What does Proverbs 22:17 mean?

The extensive collection of wisdom which came before this verse is attributed directly to Solomon (Proverbs 10:1). Scholars suggest the thirty proverbs given between here and Proverbs 24:22 were compiled from the sayings of other wise men (Proverbs 22:20–21). Solomon exhorts readers to give careful attention to these proverbs and put them into practice (Proverbs 22:17–19).

It is important to not merely hear God's Word, but also to obey it. The apostle James writes, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22). Jesus said, "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock" (Matthew 7:24). The comparison indicates that hearing and applying Jesus' teachings enables a person to withstand trials and temptations. Simply hearing Jesus' words without obeying them is like someone who knows the best place to build a house but chooses an inferior location. This leaves a person vulnerable to the trials and temptations that buffet him.