Proverbs 4:20

KJV

¶ My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

KJV (with Strong's)

My son {H1121}, attend {H7181} to my words {H1697}; incline {H5186} thine ear {H241} unto my sayings {H561}.

Complete Jewish Bible

My son, pay attention to what I am saying; incline your ear to my words.

Berean Standard Bible

My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.

American Standard Version

My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Proverbs 4:20 presents a foundational and urgent command from a father figure to his son, serving as a critical entry point to the profound wisdom offered throughout the book. It is an earnest appeal for diligent and receptive attention to the instruction being imparted, highlighting that the acquisition of divine wisdom begins with a posture of intentional listening and a commitment to internalize the life-giving truths presented. This verse sets the indispensable stage for understanding that true flourishing and spiritual vitality are contingent upon heeding godly counsel with a humble and attentive heart.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Proverbs 4:20 is strategically positioned within the extended wisdom discourse of Proverbs 1-9, which functions as a passionate and repeated exhortation from a father to his son to embrace wisdom and avoid the pitfalls of folly. Specifically, [Proverbs 4](/proverbs/4 "Proverbs 4 - The Path of Wisdom") frames wisdom not merely as abstract knowledge, but as a precious, life-giving inheritance, a secure path, and a source of divine protection, passed down through generations. The immediate verses preceding this, such as [Proverbs 4:1](/proverbs/4-1 "Proverbs 4:1 - Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father"), establish the pedagogical framework, urging children to listen intently to their father's instruction. Following [Proverbs 4:20](/proverbs/4-20 "Proverbs 4:20 - Attend to my words"), the chapter elaborates extensively on the immense benefits of heeding wisdom, starkly contrasting the illuminated path of the righteous with the treacherous way of the wicked, culminating in the profound admonition to "keep thy heart with all diligence" in [Proverbs 4:23](/proverbs/4-23 "Proverbs 4:23 - Keep your heart with all diligence").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Book of Proverbs is deeply rooted in the ancient Near Eastern wisdom tradition, where the systematic transmission of knowledge, moral instruction, and practical life skills from elders to younger generations was paramount for both individual well-being and societal stability. In ancient Israel, the family, particularly the father, served as the primary and most influential institution for education and moral formation. This cultural context profoundly underscores the inherent authority of the speaker and the expected posture of respectful obedience from the hearer. The wisdom imparted was not merely intellectual or theoretical but profoundly practical, designed to guide daily life, ethical conduct, and spiritual discernment within the covenant community. The emphasis on "words" and "sayings" also points to an predominantly oral culture where spoken instruction carried immense weight and was intended to be memorized, meditated upon, and deeply internalized.
* **Key Themes:** The overarching theme of [Proverbs 4](/proverbs/4 "Proverbs 4 - The Path of Wisdom") and, by direct extension, [Proverbs 4:20](/proverbs/4-20 "Proverbs 4:20 - Attend to my words") is the **primacy of wisdom** as the essential guiding principle for a flourishing life. This verse introduces the critical theme of **attentive listening** as the indispensable prerequisite for acquiring and embodying this divine wisdom. The father's instruction is presented as a valuable **legacy** (e.g., [Proverbs 4:4](/proverbs/4-4 "Proverbs 4:4 - He taught me also, and said unto me")), emphasizing the vital generational transfer of divine truth and moral guidance. Furthermore, the verse subtly yet powerfully introduces the theme of **moral choice** and the **path of life**, as the act of listening and obeying these words is consistently portrayed throughout the chapter as leading to life, health, and righteousness, in stark contrast to the destructive and perilous path of folly (e.g., [Proverbs 4:18-19](/proverbs/4-18-19 "Proverbs 4:18-19 - The Path of the Just and the Way of the Wicked")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **attend (Hebrew, _qâshab'_):** From the primitive root H7181, meaning "to prick up the ears, i.e., hearken." This word signifies far more than mere passive hearing; it implies an active, intentional, and concentrated effort to listen closely, to give heed, and to pay meticulous attention. It suggests a posture of readiness, alertness, and a deliberate focusing of one's mental and spiritual faculties on the words being spoken, indicating an earnest desire to understand, internalize, and respond to the instruction.
* **words (Hebrew, _dâbâr'_):** From H1697, meaning "a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing." This term is expansive, encompassing not just individual utterances but the entire message, counsel, instruction, or discourse being conveyed. It carries significant weight and authority, referring to speech that is profound, purposeful, and often carries the force of a decree, a matter of great importance, or a divine pronouncement. It implies content that demands serious consideration.
* **incline (Hebrew, _nâṭâh'_):** From the primitive root H5186, meaning "to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away." When specifically paired with "ear," this verb creates a vivid and dynamic image of physically bending or leaning in to hear more clearly and intimately. It denotes a deliberate, humble, and eager posture of receptivity, an active effort to overcome any potential distractions or barriers and ensure that every nuance of the message is received and absorbed.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"My son,"**: This tender yet authoritative opening address immediately establishes the intimate, personal, and pedagogical tone of the instruction. It highlights the familial context as the primary setting for wisdom transmission, where a father lovingly yet firmly imparts vital life lessons to his progeny. This is a direct, personal appeal, underscoring both the deep affection and the profound urgency of the message that follows.
* **"attend to my words;"**: This is the first imperative, issuing a clear command for active and focused listening. The verb "attend" (_qâshab_) implies not merely hearing sounds, but giving careful consideration, processing, and understanding the deep meaning and intent behind the instruction. It calls for comprehensive mental, emotional, and spiritual engagement with the content of the father's teaching, demanding a deliberate effort to grasp and internalize.
* **"incline thine ear"**: This phrase powerfully reinforces the preceding command to listen intently, adding a crucial physical and symbolic dimension to the act. "Incline" (_nâṭâh_) suggests a physical leaning in, a bending of one's ear towards the speaker, which profoundly symbolizes a spiritual posture of humility, eagerness, and a deliberate effort to overcome distractions and ensure that every detail and nuance of the message is received. It signifies a profound, receptive posture, demonstrating a willing and eager heart to be taught and to absorb the wisdom offered.
* **"unto my sayings."**: Similar in meaning and emphasis to "my words," "sayings" (_ʼêmer_) refers to the spoken truths, maxims, moral instructions, and principles being delivered. This parallelism serves to emphasize the comprehensive and multifaceted nature of the wisdom being imparted, encompassing all the father's teachings. The repetition underscores the profound importance of the content that demands such diligent, humble, and active attention.

