My son, walk not you in the way with them; refrain your foot from their path:
walk
Proverbs 4:14,15 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men…
Proverbs 9:6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.
Proverbs 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
refrain
Proverbs 4:27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Proverbs 5:8 Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
Psalm 119:101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.
do not walk the road with them
This warning against companionship with sinners is a recurring theme in Proverbs, highlighting the dangers of associating with those who engage in wickedness. The "road" symbolizes one's life journey or moral path. In biblical times, roads were often treacherous and fraught with danger, making this metaphor particularly vivid. The New Testament echoes this sentiment in 1 Corinthians 15:33, which warns that "bad company corrupts good character." The call to avoid the path of the wicked is a call to holiness and separation from sin, aligning with the broader biblical narrative of God's people being set apart.
or set foot upon their path
The imagery of setting foot on a path suggests the beginning of a journey or a decision to follow a certain way of life. In ancient Israel, paths and roads were significant as they connected cities and regions, but they also represented choices and directions in life. This phrase warns against even the initial step towards sin, emphasizing the importance of vigilance and discernment. The Psalms often contrast the path of the righteous with the path of the wicked, as seen in Psalm 1:1-2, which blesses the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked. This highlights the biblical principle of choosing the path of righteousness and wisdom over the path of folly and sin.
Solomon addresses the listener with warmth and authority: “My son.”
• This phrase reminds us that wisdom is passed down in relationship, just as Deuteronomy 6:6-7 calls parents to impress God’s words on their children.
• The personal tone underscores accountability; Luke 12:48 teaches that the one who is given much is required to respond.
• Because God speaks through inspired Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16), the appeal carries divine weight, not mere parental advice.
• The family setting also hints at belonging. As Galatians 3:26 affirms, we are God’s children through faith, so His counsel is for our good, not our restriction.
“Do not walk” marks a decisive command.
• Walking pictures steady, habitual movement. Psalm 1:1 warns against walking in the counsel of the wicked; Ephesians 5:8-11 urges believers to “walk as children of light.”
• “The road” speaks of a chosen direction. Proverbs 4:14-15 repeats this theme: do not enter the path of the wicked; avoid it, turn from it, pass on.
• “With them” identifies companions who entice to sin (Proverbs 1:10-14). First Corinthians 15:33 states, “Bad company corrupts good character.”
Practical application:
– Evaluate the routines you share with others—media, conversations, business dealings.
– If a road leads to compromise, step off before momentum builds, just as Joseph fled Potiphar’s house in Genesis 39:12.
The second line tightens the restriction: don’t even place a foot on that path.
• Sin often begins with a single step; James 1:14-15 traces temptation to conception and birth of sin.
• God’s wisdom promotes zero tolerance for dabbling. Romans 13:14 counsels believers to “make no provision for the flesh.”
• The path of sinners is progressive; Proverbs 4:18-19 contrasts the righteous path that grows brighter with the wicked path that grows darker.
Guardrails to keep feet off the wrong path:
– Fill the mind with Scripture (Psalm 119:11).
– Seek companions who fear the Lord (Proverbs 13:20).
– Keep short accounts with God through immediate confession (1 John 1:9).
Proverbs 1:15 calls the child of God to deliberate separation from those who entice to evil. The verse moves from affectionate address (“My son”) to a clear prohibition (“do not walk”) and finally to an even stricter caution (“or set foot”). Together, these lines urge us to reject any partnership or first step toward sin, choosing instead the path of wisdom that leads to life and blessing.
Verse 15. - My son, walk not thou in the way with them. The admonitory strain of ver. 10 is again resumed, and in vers. 16-19 the teacher states the reasons which should dissuade youth from listening to the temptations of sinners. My son. The recurrence of these words for the third time in this address marks the affectionate interest, the loving solicitude, in which the admonition is addressed. Walk not thou. Immediate and entire abandonment is counselled. The warning is practically a repetition of ver. 10, and is given again in Proverbs 4:14, "Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men." Way; דֶרֶך (derek) means, figuratively, the way of living and acting (Gesenius). "Mores et consuetudines" (Bayne); cf. Proverbs 12:15, "the fool's way;" 22:25; and Psalm 1:1. The meaning is "associate not with them, have no dealings whatever with them." Refrain thy foot from their path; i.e. keep back thy foot, or make not one step in compliance, resist the very first solicitations to evil. Compare the legal maxim, Initiis obsta. Refrain; מְגַע (m'na) is from מָנַע (mana), "to keep back, restrain;' LXX., ἔκκινον (cf. Psalm 119:101, "I have refrained my feet from every evil way;" Jeremiah 14:10, "Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet"). Restraining the foot carries with it indirectly the natural inclination or propensity of the heart, even of the good, towards evil (Cartwright). Foot (רֶגֶל regel) is, of course, used metaphorically, and means less the member of the body than the idea suggested by it; hence the use of the singular (Gejerus, Delitzsch). Bayne remarks that the Hebrews understood this passage as meaning "neither in public nor private life have any dealings with sinners." Path (נָתִיב, nathiv) is a beaten path, a pathway, a byway; from the unused root נָתַב (nathav), "to tread, trample;" and hence, while "way" may mean the great public high road, "path" may stand for the bypath, less frequented or public. The same distinction probably occurs in Psalm 25:4, "Show me thy ways, O Lord; and teach me thy paths."