Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.  For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words:
keep my commandments, and live.

Children, Listen To My Father’s Wisdom

Chapter 4 is the last chapter before the collections of proverbs begins.

The first 5 chapters deal with the Gaining of Wisdom as a life’s greatest Goal. We read verses like Proverbs 3:13-17 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. 14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. 16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

Chapters 6-9 personify wisdom as a righteous woman and wickedness as a sinful harlot.
10 - 22 are single verse Proverbs collected by Solomon.
23 - 24 are Thirty Collected Wise Sayings
25 - 29 are proverbs edited by Hezekiah’s authority.
Chapter 30 contains the Words and Wisdom of Agur
And finally, 31 is the words of Lemuel’s mother dedicated to the Virtuous Woman

Chapter 4, where we are today, falls under Solomon’s instructions on wisdom and chapter 4 is his personal exhortation to his children and it is specifically about the wisdom that came to him from his father David.

He begins by tell the children to hear his instructions. This is the first time that Solomon does not say, “My son” but instead speaks to sons or to all his children. What he first says is “pay attention” “Hear children. Attend to know understanding.” What I’m saying is important and you must work at listening and taking it in.

Pay attention, Solomon says, because I’m giving you good doctrine. The word here is לֶקַח, leqaḥ, and it means something received. Other places it is translated learning, or air speech. Here is wisdom, instruction given but it must be received and it can only be received by paying attention, by listening carefully and closely.

Then Solomon tells of a chain of wisdom that was passed to him from his parents, and especially from his Father, David. You can see this chain of wisdom here in the opening verses, by the use of the word “For”

Proverbs 4:1-4 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. 2 For (because) I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. 3 For (because) I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. 4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

Solomon is passing on the wisdom of his father and the love of his mother and because of this family chain of wisdom, instruction and love, children take the gift I am giving you and in turn one day, you also will say to your children, “Hear ye, children the instruction of a father.”

Dad’s Duty: Forge the Chain

These opening verses contain one of the most important lesson about fatherhood. It is not hard to understand but it is getting harder and harder to see it happening in our society today. One of reasons that our society is failing is because Father’s are failing in this duty, this responsibility, this purpose that God gave every Father.

That duty is simple to pass on the good doctrine, the wisdom, the learning that was passed to you from your parents and especially from your Dad. The principle here is that that every family, but especially every father in his lifetime must by instructing and teaching his children, forge the links and weld them to a chain of wisdom that was been given to him by his father.

With each lesson, with each instruction another link is hammered into that family heritage chain that extends back probably further than any of us can possibly imagine. And is your duty, your God giving purpose to make sure you pass it on.

One of the reasons God chose Abraham, Genesis 18:19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

David wrote about this in Psalms 34:11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

Ephesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.