 » RESTRICTED - Stay far away from her ( 5:1-23)
(1) drip with honey ... sweet ~ vs ~ bitter as wormwood
What is wormwood? A plant producing a bitter oil
(2) smoother than oil ... easy to swallow ~ vs ~ sharp as two-edged sword ... hard to go down ... it hurts
Path of an adulteress ... leads to death/Sheol (5:5)
Stay far away; do not go near (5:8)
Who is the cruel one (5:9b)? Husband of the adulteress??
Why would sin with an adulteress result in the following:
(1) giving of one's years to the cruel one? (5:9b) ... killed by the husband of the adulteress?
(2) hard-earned goods going to the house of an alien? (5:10b) ... gifts to appease the husband of the adulteress? (c.f., 6:32-35)
Other consequences:
(3) your flesh and body are consumed (5:11b)... sexually-transmitted diseases
(4) regret (5:12) ... that you didn't listen to your teachers to stay away from the adulteress!
drink water from your own cistern (5:15a) ≡ your own well (5:15b) ≡ the wife of your youth (5:18b) ≡ loving hind (5:19) ≡ graceful doe
Should your springs be dispersed abroad (5:16) ... in the streets?
your springs ≡ streams of water ≡ your fountains ≡ a euphemism for fluid from the male sex organ?? semen??
Let "them" be yours alone (5:17a) ... don't "share them" with strangers (adulteresses?)
Who or what are the "them"?
"them" referring to springs and streams of water in 5:16?
Alternative: "them" ≡ cistern ≡ springs ≡ wife (i.e., your wife is for you and only for you)
No man would want his wife to be sexually dispersed abroad in the streets
... to be shared with strangers (other men).
The thrust of Prov 5 is a warning for men to stay clear of the adulteress; therefore seem awkward to switch to protect one's wife from unfaithfulness OR that the husband's unfaithfulness would result in the wife becoming promiscuous!
Rejoice in ... be exhilarated with ... your wife (5:19)
But what if you (the wife) is not in the mood (or whatever reason) do not want to have sex?
|
