Proverbs 5:22 (KJV)

What does Proverbs 5:22 mean?

Proverbs 5:22 says that a wicked person is trapped and controlled by his own wrongdoing—his sins act like ropes that tie him up. The verse pictures sin as something that catches and binds a person, making him unable to escape its consequences.

In Proverbs, a father is warning his son about the dangers of immoral living, especially unfaithfulness and foolish choices. Here, the verse highlights that the harm from evil actions comes not just from outside punishment, but from the way those actions themselves ensnare and entangle the person who commits them.

The Hebrew behind Proverbs 5:22

• "iniquities" (עֲוֹנוֹת, avonot): This word refers to guilt or wrongdoing, often with a sense of twistedness or moral distortion. The verse stresses that it is a person's own wrong choices that trap him.
• "take" (יִלְכְּדוּ, yilkeḏu): This verb means to capture or seize, like catching prey in a trap. The image is active—the person's sins are not passive, but actually grab hold of him.
• "holden" (יִתָּמֵךְ, yittamekh): This word means to be held fast or restrained. It adds to the picture of being bound tightly, unable to break free.
• "cords" (חֶבֶל, khevel): This refers to ropes or cords, often used for binding. The verse uses a vivid metaphor: sins are like ropes that tie a person up.
• "sins" (חַטָּאת, khattat): This word is often used for offenses or failures to meet a standard. Here, it reinforces the idea that the consequences come from the person's own actions.

Why Proverbs 5:22 matters

• Proverbs 5:22 clears up the idea that punishment for wrongdoing is only external; the verse shows that sin itself has a binding, trapping effect on the sinner.
• The verse emphasizes personal responsibility: it is the person's own choices and actions that ensnare him, not just outside forces or bad luck.
• In the context of Proverbs 5, this verse deepens the warning against unwise and immoral living by showing that the consequences are built into the actions themselves, not just imposed from outside.