What does Proverbs 5:15 mean by "Drink water from your own cistern"? Text of the Passage “Drink water from your own cistern and running water from your own well.” (Proverbs 5:15) Immediate Literary Context Proverbs 5 is a father’s urgent appeal to his son to shun the “forbidden woman” (5:3) and to remain faithful to his own wife (5:18-19). Verses 15-17 introduce a water-well metaphor that contrasts the purity, refreshment, and exclusivity of covenantal marriage with the polluted, destructive allure of adultery. Historical–Cultural Background: Cisterns and Wells • Arid Palestine required stone-lined cisterns cut into bedrock to store seasonal rainwater. Excavations at Iron-Age Jerusalem, Lachish, and Megiddo reveal plastered chambers exactly like the “bor” (cistern) referenced here. • Wells (“beʾer”) tapped living (spring-fed) water and were jealously guarded private resources (cf. Genesis 21:25; 26:15-18). To “drink” from one’s own supply evoked legal, economic, and emotional ownership. Thus the imagery instantly connected with ancient readers: water is life—lose it and you perish. Figurative Meaning The “cistern/well” is the wife; “water” is conjugal intimacy. God’s design is exclusive, joyful, and lifelong monogamy (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6). The imperative “Drink” commands proactive delight in one’s spouse, not mere avoidance of sin (cf. 1 Corinthians 7:3-5). Verse 16 “Should your springs flow in the streets?” warns against promiscuity that squanders personal and familial blessing. Theological Foundations 1. Covenant Fidelity: Marriage mirrors Yahweh’s covenant with His people (Malachi 2:14; Ephesians 5:31-32). Adultery, therefore, is not only a social wrong but a theological rebellion. 2. Created Order: Just as water systems exhibit purposeful engineering, marital exclusivity showcases intelligent design in human relationships—ordered for human flourishing and God’s glory. 3. Holiness Ethic: Sexual purity distinguishes God’s people from surrounding cultures (Leviticus 18). Proverbs 5:15 encodes that holiness in everyday metaphor. Cross-References in Wisdom Literature • Song of Songs 4:12: “A garden locked is my sister, my bride, a spring locked, a fountain sealed.” • Ecclesiastes 9:9: “Enjoy life with the wife you love…” • Proverbs 5:18-19 continues the metaphor explicitly, urging ravishment in one’s spouse. Archaeological and Manuscript Reliability Notes Fragments of Proverbs (4QProv) from Qumran (ca. 150 BC) preserve this wording, matching the Masoretic Text with trivial orthographic variants, demonstrating transmission accuracy. The physical remains of Judean cisterns corroborate the everyday setting assumed by the proverb, showing Scripture’s rootedness in real locations and practices. Pastoral and Practical Applications • Guard Personal Boundaries: In a digital age awash with pornography, “drink from your own cistern” calls for radical safeguards. • Celebrate Your Spouse: Date nights, verbal affirmation, and mutual service keep the “water” fresh. • Seek Accountability: Christian community helps prevent the “springs” from “spilling into the streets” (v. 16). New-Covenant Echoes Christ, the Bridegroom, offers “living water” (John 4:14). Faithful marital love prefigures the unbreakable union between Christ and His Church, secured by His resurrection (Ephesians 5:25-27). Contrasts with the Forbidden Woman Verses 3-4: Her lips “drip honey” but end in “wormwood.” By contrast, one’s wife is a continually replenishing well—no regret, no hidden cost. The antithesis intensifies the exhortation. Ethical Implications for Community Adultery destabilizes families, impoverishes children, and invites divine discipline (Proverbs 5:11-14; Hebrews 13:4). Faithful marriages, conversely, create strong clans essential for covenant transmission (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). Conclusion “Drink water from your own cistern” is a vivid, culture-savvy mandate for exclusive, rejoicing marital intimacy. Rooted in creation order, upheld by manuscript fidelity, confirmed by archaeology, and vindicated by modern behavioral data, this proverb calls every generation to honor God by cherishing the spouse He has provided. |
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