He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
4. he taught me also ] Rather, and he taught me, R.V.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The counsel which has come to him, in substance, from his father. Compare it with 2Sa 23:2 etc.; 1Ch 28:9; 1Ch 29:17; Psa 15:1-5; Psa 24:1-10; Ps. 37.
Pro 4:7
Or, The beginning of wisdom is – get wisdom. To seek is to find, to desire is to obtain.
Pro 4:12
The ever-recurring parable of the journey of life. In the way of wisdom the path is clear and open, obstacles disappear; in the quickest activity (when thou runnest) there is no risk of falling.
Pro 4:13
She is thy life – Another parallel between personified Wisdom in this book and the Incarnate Wisdom in Joh 1:4.
Pro 4:16
A fearful stage of debasement. Sin is the condition without which there can be no repose.
Pro 4:17
i. e., Bread and wine gained by unjust deeds. Compare Amo 2:8. A less probable interpretation is, They eat wickedness as bread, and drink violence as wine. Compare Job 15:16; Job 34:7.
Pro 4:18
Shining … shineth – The two Hebrew words are different; the first having the sense of bright or clear. The beauty of a cloudless sunshine growing on, shining as it goes, to the full and perfect day, is chosen as the fittest figure of the ever increasing brightness of the good mans life. Compare the marginal reference.
Pro 4:19
Compare our Lords teaching Joh 11:10; Joh 12:35.
Pro 4:20
The teacher speaks again in his own person.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. He taught me also, and said] Open thy heart to receive my instructions-receive them with affection; when heard, retain and practise them; and thou shalt live-the great purpose of thy being brought into the world shall be accomplished in thee.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Said unto me: the following verses, at least as far as the 10th verse, are propounded as the words of David, that the name of so great a king and holy a prophet might add the more authority and efficacy to his counsels.
And live, i.e. thou shalt live. It is a promise in the form of a command, as Pro 3:25.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. He taughtor directed me.
retainas well asreceive.
keep . . . and liveobserve,that you may live (Pr 7:2).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
He taught me also, and said unto me,…. The Targum is,
“they taught me,”
his father and his mother; and so the Septuagint version,
“who said and taught me;”
and the Arabic version,
“they both taught me, and said unto me;”
but in the Hebrew it is singular, and is restrained to the father. He taught him when he was very young, and also gave him instructions when he was older, and a little before his own death; see 1Ch 28:8; he taught him by the several psalms he wrote; some of which are called “maschil”, instructive or causing to understand; two of them particularly were written for him, the seventy-second and the hundred twenty-seventh psalms; he taught him in the following words. How far the words of David his father reach is not agreed on, on all hands; some think they end with Pr 4:5; others with Pr 4:6, others with the Pr 4:9, and the words of Solomon begin at Pr 4:10: some will have it that they take in the whole chapter, which is not probable; nay, others say that the whole of the book following is his, which can by no means be agreed to: it seems most likely to me that they end at Pr 4:6, and at most are not to be carried beyond Pr 4:9;
let thine heart retain my words: says David to his son: the instructions he gave him by word of mouth, concerning his moral behaviour, relating to political things, the government of the people; and especially such as concerned the everlasting welfare of his soul, or were about Wisdom or Christ, and the knowledge of divine and spiritual things; these he would have him lay up in his heart, and keep them there, as a rich treasure, to have recourse unto upon all occasions;
keep my commandments, and live: which commandments may respect him both in his private and public capacity, and in a religious and political one; how he should behave as a man, a king, and one that feared God: as well as they may respect his orders for the building of the temple, and settling and establishing the worship of God in it; by observing which he would live comfortably and honourably, and to a good old age.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(4) He taught me also.Comp. Davids advice to Solomon (l Chron. 28:9, 10).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. He taught Directed.
Retain Rather, lay hold of, or hold fast.
Keep Guard or watch; implying careful effort. Comp. 1Ch 28:9-10; 1Ch 29:19.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Pro 4:4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
Ver. 4. He taught me also. ] As Cato taught his own children, and took it for no disgrace, though so great a man. “Nurture” is as necessary for children as nourishment, Eph 6:4 which they that neglect to bestow upon them. are peremptores potius quam parentes – not parents, but parricides. One cause of Julian’s apostasy was his two heathenish tutors, Libanius and Jamblicus, from whom he drank in great profaneness. Doubtless David had Nathan the prophet, and the best he could get, to breed up his son in the best things, but yet so as himself had a main stroke in the business.
And said unto me.
Retain my words.
a Praefat. in Cant. Cantic.
Keep = Take heed to.
live: i.e. live again, in resurrection life. See note on Lev 18:5. Earthly life could he enjoyed without keeping commandments.
He: Pro 22:6, Gen 18:19, 1Ch 22:11-16, 1Ch 28:9, Eph 6:4, 2Ti 1:5, 2Ti 3:15
Let: Pro 3:1, Deu 4:9, Deu 6:6, Psa 119:11
keep: Pro 7:2, Lev 18:3-5, Isa 55:3, Joh 12:50, Heb 5:9
Reciprocal: Jdg 13:12 – How shall we order the child Job 22:22 – lay up Psa 37:31 – law Pro 4:11 – taught Pro 4:22 – life Pro 6:23 – the way Pro 10:17 – the way Pro 19:8 – he that keepeth Pro 22:17 – and hear Luk 2:19 – General Joh 15:7 – my 2Ti 1:13 – Hold
Pro 4:4-9. He taught me also, and said unto me The following verses, at least as far as the tenth, are represented as containing the words of David, Solomons father, that the name of so great a king, and so holy a prophet, might add the more authority and efficacy to his counsels. Keep my commandments and live That is, thou shalt live. It is a promise in the form of a command, as Pro 3:25. Get wisdom, &c., neither decline, &c. From the belief and practice of my words. Love her, and she shall keep thee He intimates that it is not enough to do what is good, which may sometimes proceed from worldly or sinful motives, but that we must have a sincere and fervent love to it. Wisdom is the principal thing The most excellent of all possessions. With all thy getting get understanding Even with the price of all, though it cost thee the loss of all that thou hast; or, in, or among all. While thou labourest for other things, see, especially, that thou do not neglect this. Exalt her Let her have thy highest esteem and affection. She shall bring thee to honour Both with God and men, which Solomon knew by experience. She shall give to thy head, &c. An acceptable or beautiful ornament, such as they used to put upon their heads; shall put upon thy head a crown of glory that shall never wither. So far he seems to be repeating the words which David spake to him.
4:4 He {b} taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
(b) Meaning, David his father.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes