Pro 22:17 | NETfull | STEP | Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my instruction.

Proverbs 22:17

The Sayings of the Wise

^{▼▼ A new collection of sayings begins here, forming the fourth section of the book of Proverbs. This collection is not like that of 1:1–9:18; here the introductory material is more personal than 1:1–7, and the style differs, showing great similarity to the Instruction of Amenemope in Egypt (especially the thirty precepts of the sages in 22:17–24:22). Verses 17–21 form the introduction, and then the sayings begin in v. 22. After the thirty sayings are given, there are further sayings in 24:23–34. There is much literature on this material: see W. K. Simpson, ed., Literature of Ancient Egypt; ANET 412–425; and A. Cody, “Notes on Proverbs 22:21 and 22:23b, ” Bib 61 (1980): 418-26.} 17 Incline your ear ^{▼▼ To “incline the ear” means to “listen carefully” (cf. NCV); the expression is metonymical in that the ear is the instrument for hearing. It is like telling someone to lean over to hear better.} and listen to the words of the wise,
and apply your heart to my instruction. ^{▼▼ Heb “knowledge” (so KJV, NASB); in this context it refers to the knowledge that is spoken by the wise, hence “instruction.”}