would but read — would but believe — their Bibles, how would this solemn truth — he pondereth all his goings — flash upon their consciences! Not only does he see and mark them as the Omniscient God (Job 31:4 . Psa 139:1-4 ); but he ponders them as the just Judge. (Pro 16:2 . 1Sa 2:3 . Dan 5:27 .) Not one is hidden from his piercing eye. (Heb 4:13 .) "He will bring every secret thing to judgment." (Ecc 12:14 .) He "will be a swift witness against the adulterers. No unclean person shall enter into his kingdom." (Mal 3:2 . Eph 5:5 .)

But if no regard to reason, or to the all-seeing Eye, will restrain the sinner, let him think of the trouble that he is bringing upon himself. God needs no chains or prison to bring him under his hand. Wherever he goes, his sins go with him, as cords to hold him for judgment. (Pro 11:3, Pro 11:5-6 ; Pro 29:6 . 1Sa 28:5-10 .) Does he think that he can give them up when he pleases? Repetition forms the habit. The habit becomes a ruling principle. ’Every lust deals with him, as Delilah with Samson — not only robs him of his strength, but leaves him fast bound.’†2 Shutting his eyes against the light, he dies without instruction (Pro 5:12 . Pro 1:29 ; Pro 10:21 . Job 4:21 ; Job 36:12 . Hos 4:14, Hos 4:17 ) — The greatness of his folly leads him astray — to perdition. (2Pe 2:14-15 .)

But is there no remedy for this deadly curse? Thanks be to God! cleansing is provided for the impure (Zec 13:1 . 1Co 6:11 ); "deliverance is proclaimed to the captive." (Isa 61:1 .) Blessed Savior! cleanse the leper in thy precious fountain. Perform thy mighty commission. Set the captive free.

Footnotes:

†1 Job 34:21-22. Psa 94:6-9 . Jer 13:25-27 ; Jer 16:17 ; Jer 29:23 . Hos 7:2 . See some striking thoughts in Mede’s Sermon on Pro 4:23 .

†2 Archbishop Tillotson quoted in Nicholl’s Commentary. Jdg 16:19-21 . ’Thus I,’ — said Augustine — adverting to this hateful sin — ’delighted with the disease of the flesh, and with the deadly sweetness of it, drew my shackles along with me, much afraid to have them knocked off; and, as if my wound had been too hard rubbed by it, I put back my friends’ good persuasions, as it were the hand of one that would unchain me.’ — Confess. b. vi. c. 12. Compare Pro 23:29-35 .

Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (1846) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For why should you, my son, be captivated by an adulteress; why should you embrace the breasts of an immoral woman?

The writer asks these rhetorical questions to emphasize that his son must not do these things. AT: "My son, do not be captivated by an adulteress! Do not embrace the breasts of an immoral woman!" (See: Rhetorical Question)

be captivated by an adulteress

Intense excitement that arises from the desire for a woman is spoken of as if he were being held captive by that woman. This can be stated in active form. AT: "allow an adulteress to captivate you" or "allow an adulteress to fascinate you" (See: Active or Passive)

why should you embrace the breasts of an immoral woman

Here the word "breasts" represents the immoral woman and her sexual attractiveness. AT: "why should you embrace an immoral woman" (See: Synecdoche)

an immoral woman

Possible meanings are 1) "a woman who is not your wife" or 2) "a woman who is another man's wife."

sees everything ... watches all the paths

These two phrases mean the same thing and emphasize that God knows everything that everyone does. (See: Parallelism)

all the paths he takes

The writer speaks of a person's actions or lifestyle as if it were a path on which the person walks. AT: "everywhere he goes" or "everything he does" (See: Metaphor)

translationWords

adultery

Yahweh

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.