Proverbs 2:19 kjv

None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.

Proverbs 2:19 nkjv

None who go to her return, Nor do they regain the paths of life?

Proverbs 2:19 niv

None who go to her return or attain the paths of life.

Proverbs 2:19 esv

none who go to her come back, nor do they regain the paths of life.

Proverbs 2:19 nlt

The man who visits her is doomed.
He will never reach the paths of life.

Proverbs 2 verses

Proverbs 2 19 Meaning

Proverbs 2:19 serves as a grave warning regarding the consequences of yielding to the allure of the "forbidden woman," which embodies sexual immorality and any profound departure from God's wisdom. The verse declares that those who enter her path rarely, if ever, return to the way of righteousness and life. It highlights the profound ensnarement and devastating nature of such deep entanglement in sin, illustrating the extreme difficulty of repentance and restoration for those who fully embrace folly's destructive course. This portrays a path that leads away from life and true well-being, suggesting a point of no return for many who choose it.

Proverbs 2 19 Context

Proverbs chapter 2 opens with an exhortation from a father to his son, urging him to earnestly seek, embrace, and store up wisdom (Pro 2:1-4). This wisdom, presented as a divine gift, leads to understanding the fear of the Lord and finding knowledge of God (Pro 2:5-6). The purpose of acquiring this wisdom is profoundly practical: it provides discernment and protection (Pro 2:7-8). Specifically, the father warns his son against two primary dangers: "evil men" (Pro 2:12-15) and, directly preceding verse 19, the "forbidden woman" or "adulteress" (Pro 2:16-18). Verse 19 explicitly details the consequence of succumbing to the latter. The surrounding verses establish the strange woman's deceitful words, her departure from her covenant, and her path leading to the "dead" and the "depths of Sheol" (Pro 2:16-18), contrasting sharply with the "paths of life" in verse 19 and wisdom's preservation of the righteous (Pro 2:20-22). Historically, the "strange woman" might represent literal adulteresses, pagan priestesses associated with cultic prostitution, or even an embodiment of Folly as opposed to personified Wisdom. The context emphasizes that straying from wisdom leads to spiritual and physical demise, whereas adherence to it results in walking in the path of the good and preserving one's life in the land.

Proverbs 2 19 Word analysis

• None (כָּל kol): In this negated context, "kol" means "none" or "not all," implying a very strong universal negative. It's emphatic, portraying a grim reality. The use here is not an absolute statement about God's inability to restore, but a forceful observation from a human perspective about the extreme unlikelihood and rarity of someone deeply entrapped in this sin truly turning back.
• that go unto her (בָּאֶיהָ ba’eyha): This phrase literally means "her goers" or "her comers," referring to those who enter her dwelling or align themselves with her ways. It implies an active choice and progression into her sphere of influence, denoting deep engagement and complicity.
• return again (יָשׁוּבוּן yashuvun): From the root shuv, meaning "to turn back," "to return," "to repent." It speaks to a change of course, a withdrawal from the destructive path. The negative, combined with "none," highlights the severe difficulty or even seeming impossibility for those ensnared to self-correct and come back.
• neither take they hold (וְלֹא־יַשִּׂיגוּן welo'-yassigun): Welo' means "and not," and yassigun is from nassag, meaning "to attain," "to reach," "to grasp," or "to overtake." This emphasizes not just the failure to turn back, but the inability to even grasp, re-enter, or lay hold of the "paths of life." They are far off and lost, incapable of retrieving what they've abandoned.
• of the paths (אָרְחוֹת orchōt): The plural of orach, meaning "way" or "path." It implies consistent, established patterns or courses of conduct.
• of life (חַיִּים chayiym): "Life," often referring to a full, prosperous, and God-honoring existence, encompassing spiritual, moral, and physical well-being. This is in direct contrast to the "depths of Sheol" mentioned in Proverbs 2:18.
• "None that go unto her return again": This group of words uses hyperbole to issue a stern warning. It portrays a situation where the spiritual and moral gravitational pull of the "forbidden woman's" path is so strong that few, if any, escape it. It reflects the destructive power of habitual sin, particularly sexual immorality, to blind and enslave, making true repentance from a human standpoint exceedingly rare without divine intervention. It signifies how entanglement with sin progressively deadens conscience and moral capacity, making a return to righteousness extraordinarily challenging.
• "neither take they hold of the paths of life": This reinforces the previous statement. Not only do they not return, but they also cannot re-engage with or gain access to the virtuous ways that lead to genuine life and blessing. Their choices lead them down a divergent, unrecoverable path from the way of God, implying a lost destiny if repentance does not occur. The phrase illustrates being cut off from spiritual vitality and true happiness.

Proverbs 2 19 Bonus section

The severe tone of Proverbs 2:19 ("None...return again") underscores the patriarchal society's grave view of sexual infidelity and the immense social and spiritual damage it inflicted. While the proverb reflects a general observation about human tendency and the hardening effect of sin, it's crucial to understand it within the broader Biblical narrative which teaches of God's capacity for redemption and restoration for any sin through sincere repentance and faith in His mercy. This verse acts as a deterrent, emphasizing the deep ensnarement and ruinous trajectory of these choices rather than proclaiming an absolute theological impossibility of salvation for individuals. It’s a pedagogical tool to strongly discourage initiation onto such a destructive path. Furthermore, the "paths of life" contrasted here refer not just to earthly prosperity but to true flourishing found in living according to God's covenant and wisdom, leading ultimately to eternal life in Christ (as seen in the New Testament's understanding of wisdom as found in Jesus). The deep psychological and spiritual effects of engaging in such forbidden ways are so profound that they fundamentally alter one's course and desire for righteousness.

Proverbs 2 19 Commentary

Proverbs 2:19 delivers a profound and chilling warning about the ensnaring power of sexual immorality, embodied by the "forbidden woman." This verse is not merely a literal statement about adulterers, but also a potent metaphor for any deep entanglement with folly or sin that leads one away from God. The strong negative "None that go unto her return again" should be understood as a forceful deterrent, highlighting the tendency and extreme difficulty of escape for those who succumb. It vividly describes a spiritual quicksand: once fully engaged, it becomes humanly almost impossible to reverse course or re-engage with "the paths of life" — the ways of righteousness, peace, and divine blessing. The verse portrays the progressive nature of sin, where initial compromise can lead to deeper addiction and moral decay, eventually severing one's connection to spiritual vitality and the capacity for sincere repentance without extraordinary divine grace. It is a sobering call to exercise extreme caution and seek wisdom's protection against such insidious snares, reminding us that some paths of sin are so treacherous they make recovery profoundly challenging, if not rare.