What did God mean in Proverbs 5:15-17, where
 

 it says “rejoice with the wife of thy youth”?

This is a great question from J. Jones:  Let me begin by giving the New Living Translation published by Tyndale:  “¹⁵Drink water from your own well-share your love only with you wife.  ¹⁶Why spill the water of your springs in public, having sex with just anyone? ¹⁷You should reserve it for yourselves.  Don’t share it with strangers.”

God means be faithful to your own wife.  This scripture gives clear instruction and we can see a standard.  Reading the whole chapter makes plain the intent of the experienced writer King Solomon, who made the mistake of having many wives and concubines.    See I Kings 11:1-43.  He tells his young men to be satisfied by their own wives, to get their sexual, emotional, and egotistical gratification from the woman they promised their faithfulness to when they took her at a tender age.  He instructs them not to share what belongs to her, with other women; not their sexual strength, not their wealth.  Remain within the confines of marriage and God will bless you. 

The implied standard is marry young and enjoy the wife you choose.  The world is not saying this.  My father nor my grandfather taught this wisdom to their sons.  They suggested that it was a man’s God given right to roam and the proof of manliness was having a woman on the side.  Our families have experienced trouble and pain stemming from not understanding what God has to say about this subject.   

How many preachers, politicians, and families (in general) have been damaged because they refused to obey God’s rules for sexuality?  Solomon shares God’s wisdom with us in Proverbs 5:15-17. 

God Bless