New International Version
Proverbs 22:17
17Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach,
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.
- 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;
- New Living Translation (NLT)Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction.
Context of Proverbs 22:17
15Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far away. 16One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty. Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, 18for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips. 19So that your trust may be in the Lord, I teach you today, even 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 2:2turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—
- Proverbs 5:1My son, pay attention to my wisdom, turn your ear to my words of insight,
- Proverbs 1:3for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair;
- Proverbs 3:1My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart,
- Proverbs 4:4Then he taught me, and he said to me, “Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live.
- Proverbs 8:33Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it.
- Isaiah 55:3Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.
- Matthew 17:5While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
- Proverbs 23:12Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
- Psalms 90:12Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
- Ecclesiastes 7:25So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly.
- Ecclesiastes 8:9All this I saw, as I applied my mind to everything done under the sun. There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own hurt.
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
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