What is the meaning of Proverbs 5:5? The danger personified Proverbs 5 paints “the forbidden woman” (v.3) as a real moral threat, not a mere poetic image. Solomon warns his son—and all of us—that sin often arrives attractive and persuasive. • Cross reference Proverbs 2:16-17, where the “adulteress” flatters with words yet forsakes the covenant of God. • James 1:14-15 echoes this: desire, once conceived, “gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death”. The point: we are meant to recognize that temptation wears a face and has a destination. Her feet go down to death Feet symbolize direction and intent. This woman’s path is fixed: • “Go down” indicates an irreversible descent (cf. Proverbs 7:27: “Her house is the road to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death,”). • “Death” here is not just physical expiry but separation from God’s blessing—see Romans 6:23, “the wages of sin is death”. The warning is blunt: follow her allure and you step onto a downward slope that ends in destruction. Her steps lead straight to Sheol “Steps” underline deliberate, repeated choices. • Each rendezvous, each compromise, is another stride toward “Sheol,” the realm of the dead. Compare Proverbs 2:18-19, which says those who enter her house “never return to the paths of life”. • The path is “straight,” implying no detours, no surprises—only a direct route to ruin. Revelation 21:8 identifies the final destiny for the unrepentant: “the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death”. Solomon’s imagery foreshadows that ultimate judgment. Why this warning matters today • Sexual immorality still markets itself as freedom, yet its outcomes—broken homes, disease, emotional scars—mirror the death Solomon describes. • Digital culture delivers the “forbidden woman” to every screen, making these ancient words urgent. • 1 Corinthians 6:18 commands, “Flee from sexual immorality”. Running away is not cowardice; it’s wisdom that preserves life. summary Proverbs 5:5 teaches that yielding to seductive sin sets a person on a sure, downward course: every step away from God is a step toward death and judgment. Recognizing the path, refusing the first stride, and choosing God’s way keeps our feet on the road of life. |
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