Proverbs 5:15
"Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

Drink waters out of thine own cistern,.... Arguments being used to dissuade from conversation with an adulterous woman, taken from the disgrace, diseases, poverty, and distress of mind on reflection, it brings a man to; the wise man proceeds to direct to marriage, as a proper antidote against it: take a wife and cleave to her, and enjoy all the pleasures and comforts of a marriage state. As every man formerly had his own

cistern for the reception of water for his own use, Kg2 18:31 ; so every man should have his own wife, and but one: and as drinking water quenches thirst, and allays heat; so the lawful enjoyments of the marriage bed quench the thirst of appetite, and allay the heat of lust; for which reason the apostle advises men to marry and not burn, Co1 7:9 ; and a man that is married should be content with his own wife, and not steal waters out of another cistern. The allusion may be to a law, which, Clemens of Alexandria (t) says, Plato had from the Hebrews; which enjoined husbandmen not to take water from others to water their lands, till they themselves had dug into the earth, called virgin earth, and found it dry and without water; and running waters out of thine own well; the pure, chaste, and innocent pleasures of the marriage state, are as different from the embraces of an harlot, who is compared to a deep ditch and a narrow pit, Pro 23:27 ; as clear running waters of a well or fountain from the dirty waters of a filthy puddle; see Pro 9:17 . Some interpret these words, and what follows, of persons enjoying with contentment the good things of life they have for the support of themselves and families; and of a liberal communication of them to the relief of proper objects; but not to spend their substance on harlots. Jarchi understands by the "cistern", the law of Moses: but it may be better applied to the Scriptures in general, from whence all sound doctrine flows, to the comfort and refreshment of the souls of men; and from whence all doctrine ought to be fetched, and not elsewhere. (t) Stromat. l. 1. p. 274.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (6 words)

H8354 שָׁתָה
Definition:

28+, 1 singularשָׁתִ֫יתִי1 Samuel 1:15+, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularיִשְׁתֶּהGenesis 44:5+,וַיִּשְׁתֶּה1 Kings 19:8, usuallyוַיֵּשְׁתְּGenesis 9:21+; jussiveוְיֵשְׁתְּ1 Kings 13:18; 3feminine si 28+, 1 singularשָׁתִ֫יתִי1 Samuel 1:15+, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularיִשְׁתֶּהGenesis 44:5+,וַיִּשְׁתֶּה1 Kings 19:8, usuallyוַיֵּשְׁתְּGenesis 9:21+; jussiveוְיֵשְׁתְּ1 Kings 13:18; 3feminine si

Possible Meanings:
  • drink (semantic_range)
H4325 מַיִם
Definition:

14only pluralמַ֫יִםwaters, water(Late Hebrewid.; MI23[ין]מ; SI5המים; Aramaicמַיָּא,מַיִּין,Assyrianmû, pluralmê, alsomâmuDlHWB 394; ArabicEthiopic, plural; Sabean [מו],מוםpluralמון, Minaean [מה], plur 14only pluralמַ֫יִםwaters, water(Late Hebrewid.; MI23[ין]מ; SI5המים; Aramaicמַיָּא,מַיִּין,Assyrianmû, pluralmê, alsomâmuDlHWB 394; ArabicEthiopic, plural; Sabean [מו],מוםpluralמון, Minaean [מה], plur

H0953 בּוֹר
Definition:

Frombuwr(in the sense ofbo'r); a pit hole (especially one used as a cistern or a prison) -- cistern, dungeon, fountain, pit, well.see HEBREWbuwrsee HEBREWbo'rBrown-Driver-Briggsבּוֺרnoun masculineGene Frombuwr(in the sense ofbo'r); a pit hole (especially one used as a cistern or a prison) -- cistern, dungeon, fountain, pit, well.see HEBREWbuwrsee HEBREWbo'rBrown-Driver-Briggsבּוֺרnoun masculineGene

Possible Meanings:
  • make clear (semantic_range)
  • clear up (semantic_range)
  • explain (semantic_range)
H5140 נָזַל
Definition:

5;ImperfectיִזַּלNumbers 24:7etc;ParticipleנֹזְלִיםExodus 15:8 +, etc.; —1flowsubject water,Numbers 24:7(JE);Psalm 147:18; compareJeremiah 18:14; subject clouds,Job 36:28followed by rain as accusative 5;ImperfectיִזַּלNumbers 24:7etc;ParticipleנֹזְלִיםExodus 15:8 +, etc.; —1flowsubject water,Numbers 24:7(JE);Psalm 147:18; compareJeremiah 18:14; subject clouds,Job 36:28followed by rain as accusative

Possible Meanings:
  • trickle (semantic_range)
  • drop (semantic_range)
  • distil (semantic_range)
H8432 תָּוֶךְ
Definition:

10+; constructתּוֺךְGenesis 1:6+;תּוֺכִי,תּוֺכוֺ, etc., 2 feminine singularתּוֺכֵּ֫ כִיPsalm 116:19;Psalm 135:9,תּוֺכֹהEzekiel 48:15,21,תּוֺכֲכֶםGenesis 23:9+,תּוֺכָ֫הְנָהEzekiel 16:53(Ges§ 91f); —mid 10+; constructתּוֺךְGenesis 1:6+;תּוֺכִי,תּוֺכוֺ, etc., 2 feminine singularתּוֺכֵּ֫ כִיPsalm 116:19;Psalm 135:9,תּוֺכֹהEzekiel 48:15,21,תּוֺכֲכֶםGenesis 23:9+,תּוֺכָ֫הְנָהEzekiel 16:53(Ges§ 91f); —mid

Possible Meanings:
  • midst (semantic_range)
H0875 בְּאֵר
Definition:

21well, pit, mostly Hexateuch,Genesis 23t.,Exodus 1t.,Numbers 5t., 37 t. in all; Arabic, Aramaicבְּאֵרָא,בֵּיר,בֵּירָא,, SabeanבארDHMZMG. 1875, 608, Assyrianbêru, LyonSargon 61(connection with above √ 21well, pit, mostly Hexateuch,Genesis 23t.,Exodus 1t.,Numbers 5t., 37 t. in all; Arabic, Aramaicבְּאֵרָא,בֵּיר,בֵּירָא,, SabeanבארDHMZMG. 1875, 608, Assyrianbêru, LyonSargon 61(connection with above √

Possible Meanings:
  • cistern (semantic_range)

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