God’s Word Translation
Proverbs 22:17
17Open your ears, and hear the words of wise people, and set your mind on the knowledge I give you.
Proverbs 22:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
- New International Version (NIV)Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach,
- English Standard Version (ESV)Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge;
Context of Proverbs 22:17
15Foolishness is firmly attached to a child’s heart. Spanking will remove it far from him. 16Oppressing the poor for profit ⌞or⌟ giving to the rich certainly leads to poverty. Open your ears, and hear the words of wise people, and set your mind on the knowledge I give you. 18It is pleasant if you keep them in mind ⌞so that⌟ they will be on the tip of your tongue, 19so that your trust may be in the Lord. Today I have made them known to you, especially to you.
Read all of Proverbs 22Proverbs 22:17 word by word
הַ֥ט אָזְנְךָ֗ וּ֭שְׁמַע דִּבְרֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֑ים וְ֝לִבְּךָ֗ תָּשִׁ֥ית לְדַעְתִּֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 22:17
- Proverbs 2:2if you pay close attention to wisdom, and let your mind reach for understanding,
- Proverbs 5:1My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Open your ears to my understanding
- Proverbs 1:3to acquire the discipline of wise behavior— righteousness and justice and fairness—
- Proverbs 3:1My son, do not forget my teachings, and keep my commands in mind,
- Proverbs 4:4they used to teach me and say to me, “Cling to my words wholeheartedly. Obey my commands so that you may live.
- Proverbs 8:33Listen to discipline, and become wise. Do not leave my ways.
- Isaiah 55:3Open your ears, and come to me! Listen so that you may live! I will make an everlasting promise to you— the blessings I promised to David.
- Matthew 17:5He was still speaking when a bright cloud overshadowed them. Then a voice came out of the cloud and said, “This is my Son, whom I love and with whom I am pleased. Listen to him!”
- Proverbs 23:12Live a more disciplined life, and listen carefully to words of knowledge.
- Psalms 90:12Teach us to number each of our days so that we may grow in wisdom.
- Ecclesiastes 7:25I turned my attention to study, to explore, and to seek out wisdom and the reason for things. I learned that wickedness is stupid and foolishness is madness.
- Ecclesiastes 8:9I have seen all of this, and I have carefully considered all that is done under the sun whenever one person has authority to hurt others.
Commentaries on Proverbs 22:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Bow down thine ear - From this to the end of Proverbs 22:21; are contained, not proverbs, but directions how to profit by that which wisdom has already delivered; the nature of the instruction, and the end for which it was given. I shall give a paraphrase of this very important passage: - I. Solomon addresses his pupils on the use of his past teachings. See on Proverbs 22:6; (note). The wise man speaks; and all his words, not merely his sentiments, are to…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17This is the commencement of a new and entirely distinct section, opening, after the fashion of Proverbs 3:1, Proverbs 3:21; Proverbs 4:1; Proverbs 7:1; with a general exhortation Proverbs 22:17-21 and passing on to special precepts. The “words of the wise” may be a title to the section: compare Proverbs 24:23. The general characteristics of this section appear to be (1) a less close attention to the laws of parallelism, and (2) a tendency to longer and…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-21Verses 17-21 To these words, to this knowledge, the ear must be bowed down, and the heart applied by faith and love. To live a life of delight in God and dependence on him, is the foundation of all practical religion. The way to know the certainty of the word of truth, is to make conscience of our duty.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-21Like the prologue in the book of Proverbs (Proverbs 1:2–7) and the introductions to the individual discourses (see Proverbs 1:8–9; 2:1–11), this section starts by encouraging listening. This wisdom goes beyond practical advice; it aims to inspire trust in the Lord.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. Here begins another division of the book, marked by those encouragements to the pursuit of wisdom, which are found in the earlier chapters. It will be observed that at Pr 22:22-24:12, the proverbs are generally expressed in two verses instead of one (see Introduction).Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 22:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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