Proverbs 22:6 NKJV
6 Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.
▸ BDB חנך
GLOSS qal: dedicate, consecrate; train
PARSING Hebrew, verb, qal, imperative, masculine, singular
▸ to ל EDBH p.299 The ל indicates movement or return to an object.
▸ BDB נַעַר
GLOSS young man, lad; servant
PARSING Hebrew, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute
- Note below this may be used of either sex and may also be used of anyone young and in need of training (thus, for example, apprentices and talmidim/disciples). Note also the origin, the meaning of the root.
▸ CWSBD examples – enlightening
▸ H5289. נַעַר na‘ar:
A masculine noun meaning a young one, a young person. It is the translation given to the word in Zechariah 11:16 (kjv, niv) to indicate persons who need to be cared for, instructed, prohibited. A masculine noun meaning scattered. It is understood as related to H5287. נָעַר nā‘ar and refers, therefore, to those shaken off, scattered (Zech. 11:16, nasb).
▸ H5290. נֹעַר nō‘ar: A masculine noun referring to childhood, youth. It is considered a time when life is exciting, and a person is energetic and healthy (Job 33:25); and it is not a time to die (Job 36:14; Ps. 88:15[16]). It is a time when intimate and healthy relationships can begin to be formed (Prov. 29:21).
▸ H5291. נַעֲרָה na‘arāh: A feminine noun referring to a girl, a young woman, a maidservant. It is used of a young girl (2 Kgs. 5:2); or young daughters (Job 41:5[40:29]). It indicates a young girl who is marriageable (Gen. 24:14, 16, 28, 55, 57; Ex. 2:5; Prov. 9:3); and to those attending her (Gen. 24:61). It points out a virgin (Deut. 22:15, 16, 23, 29; Judg. 21:12; 1 Kgs. 1:2). It is used figuratively of the maidservants or attendants of wisdom personified (Prov. 9:3). It describes young female gleaners in the fields (Ruth 2:5, 8, 22, 23).
- ▸ H5287. נָעַר nā‘ar: A verb meaning to shake out, to overthrow, to sweep. It means to shake off, to defeat by casting off: the Egyptians in the midst of the Red Sea by an overwhelming power of surging waters (Ex. 14:27; Ps. 136:15); one’s enemies by exercising force (Judg. 16:20). It has the idiomatic sense of disciplining, separating persons from their wealth and families, getting rid of (Neh. 5:13). It indicates shaking one’s hands to show innocence (Isa. 33:15). It describes the shaking down, the judging of a nation (Isa. 33:9). It is used figuratively of Jerusalem shaking off the dust of captivity (Isa. 52:2). Its figurative use describes a person shaken off like a locust by affliction from God (Ps. 109:23); or the wicked shaken out of the earth, swept away, removed (Job 38:13).
- ▸ H5286. נָעַר nā‘ar: A verb meaning to growl, to yell. It describes the sound made by lion cubs in their desire to hurt prey. It is used figuratively of the Babylonians whom God would overthrow utterly (Jer. 51:38).
- Before proceeding, I encourage you to think of five mental pictures, which may help you relate this idea to life.
- ❶ Think of Hitler’s youth and of terrorist groups in our day.
- ❷ Think of my generation, those being molded in the nineteen sixties and seventies, and an impact upon a nation and a world (you’ve likely seen in the Forrest Gump movie).
- ❸ From H5286 above, think of “The Lion King” movie and Simba’s growing up, the depicted “circle of life.”
- ❹ Think of the repeated phrase in the Greek Testament, “shake the dust off your feet.”
- ❺ And I will share a parable presented at a graduation ceremony I attended just last weekend, appealing to young people who have been instructed in a Biblically-based college, which may help you see why that World War II generation we recently referred to as “America’s Greatest Generation” was as they were.
American Bison Parable
The honored speaker at a graduation ceremony I attended was the governor of the state of Oklahoma. Not only was there much shared about his own life story, attributing it to the glory of God, he also shared this lovely parable, as he was guiding new graduates into life. The ceremony was in Tulsa. He said about ninety miles from Tulsa is a tall grasslands preserve, and on the preserve is a herd of American Bison. Close by, on the other side of a fence, are some domesticated cattle.
Oklahoma can be rather wild sometimes, with its storms, not unlike other areas of the open plains. When storms come, the cattle, on one side of the fence, become afraid and begin to run away from the storm. The storm comes, faster than they can run, and soon overtakes them. In fear, they continue to run, now running along in the storm, thereby prolonging their time actually in the storm.
On the other side, the American Bison, upon seeing and feeling the approaching storm, turn and run directly into it, and they continue to run into the face of the storm, thereby shortening the time they are actually in the storm.
This was their life lesson. Life comes with storms. Run boldly into true storms of life, he tells them. (Fear not, for I am with you – Gn26:24; Dt31:6, 8; Jg6:23; 1S12:20, 22:23; 2K17:35, 38; 1Chr28:20; 2Chr20:17; Is35:4, 41:10, 43:5; Jr46:28; Hg2:5) – but recall the warning last time, the key is the call קרא of God/the fear ירא of God.
Like any good parable, there are many levels you may see in this Bison parable. Thus the power of parables as we apply them in our own lives.
Returning to Proverbs 22, I have personally wondered if some of Solomon’s Proverbs are just random one-liners as they often seem, or if they are grouped together in some way. Here, it appears to me I’ve been led to an answer in one section, at least. No doubt there are more.