#### Literary Devices
Proverbs 4:20 masterfully employs several powerful literary devices to convey its urgent and foundational message. The most prominent is **Parallelism**, specifically **Synonymous Parallelism**, where the second half of the verse ("incline thine ear unto my sayings") reiterates, reinforces, and intensifies the meaning of the first half ("attend to my words"). This deliberate repetition serves to profoundly emphasize the critical importance of active listening, deep receptivity, and intentional engagement with the instruction. The verse also powerfully utilizes **Imperative Mood**, as clearly indicated by the direct commands "attend" and "incline," which convey the authoritative, non-negotiable, and urgent nature of the father's instruction, demanding an immediate and decisive response. Furthermore, the evocative phrase "incline thine ear" functions as a vivid **Idiom** or **Metonymy**, where a specific physical action (bending the ear) represents a much deeper spiritual and mental posture of humble, diligent, and eager attention. This powerful imagery creates a compelling mental picture, urging the hearer to adopt a posture of profound and unreserved receptivity to wisdom's call.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Proverbs 4:20 serves as a microcosm of a pervasive and foundational biblical theme: the divine call to hear, heed, and obey God's voice. Just as the earthly father's words are presented as life-giving wisdom essential for his son's flourishing, so too are God's words the ultimate, infallible source of truth, life, and eternal well-being. The emphasis on active, intentional listening is not merely about intellectual assent or passive reception of information, but about a transformative encounter with divine truth that profoundly shapes one's character, path, and eternal destiny. This verse seamlessly connects the wisdom tradition of Proverbs to the broader covenantal relationship between God and His people, where Israel is repeatedly called to "hear" and diligently obey His commands, statutes, and decrees. To attend to wisdom's words is to align oneself with God's perfect design for human flourishing, recognizing that true understanding, spiritual discernment, and a righteous life flow directly from a humble, receptive, and obedient heart.

* [Deuteronomy 6:4-5](/deuteronomy/6-4 "The Shema: Hear, O Israel, and Love the Lord")
* [James 1:22](/james/1-22 "Be Doers of the Word, Not Hearers Only")
* [Matthew 7:24](/matthew/7-24 "The Wise Builder Hears and Obeys")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
In a contemporary world saturated with incessant noise, countless distractions, and a cacophony of competing voices, Proverbs 4:20 stands as a timeless, urgent, and profoundly relevant summons to prioritize and actively engage with divine wisdom. It challenges us to cultivate a posture of intentional, discerning listening, not merely to passively hear, but to truly attend and incline our spiritual ears to the "words" and "sayings" of God found exclusively in Holy Scripture. This profound call necessitates a deliberate setting aside of distractions, an approach to the Bible with deep humility and reverence, and an earnest, persistent seeking to understand and apply its transformative truths to every facet of our lives. Just as a child's well-being and future flourishing are profoundly dependent on heeding a loving parent's wise counsel, so too are our spiritual vitality, growth, and eternal flourishing inextricably linked to our receptivity and obedience to our Heavenly Father's perfect instruction. This verse calls us beyond casual reading or superficial engagement to profound meditation, prayerful reflection, and diligent study, recognizing that God's Word is living, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, capable of discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart, and infallibly guiding us in the path of life.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How actively and intentionally do I "attend" to God's words in my daily life, or do I frequently allow the clamor of the world and personal distractions to diminish my spiritual hearing?**
* **What does it practically and tangibly look like for me to "incline my ear" to God's sayings, thereby demonstrating a posture of deep humility, eager anticipation, and genuine willingness to learn and obey?**
* **In what specific areas of my life or aspects of my character am I most resistant to receiving divine instruction, and what concrete steps can I take to cultivate greater spiritual receptivity and obedience?**

