Proverbs 4 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Proverbs 4

A Father’s Wise Instruction

4:1   Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction,
    and be attentive, that you may gain¹ insight,
2   for I give you good precepts;
    do not forsake my teaching.
3   When I was a son with my father,
    tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,
4   he taught me and said to me,
  “Let your heart hold fast my words;
    keep my commandments, and live.
5   Get wisdom; get insight;
    do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
6   Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
    love her, and she will guard you.
7   The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
    and whatever you get, get insight.
8   Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
    she will honor you if you embrace her.
9   She will place on your head a graceful garland;
    she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”
10   Hear, my son, and accept my words,
    that the years of your life may be many.
11   I have taught you the way of wisdom;
    I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
12   When you walk, your step will not be hampered,
    and if you run, you will not stumble.
13   Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;
    guard her, for she is your life.
14   Do not enter the path of the wicked,
    and do not walk in the way of the evil.
15   Avoid it; do not go on it;
    turn away from it and pass on.
16   For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
    they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
17   For they eat the bread of wickedness
    and drink the wine of violence.
18   But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
    which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
19   The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
    they do not know over what they stumble.
20   My son, be attentive to my words;
    incline your ear to my sayings.
21   Let them not escape from your sight;
    keep them within your heart.
22   For they are life to those who find them,
    and healing to all their² flesh.
23   Keep your heart with all vigilance,
    for from it flow the springs of life.
24   Put away from you crooked speech,
    and put devious talk far from you.
25   Let your eyes look directly forward,
    and your gaze be straight before you.
26   Ponder³ the path of your feet;
    then all your ways will be sure.
27   Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
    turn your foot away from evil.

Footnotes

[1] 4:1 Hebrew know
[2] 4:22 Hebrew his
[3] 4:26 Or Make level

Commentary

v1-13: Blessings of wisdom.

v1: Respect for teachers; also v10; 1.8; 2.1; 3.1; this is consistent with the message they bring. We are to give attention, making every effort to understand, v20; 5.1; 6.1,20; 7.1. To understand demands personal commitment. John 7.17 indicates that obedience promotes true understanding.

v2: This is "sound learning", therefore we must not forsake it.

v3-4: The foundations laid early. The child is taught the truths of God; the same commands and promises hold true.

v5-7: Desire and delight; get wisdom, get understanding (repeated in v5,7); do not forget, and do not forsake. Love is described as a beautiful woman; love her, esteem her, embrace her; the delight of getting to know God's ways is likened to a deep, loving, human relationship.

These words are precious foundation stones, essential for growth.

v8-9: See Ps 84.11; we pursue God's truth, but God will honour such desires.

v10-13: There is a huge blessing in obedience; the teacher insists on this; his son and pupil will do well to pay heed. He is guiding his pupil in the ways of truth, and now it is his pupil's responsibility to maintain that truth.

v14-15: The folly of disobedience

v14-15: Avoid the way of evil. Practical steps to avoid sin, just as Joseph fled from temptation. Discern what is the path of evil; we must know right from wrong.

v16-17: Avoid evil people. We are not to copy their ways. Discern the manner of life of the wicked. To walk in the way of evil men infers walking with evil men.

v18-19: Sharp distinction between light and darkness; the writer emphasises this; the natural man will seek to blur this distinction.

v20-21: The godly walk is essential; paying heed to spiritual counsel. We need to know God's word, and have a desire to live by Gods word.

v22: Obedience brings life and health.

v23: We must carefully cultivate our heart, Matt 15.18; diligently and promptly remove wrong attitudes.

We might re-write this verse; "Keep the core of your being with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of the very centre of who you are, is created the life you lead, in abundance." (Through it all, Gabriel Adusei page 85).

v24: Guard and restrain our lips, being true and honest; put away any hint of deceit and half-truth.

v25: Eyes to be guarded and single, Deut 5.32. Distracted eyes lead to a distracted mind, and lead to distracted feet. Eve, Achan, David, all fell because of what they saw.

v26-27: We are to ponder the paths of our feet, esp. avoiding certain things. We are to keep straight paths, i.e: not to swerve or veer from the way of truth.