Proverbs 22:1-8 NKJV
1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
Loving favor rather than silver and gold.
2 The rich and the poor have this in common,
The LORD is the maker of them all.
3 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself,
But the simple pass on and are punished.
4 By humility and the fear of the LORD
Are riches and honor and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
He who guards his soul will be far from them.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 The rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower is servant to the lender.
8 He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow,
And the rod of his anger will fail.
In verse 2, “in common,” more literal translation “meet together,” נפגשו. See in NKJV, “in common” is seen also in Proverbs 29:13 and Acts 4:32. Read those, please, and🤔. Remember the “soul” is the seat of our emotions. Here seemingly opposites meet. These are common to all mankind. We have the same struggles. We may look different on the outside, but inside the same.
Recall Solomon also authored Ecclesiastes, and the major investigation in Blog 136was in Ecclesiastes 10. Perhaps he is mirroring some thoughts here. Notice first of all the major focus on סכן attend; direct attention;; establish a presence (E39) here in Proverbs 23:1-8. To me he shares here a number of things upon which to focus our attention. And then, the לנן root we met in Blog 136, dwell; abide, we see here in two of the verses, with a very strong emphasis in the verse of our interest. Interpret how you will. I share my interpretation for your consideration. First this idea of “meeting together,” recognizing our commonality at the level of the soul. We are all alike beneath all the external trappings. This in verse two. And it includes both abiding and focusing attention.
And then there is no other לנן cognate permutation appearing in the entire passage except concentrated in verse 6 – three witnesses in that one verse, the one talking about training up young people. My interpretation (accept or reject as you will) is that having young people abiding with diverse groups of people exposes them to similarities with one another. And that exposure persists into older age. I am not making a judgment as to whether that is good or evil. It is not my place to do so, but surely can be used for either. It is a “truism,” which is definitely seen in society. The type of school setting, training, in the younger years tends to persist into older age. (Schools, colleges, governments and “movements” have certainly learned this and put it into practice – learning principles.) And thus we may see the progression of cycles. And thus the Israelites had to return to the Wilderness for another forty years until one generation died out (Numbers 32:13-15, 14:33-35). The training will be based on a choice of principles – the young will follow strong leaders – what type of leadership is put before them?
The things we learn when younger have a tendency to “stick with us.” And thus the push in the LogAndSpeck passage (Mt7:1-5) to consider whether the thing you are holding onto so strongly is circumstantial, based upon the time and the setting in which you developed your beliefs. It is SO important to instill unchanging, Biblical principles (but making sure that the interpretation of them is accurate and not a “denominational bias” – to do that, Scripture must fit with what God is speaking to you in life). So, perhaps I can give you one example from my life, and allow it to serve as a parable to you. You may be able to think of similar situations in your life.
In my family, growing up, there was a strong background of ministers and physicians, with multiple relatives in each of these professions. Even in family members not in those professions, there was a strong background in Scripture and a nurturing/healing milieu. I will focus here on the סכן principle, the focus of attention (focus attention is also in the definition of ירא, to fear). For me (and I cannot necessarily speak for my siblings), there was a great deal in the communication style of our nuclear family based upon this principle of focusing attention, both סכן and ירא. What (in myself) I learned, incorporated into my being, was to be focused on “unspoken communication.” I never saw my parents have a fight. The communication was at a more subtle level between them and with us as children. My father had only to raise his eyebrow and we knew our behavior was not acceptable. When one raises a child in such a setting, then he or she learns subtle ways of communication.
That communication “style” serves me well in many ways – it helps me very much in Scriptural interpretation because there is much that is very subtle, “hidden,” in the way that Scripture speaks to us. It is also very helpful, to my way of thinking, in hearing how God speaks to me, through circumstances in life. But I can also tell you, from my life experiences, that in taking a spouse who does not have that same level of subtle communication, who grew up in a family with more direct and open confrontation, there can be issues based upon different communication styles. I have been told that my communication style is “too subtle.” I apologize if my communication here on the website is excessively subtle. I do work at being more direct.
How we are raised tends to stick with us. This is likely why marriages were based upon the parental choice of a spouse (“arranged marriages”) and not upon the desires of the heart (we will hopefully get to a blog on this Biblical perspective in the near future). And my interpretation is that (and we’ve shared these passages before) the LORD (יהוה) specifically chose Abraham because of two things, his obedience in listening to God, and because he knew Abraham would pass that along to his descendants, a “multitude of nations.”
So, the food for thought here is really to consider what your child/youth/young adult is learning from his or her environment, the home, the school, books they read, the screen time. Remember that what is influencing your child/youth/young adult is likely going to stick around for their lifetime. It is those people and things around her or him that influences them. Consider what kind of worldview they are forming within them right now. What is their attention being focused upon? Where are they abiding? How will this affect the nation and the world? How might this influence your parenting? In this way we are co-creators with the LORD.
Such experiences as the graduation this past weekend are life situations through which the LORD (יהוה) speaks, which when combined with Scripture, begin to make sense of what he is telling us. The governor’s presentation had a very positive focus, but you can see from our mental pictures above how there can be a very negative focus, as well. The world is continually being shaped by the circles and cycles of life. “My father has been working until now” (John5:17).
Ⓒ Copyright LogAndSpeck May 2023. Please cite if copying.