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Proverbs 23:12

New American Standard Bible (NASB ©1995) [2]
— Apply your heart to discipline And your ears to words of knowledge.
King James Version (KJV 1769) [2]
— Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
English Revised Version (ERV 1885)
— Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
American Standard Version (ASV 1901) [2]
— Apply thy heart unto instruction, And thine ears to the words of knowledge.
Webster's Revision of the KJB (WEB 1833)
— Apply thy heart to instruction, and thy ears to the words of knowledge.
Darby's Translation (DBY 1890)
— Apply thy heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
Rotherham's Emphasized Bible (EBR 1902)
— Bring, to correction, thy heart, and thine ears, to the sayings of knowledge.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT 1898)
— Bring in to instruction thy heart, And thine ear to sayings of knowledge.
Douay-Rheims Challoner Revision (DR 1750)
— Let thy heart apply itself to instruction and thy ears to words of knowledge.
Geneva Bible (GNV 1560)
— Apply thine heart to instruction, and thine eares to the wordes of knowledge.
Original King James Bible (AV 1611) [2]
— Apply thine heart vnto instruction, and thine eares to the words of knowledge.
Lamsa Bible (1957)
— Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
Brenton Greek Septuagint (LXX, Restored Names)
— Apply thine heart to instruction, and prepare thine ears for words of discretion.
Full Hebrew Names / Holy Name KJV (2008) [2] [3]
— Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

Strong's Numbers & Hebrew NamesHebrew Old TestamentColor-Code/Key Word Studies
Apply 935
{0935} Prime
בּוֹא
bow'
{bo}
A primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications).
z8685
<8685> Grammar
Stem - Hiphil (See H8818)
Mood - Imperative (See H8810)
Count - 731
thine heart 3820
{3820} Prime
לֵב
leb
{labe}
A form of H3824; the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything.
unto instruction, 4148
{4148} Prime
מוּסָר
muwcar
{moo-sawr'}
From H3256; properly chastisement; figuratively reproof, warning or instruction; also restraint.
and thine ears 241
{0241} Prime
אֹזֶן
'ozen
{o'-zen}
From H0238; broadness, that is, (concretely) the ear (from its form in man).
to the words 561
{0561} Prime
אֵמֶר
'emer
{ay'-mer}
From H0559; something said.
of knowledge. 1847
{1847} Prime
דַּעַת
da`ath
{dah'-ath}
From H3045; knowledge.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary

Proverbs 23:12

_ _ Here begins another series of precepts.

Matthew Henry's Commentary

Proverbs 23:12-16

_ _ Here is, 1. A parent instructing his child. He is here brought in persuading him to give his mind to his book, and especially to the scriptures and his catechism, to attend to the words of knowledge, by which he might come to know his duty, and danger, and interest, and not to think it enough to give them the hearing, but to apply his heart to them, to delight in them, and bow his will to the authority of them. The heart is then applied to the instruction when the instruction is applied to the heart. 2. A parent correcting his child. A tender parent can scarcely find in his heart to do this; it goes much against the grain. But he finds it is necessary; it is his duty, and therefore he dares not withhold correction when there is occasion for it (spare the rod and spoil the child); he beats him with the rod, gives him a gentle correction, the stripes of the sons of men, not such as we give to beasts. Beat him with the rod and he shall not die. The rod will not kill him; nay, it will prevent his killing himself by those vicious courses which the rod will be necessary to restrain him from. For the present it is not joyous, but grievous, both to the parent and to the child; but when it is given with wisdom, designed for good, accompanied with prayer, and blessed of God, it may prove a happy means of preventing his utter destruction and delivering his soul from hell. Our great care must be about our children's souls; we must not see them in danger of hell without using all possible means, with the utmost care and concern, to snatch them as brands out of everlasting burnings. Let the body smart, so that the spirit be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 3. A parent encouraging his child, telling him, (1.) What was all he expected, nothing but what would be for his own good, that his heart be wise and that his lips speak right things, that he be under the government of good principles, and that by those principles he particularly maintain a good environment of his tongue. It is to be hoped that those will do right things when they grow up who learn to speak right things when they are young, and dare not speak any bad words. (2.) What a comfort it would be to him if herein he answered his expectation: “If thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, shall rejoice in thee, even mine, who have taken so much care and pains about thee, my heart, that has many a time ached for thee, for which thou shouldst study thus to make a grateful requital.” Note, The wisdom of children will be the joy of their parents and teachers, who have no greater joy than to see them walk in the truth, 3 John 1:4. “Children, if you be wise and good, devout and conscientious, God will be pleased with you, and that will be our joy: we shall think our labour in instructing you well bestowed; it will be a comfortable answer for the many prayers we have put up for you; we shall be eased of a great deal of care, shall not need to be so strict and severe in watching over you, and shall consequently be the easier both to you and to ourselves. We shall rejoice in hope that you will be a credit and comfort to us, if we should live to be old, that you will bear up the name of Christ in your generation, that you will live comfortably in this world and happily in another.”

John Wesley's Explanatory Notes

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Geneva Bible Translation Notes

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Cross-Reference Topical ResearchStrong's Concordance

Proverbs 23:19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.
Proverbs 2:2-6 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, [and] apply thine heart to understanding; ... For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth [cometh] knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 5:1-2 My son, attend unto my wisdom, [and] bow thine ear to my understanding: ... That thou mayest regard discretion, and [that] thy lips may keep knowledge.
Proverbs 22:17 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
Ezekiel 33:31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee [as] my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, [but] their heart goeth after their covetousness.
Matthew 13:52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe [which is] instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man [that is] an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure [things] new and old.
James 1:21-25 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. ... But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
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Chain-Reference Bible SearchCross References with Concordance

Pv 2:2; 5:1; 22:17; 23:19. Ezk 33:31. Mt 13:52. Jm 1:21.

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