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Upon an initial read of this chapter, it seems as if Solomon is painting a negative picture of women in general. But when we consider the instruction within the context of Solomon’s life, we gain a greater understanding. Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. He willingly chose this path of lust and adultery despite God’s warnings. Knowing this helps put in perspective the instruction given. Notice how he first describes this temptation as the sweet lips of “forbidden women.”
Forbidden women in Solomon’s day would have been Gentiles and prostitutes and we know for a fact Solomon took the former to be his wife. He is instructing from his own experiences and this carries a lot of weight. But I believe he is speaking to an even higher standard. Proverbs 5 gives a strong warning against adultery of any kind, no matter who the “forbidden woman” may be.
“Drink water from your own cistern, water flowing from your own well. 16 Should your springs flow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares? 17 They should be for you alone and not for you to share with strangers.”
Proverbs 5:15-17 HCSB
Take a moment and consider what Solomon is writing. A married man must draw his physical, emotional, and spiritual satisfaction from his wife alone. Again, this means a lot coming from the wisest man to ever live, however, it means even more coming from a man who willfully chased after every woman he desired. I think many men would expect Solomon to write, “My life has been filled with any and every woman I desired, and it was everything I hoped for!” But his advice goes against the grain of his life experiences.
“Then he turns the tables a bit. How would it be, the teacher asks, if his own wife were to become the “strange woman” for other men? Should his springs flow down the streets? his waters be in the public squares? “No!” the teacher says. Let these waters be yours alone, not something you share with strangers.”
Nelson’s Commentary
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This excerpt of scripture speaks volumes of life choices we make being out of the will of God and the destruction it brings to our lives. From personal experience I know the sufferings it brings and the hurt it causes in our relationships with others some mended others forgiven but forever broken.