### FAQ
**Why is the phrase "My son" used so frequently in Proverbs, and what does it imply for us today?**

Answer: The repeated address "My son" (H1121, _bên_) throughout the Book of Proverbs, particularly in chapters 1-9, establishes a deeply pedagogical, intimate, and authoritative framework for the wisdom instruction. It signifies a loving, personal, and deeply concerned relationship between the instructor (often representing God or a wise elder) and the student. This familial language emphasizes that the wisdom imparted is a precious, vital inheritance, passed down with profound care and concern for the recipient's holistic well-being and flourishing. For us today, it implies that God's wisdom, as revealed in Scripture, is not a distant, impersonal set of abstract rules but a loving, personal instruction from our Heavenly Father, intended for our ultimate good, protection, and flourishing. It invites us into a relational posture of trust, humility, and eager receptivity, much like a beloved child to a wise and loving parent, as beautifully illustrated in [Proverbs 1:8](/proverbs/1-8 "Proverbs 1:8 - Hear, My Son, Your Father's Instruction").

**What is the deeper significance of the imagery "incline thine ear" beyond simply listening?**

Answer: The phrase "incline thine ear" (using H5186, _nâṭâh_, and H241, _ʼôzen_) is a vivid and potent Hebrew idiom that transcends mere auditory perception. It paints a compelling picture of physically bending or leaning in towards the speaker, symbolizing an active, intentional, and humble posture of profound receptivity. Spiritually, it signifies a deliberate effort to set aside pride, personal preconceptions, biases, and all forms of distraction to fully absorb, process, and internalize the message. It's a call to a humble and attentive heart that prioritizes God's voice and wisdom above all other competing voices and influences, demonstrating a profound eagerness to learn and obey. This posture is also powerfully encouraged in other wisdom literature, such as [Proverbs 2:2](/proverbs/2-2 "Proverbs 2:2 - Incline Your Ear to Wisdom and Understanding").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Proverbs 4:20, with its urgent and foundational call to attend to words of wisdom, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ, who is the very embodiment of divine wisdom itself. While the earthly father in Proverbs imparts valuable counsel, Christ is the eternal Word of God made flesh ([John 1:1](/john/1-1 "John 1:1 - The Word Was God")), the one in whom "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" ([Colossians 2:3](/colossians/2-3 "Colossians 2:3 - In Whom Are Hidden All Treasures of Wisdom")). The life-giving wisdom that the proverbs promise—including understanding, protection, and a righteous path—is fully and perfectly realized in Christ, who is proclaimed as "the power of God and the wisdom of God" ([1_corinthians/1-24](/1_corinthians/1-24 "1 Corinthians 1:24 - Christ the Power and Wisdom of God")). Therefore, the timeless call to "attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings" becomes a profound and ultimate invitation to listen to Jesus. His authoritative teachings, most famously exemplified in the Sermon on the Mount ([Matthew 5](/matthew/5 "Matthew 5 - The Sermon on the Mount")), are the ultimate "words" that lead to eternal life and true flourishing. To incline one's ear to Christ is to receive the very wisdom that creates, sustains, and redeems life, guiding believers along the narrow path that leads to eternal blessedness ([Matthew 7:13-14](/matthew/7-13-14 "Matthew 7:13-14 - The Narrow and Wide Gates")). Ultimately, the Father's supreme command concerning Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him!" ([Matthew 17:5](/matthew/17-5 "Matthew 17:5 - Listen to Him!")), is the climactic and supreme fulfillment of Proverbs 4:20's timeless admonition to listen to the voice of true wisdom.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Proverbs 5:1

¶ My son, attend unto my wisdom, [and] bow thine ear to my understanding:

Isaiah 55:3

Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, [even] the sure mercies of David.

Proverbs 7:1

¶ My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

Proverbs 6:20

¶ My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

Proverbs 6:21

Bind them continually upon thine heart, [and] tie them about thy neck.

Psalms 78:1

¶ Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, [to] my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

Psalms 90:12

¶ So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom.