Proverbs 5:15
Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Proverbs 5:15
Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse uses two distinct images—a "cistern" and a "well"—to highlight that marital satisfaction isn't just about having a source, but about enjoying a pure, fresh, and abundant one. A cistern might hold water, but a well provides continuously flowing, living water, emphasizing the vibrant and life-giving nature of fidelity within marriage.
This passage shifts from warnings about the seductive "strange woman" to a powerful commendation of marital faithfulness. The wise teacher uses the imagery of water, precious and life-giving, to contrast the pure, satisfying delights found within marriage with the deceitful allure of forbidden intimacy. It's an invitation to appreciate and find contentment in the legitimate sphere of relationship God has provided.
Why does Proverbs use such vivid imagery of water to talk about relationships and contentment? It's not just about quenching thirst; it's about recognizing a profound and life-giving source.
This verse uses the powerful image of water – essential for life, especially in dry lands – to speak about marital intimacy and satisfaction.
A Life-Giving Source
Water in ancient cultures was precious. Having your own 'cistern' (an artificial reservoir) and 'well' (a natural spring) meant security, provision, and a reliable source of life. These weren't just conveniences; they were vital assets.
Divine Design for Delight
Proverbs is contrasting the pure, satisfying waters from one's own well with the deceptive allure of 'stolen waters.' The 'water' here represents the natural, intimate joys God designed for marriage. It’s meant to be pure, wholesome, and deeply satisfying – just like fresh, clean water.
Contentment in God's Provision
Choosing to 'drink' from your own cistern and well is an act of contentment and faithfulness. It's about recognizing that the satisfaction God provides within the boundaries He’s set is the most genuine and sustaining. It highlights the immense value and beauty found in faithfulness to your spouse.
The 'strange woman' in Proverbs 5 tempts with 'stolen waters.' What makes these deceptive waters so appealing, and why are they ultimately destructive?
Proverbs contrasts the faithful pursuit of satisfaction within marriage with the dangerous allure of illicit relationships. The 'stolen waters' represent pleasures sought outside God's ordained boundaries, particularly sexual sin.
A False Promise
The 'strange woman' offers a deceptive sweetness – 'stolen waters are sweet' (Proverbs 9:17). This implies that forbidden relationships might seem exciting, novel, or more fulfilling initially. This is the lure of temptation, promising satisfaction but delivering ruin.
Understand the original words
bor · Hebrew Noun
A man-made reservoir for water, used symbolically in this context to represent the legitimate, divinely ordained relationship within marriage as a source of satisfaction and life.
This passage uses similar imagery, comparing the bride to a 'locked garden' and a 'spring enclosed,' highlighting the preciousness and exclusivity of intimacy within marriage, just as Proverbs compares a wife to a 'cistern' and 'well'.
Jeremiah 2:13This verse shows God's disappointment when His people abandon Him, their 'fountain of living waters,' for 'broken cisterns.' It parallels the Proverbs passage by contrasting true, life-giving sources with deceitful, empty ones, extending the metaphor beyond marriage to spiritual faithfulness.
1 Corinthians 7:9Paul directly addresses the issue of sexual temptation, advising that if individuals cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. This echoes Proverbs' counsel, presenting marriage as God's intended provision for satisfying natural desires, thus preventing sin.
Hebrews 13:4This verse plainly states that marriage 'is honorable among all,' and the marriage bed is to be kept pure. It provides a direct New Testament affirmation of the principle illustrated in Proverbs 5:15, reinforcing the sanctity and exclusivity of marital union.
bensonProverbs 5:15: "Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well."
Proverbs 5:15 . Drink waters out of thine own cistern — “The allegory here begun is carried on through several verses. It has been differently understood; but the interpretation which seems most generally followed, is that of those who conceive that the wise man here subjoins a commendation of matrimony, and the chaste preservation of the marriage- bed, for the propagation of a legitimate offspring…
clarkeProverbs 5:15: "Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well."
Drink waters out of thine own cistern - Be satisfied with thy own wife; and let the wife see that she reverence her husband; and not tempt him by inattention or unkindness to seek elsewhere what he has a right to expect, but cannot find, at home.
The verse uses two distinct images—a "cistern" and a "well"—to highlight that marital satisfaction isn't just about having a source, but about enjoying a pure, fresh, and abundant one. A cistern might hold water, but a well provides continuously flowing, living water, emphasizing the vibrant and life-giving nature of fidelity within marriage.
This passage shifts from warnings about the seductive "strange woman" to a powerful commendation of marital faithfulness. The wise teacher uses the imagery of water, precious and life-giving, to contrast the pure, satisfying delights found within marriage with the deceitful allure of forbidden intimacy. It's an invitation to appreciate and find contentment in the legitimate sphere of relationship God has provided.
This passage shifts from warnings about the seductive "strange woman" to a powerful commendation of marital faithfulness. The wise teacher uses the imagery of water, precious and life-giving, to contrast the pure, satisfying delights found within marriage with the deceitful allure of forbidden intimacy. It's an invitation to appreciate and find contentment in the legitimate sphere of relationship God has provided.
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The Cost of Deception
Unlike the pure, life-sustaining waters of one's own well, stolen waters are inherently impure and carry a terrible cost. They lead to brokenness, regret, and spiritual death. The pursuit of these 'waters' is a direct rejection of God's provision and wisdom, leading to consequences that poison one's life.
True Fulfillment vs. Fleeting Thrills
The core message is clear: true, lasting satisfaction isn't found in breaking sacred trusts or seeking pleasure outside of God's design. It's found in cherishing and cultivating the 'well' He has given you, whether that refers to marital intimacy or, more broadly, a life lived in faithful obedience to Him.
"Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well." — The verse uses two distinct images—a "cistern" and a "well"—to highlight that marital satisfaction isn't just about having a source, but about enjoying a pure, fresh, and abundant one. A cistern migh…