Pro 4 | TNotes | STEP | 4:1 Discourses in chs 1–9 often begin with the call to listen (cp. 1:8 , 23 ; 2:1 ; 4:20-21 ; 5:1-2 ; 6:20-23 ; 7:1-3 ). • when your father corrects you: The children have reason to listen, because they have made mistakes.

4:1 ^a Discourses in chs 1–9 ^b often begin with the call to listen (cp. 1:8 ^c, 23 ^d; 2:1 ^e; 4:20-21 ^f; 5:1-2 ^g; 6:20-23 ^h; 7:1-3 ⁱ).

• when your father corrects you: The children have reason to listen, because they have made mistakes.
4:2 ^j Wise people navigate life’s difficulties successfully because they have heeded good guidance.
4:3 ^k my father’s son ... my mother’s only child: In Proverbs, both parents give instruction in wisdom. This involvement of both parents is unique among the traditions of the ancient Near East.
4:4 ^l my commands: The words that describe the father’s teaching are used elsewhere in Scripture for God’s law. Fathers represent God to their children; the instruction of wise fathers conforms to God’s law.
4:5 ^m In the Old Testament, to forget means more than not to remember; it is failure to obey.
4:6 ⁿ she: In Proverbs, wisdom is sometimes personified as a woman (see 1:20-33 ^o; 8:1–9:6 ^p).
Summary for Prov 4:7-8: 4:7-8 ^q Wisdom often, though not always, brings relational and material prosperity.
4:9 ^r A lovely wreath and a beautiful crown represent wisdom’s rewards (see also 1:9 ^s and 3:22 ^t).
Summary for Prov 4:10-19: 4:10-19 ^u The father again lays two paths before his children, encouraging them to avoid evil with its horrible consequences and to embrace good with its promise of blessing. 4:10 ^v Not every wise person lives longer than every evil person, but obedience and wise living make a long, good life much more likely (see also 5:1-14 ^w, 21-23 ^x; 23:29-35 ^y; cp. Eccl 2:12-17 ^z).
Summary for Prov 4:11-12: 4:11-12 ^aa Wisdom’s ... paths are straight (nondeceptive), while those of a fool are crooked (2:15 ^ab).

• When you walk ... run: The wise reach their goals more quickly and efficiently.
4:16 ^ac The wicked stay up at night to plan evil (Ps 36:4 ^ad; Mic 2:1 ^ae).
4:17 ^af To eat ... wickedness and drink ... violence means that those attributes are at the very center of someone’s life. Just as we eat and drink to stay alive, evil people sustain themselves by committing evil acts.
Summary for Prov 4:18-19: 4:18-19 ^ag Light stands for wisdom and righteousness, and darkness stands for foolishness and wickedness (see Eccl 2:12-14 ^ah). Light brings actions into the open; darkness hides them. Righteous people have nothing to hide, while the wicked try to hide what they do and end up stumbling over obstacles in the dark (see Matt 4:16 ^ai; 5:14-16 ^aj; John 1:14 ^ak; Rom 2:19 ^al).
Summary for Prov 4:20-27: 4:20-27 ^am The wise walk the path of life with eyes straight ahead.
Summary for Prov 4:20-21: 4:20-21 ^an pay attention: See also 1:8 ^ao, 23 ^ap; 2:1 ^aq; 5:1-2 ^ar; 7:1-3 ^as; 8:1 ^at. The child is to let these teachings transform his personality, represented by his heart. A lifelong commitment to follow wisdom requires a change of heart.
4:22 ^au Life and healing are rewards for following the wise instructions of the father (see 4:10 ^av).
4:23 ^aw In the Old Testament, the heart represents the center of emotions, thinking, and reasoning (e.g., Gen 6:5 ^ax; Deut 4:29 ^ay; Ps 131:1 ^az). The heart is crucial in the battle between wisdom and foolishness, between righteousness and evil (see Matt 5:8 ^ba; 13:15 ^bb; John 12:40 ^bc; Rom 6:17 ^bd).
4:24 ^be Because a person’s words originate in the heart, Proverbs teaches extensively about speech. One of the most basic lessons is to avoid perverse or corrupt speech, later defined as lies, slander, gossip, and rumor (6:12 ^bf; 17:4 ^bg; 18:8 ^bh).