Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol;
English Standard Version (ESV)
It's easy to read this as just saying "bad choices lead to bad places." But notice the progression: her "feet go down," implying a gradual descent, and then her "steps take hold," suggesting a dangerous momentum that's hard to escape. This isn't just about a single wrong turn, but a path that progressively drags one deeper into ruin, both physically and spiritually.
Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol;
English Standard Version (ESV)
The teacher has just warned his son to listen to wisdom and pay attention to understanding, specifically to stay far away from the alluring, deceptive words of an adulterous woman. This verse directly follows that counsel, graphically describing the deadly consequences of following such a path, not just for the woman herself but for anyone who is drawn into her destructive ways.
This verse paints a stark picture of consequence. It's not just about a bad choice, but a journey with a devastating destination.
The imagery here is powerfully progressive. The 'feet go down' suggests a steady, downward movement, an inevitable descent. This isn't a stumble, but a chosen path.
The Inevitable End
The path leads directly to 'death' and 'Sheol' (the grave, the underworld, a place of darkness and separation from God). This speaks to the ultimate consequence of the harlot's way: not just physical demise, but a spiritual death that leads to eternal ruin. It highlights how destructive choices, once begun, have a momentum of their own, pulling one further away from life and towards destruction.
The word for 'hell' here isn't just about physical death; it carries profound implications for the spirit.
The term 'Sheol' in the Old Testament refers to the abode of the dead, a shadowy underworld. But in this context, it signifies more than just the cessation of life.
Spiritual Death
It represents a state of separation from God, a place of gloom and judgment. When the verse says her steps 'take hold on Sheol,' it implies a deep, firm connection to this place of spiritual death and divine disfavor. It's the ultimate destination for a life lived in opposition to God's wisdom and ways.
Understand the original words
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sheol · Hebrew Noun
In the Old Testament, Sheol refers to the grave, the place of the dead, or the underworld; it represents the inevitable end of the wicked and the separation from the presence of the living God.
This passage describes the adulterous woman's house as a pathway to death, directly paralleling the idea in Proverbs 5:5 that her 'feet go down to death'.
Proverbs 7:27Similar to Proverbs 5:5, this verse graphically states that the adulteress's house is a path leading to the depths of Sheol, emphasizing the destructive destination of her actions.
Romans 6:23This New Testament passage explicitly states 'the wages of sin is death,' reinforcing the theme in Proverbs 5:5 that unfaithfulness and destructive paths lead to death and the grave.
Isaiah 28:15-18Here, the prophet describes a covenant with death and an agreement with Sheol, illustrating the dangerous alliance one makes when choosing paths of deceit and destruction, much like the allure described in Proverbs 5.
pulpitProverbs 5:5: "Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell."
Verse 5. - Vers. 5 and 6 continue the description of the harlot. Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. She leads her victims to ruin. She hastens to death and the grove, and so do all those who listen to her. In all instances where the teacher speaks of the harlot at length he gives the same description of her (cf. Proverbs 2:18; Proverbs 7:27; Proverbs 9:18). An intensifying of the language is observable…
clarkeProverbs 5:5: "Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell."
Her feet go down to death - She first, like a serpent, infuses her poison, by which the whole constitution of her paramour is infected, which soon or late brings on death. Her steps take hold on hell - First, the death of the body; and then the damnation of the soul. These are the tendencies of connections with such women.
It's easy to read this as just saying "bad choices lead to bad places." But notice the progression: her "feet go down," implying a gradual descent, and then her "steps take hold," suggesting a dangerous momentum that's hard to escape. This isn't just about a single wrong turn, but a path that progressively drags one deeper into ruin, both physically and spiritually.
The teacher has just warned his son to listen to wisdom and pay attention to understanding, specifically to stay far away from the alluring, deceptive words of an adulterous woman. This verse directly follows that counsel, graphically describing the deadly consequences of following such a path, not just for the woman herself but for anyone who is drawn into her destructive ways.
The teacher has just warned his son to listen to wisdom and pay attention to understanding, specifically to stay far away from the alluring, deceptive words of an adulterous woman. This verse directly follows that counsel, graphically describing the deadly consequences of following such a path, not just for the woman herself but for anyone who is drawn into her destructive ways.
"Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol;" — It's easy to read this as just saying "bad choices lead to bad places." But notice the progression: her "feet go down," implying a gradual descent, and then her "steps take hold," suggesting a danger…
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Last reviewed October 2026