Proverbs 7:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And now, O sons, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth.

NIV: Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say.

NASB: Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, And pay attention to the words of my mouth.

CSB: Now, sons, listen to me, and pay attention to the words from my mouth.

NLT: So listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to my words.

KJV: Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.

NKJV: Now therefore, listen to me, my children; Pay attention to the words of my mouth:

Once again, Solomon urges his sons to hear and heed his teachings. Merely being exposed to Scripture, through our eyes and ears, is not sufficient defense against temptation; we must also heed it. Applying what we are taught, and taking it seriously, are necessary for those lessons to have an impact.

Jesus told the story of two builders. One builder constructed his house on a rock. When a violent storm struck that house, it stood firm. The other builder built his house on sand. When a violent storm struck the house, it fell flat. Jesus compared the first builder to whoever hears His words and obeys them. The second builder, He said, is like whoever receives His words and does not obey them (see Matthew 7:24–27). James warns us not to be simply hearers of God's Word. He tells us to be doers of it. He writes: "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22). Solomon used the tried and true principle of repetition in educating his sons to obey his teachings.

Proverbs 7:24–27 concludes another plea from Solomon, urging his sons to heed and keep his words. Most recently, he described a specific situation in which the wisdom of his words should have been applied. He referred to the temptation of being drawn into an adulterous relationship. Now he concludes Proverbs 7 as he began: urging his son to heed his words. He explains that failure to do so leads to a fall into adultery with its devastating consequences.

Repeating a theme common to the early chapters of Proverbs, Solomon once again presents a dire warning about the dangers of adultery. This comes in the form of a story about a foolish young man being seduced by a predatory woman. Solomon says this is something he has seen—meaning this is likely a summary of many such examples he has witnessed in his life. The result of these reckless sins is misery and death, for both men and women alike.

In Proverbs 5 and 6 Solomon warns his son against adultery. He describes the evil woman, the adulteress, as deceptive and dangerous. While this is valid in a literal sense, it also serves as a general warning about the seductive nature of sin. In this chapter he continues his counsel about adultery, stressing the tactics used in temptation and how falling to them leads to death. The following chapter will return to the personification of wisdom as a woman, begging to be honored.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.

Accessed 5/3/2024 5:03:06 AM