Deuteronomy 6:7

6:7 and you must teach ¹  them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, ²  as you lie down, and as you get up.

Deuteronomy 11:19

11:19 Teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, ³  as you lie down, and as you get up.

Deuteronomy 29:29

29:29 Secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those that are revealed belong to us and our descendants ⁴  forever, so that we might obey all the words of this law.

Deuteronomy 31:19

31:19 Now write down for yourselves the following song and teach it to the Israelites. Put it into their very mouths so that this song may serve as my witness against the Israelites!

Genesis 18:19

18:19 I have chosen him ⁵  so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep ⁶  the way of the Lord by doing ⁷  what is right and just. Then the Lord will give ⁸  to Abraham what he promised ⁹  him.”

Exodus 13:8-9

13:8 You are to tell your son ¹⁰  on that day, ¹¹  ‘It is ¹²  because of what ¹³  the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 13:9 ¹⁴  It ¹⁵  will be a sign ¹⁶  for you on your hand and a memorial ¹⁷  on your forehead, ¹⁸  so that the law of the Lord may be ¹⁹  in your mouth, ²⁰  for ²¹  with a mighty hand the Lord brought you out of Egypt.

Exodus 13:14-16

13:14 ²² In the future, ²³  when your son asks you ²⁴  ‘What is this?’ ²⁵  you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty hand ²⁶  the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the land of slavery. ²⁷  13:15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused ²⁸  to release us, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of people to the firstborn of animals. ²⁹  That is why I am sacrificing ³⁰  to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb, but all my firstborn sons I redeem.’ 13:16 It will be for a sign on your hand and for frontlets ³¹  on your forehead, for with a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.” ³² 

Joshua 4:6-7

4:6 The stones ³³  will be a reminder to you. ³⁴  When your children ask someday, ‘Why are these stones important to you?’ 4:7 tell them how the water of the Jordan stopped flowing ³⁵  before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the water of the Jordan stopped flowing. ³⁶  These stones will be a lasting memorial for the Israelites.”

Joshua 4:21

4:21 He told the Israelites, “When your children someday ask their fathers, ‘What do these stones represent?’ ³⁷ 

Psalms 34:11-16

34:11 Come children! Listen to me!

I will teach you what it means to fear the Lord. ³⁸ 

34:12 Do you want to really live? ³⁹ 

Would you love to live a long, happy life? ⁴⁰ 

34:13 Then make sure you don’t speak evil words ⁴¹ 

or use deceptive speech! ⁴² 

34:14 Turn away from evil and do what is right! ⁴³ 

Strive for peace and promote it! ⁴⁴ 

34:15 The Lord pays attention to the godly

and hears their cry for help. ⁴⁵ 

34:16 But the Lord opposes evildoers

and wipes out all memory of them from the earth. ⁴⁶ 

Psalms 71:18

71:18 Even when I am old and gray, ⁴⁷ 

O God, do not abandon me,

until I tell the next generation about your strength,

and those coming after me about your power. ⁴⁸ 

Psalms 78:3-8

78:3 What we have heard and learned ⁴⁹  –

that which our ancestors ⁵⁰  have told us –

78:4 we will not hide from their ⁵¹  descendants.

We will tell the next generation

about the Lord’s praiseworthy acts, ⁵² 

about his strength and the amazing things he has done.

78:5 He established a rule ⁵³  in Jacob;

he set up a law in Israel.

He commanded our ancestors

to make his deeds known to their descendants, ⁵⁴ 

78:6 so that the next generation, children yet to be born,

might know about them.

They will grow up and tell their descendants about them. ⁵⁵ 

78:7 Then they will place their confidence in God.

They will not forget the works of God,

and they will obey ⁵⁶  his commands.

78:8 Then they will not be like their ancestors,

who were a stubborn and rebellious generation,

a generation that was not committed

and faithful to God. ⁵⁷ 

Proverbs 1:8

1:8 Listen, ⁵⁸  my child, ⁵⁹  to the instruction ⁶⁰  from ⁶¹  your father,

and do not forsake the teaching ⁶²  from ⁶³  your mother.

Proverbs 4:1-13

Admonition to Follow Righteousness and Avoid Wickedness ⁶⁴ 

4:1 Listen, children, ⁶⁵  to a father’s instruction, ⁶⁶ 

and pay attention so that ⁶⁷  you may gain ⁶⁸  discernment.

4:2 Because I give ⁶⁹  you good instruction, ⁷⁰ 

do not forsake my teaching.

4:3 When I was a son to my father, ⁷¹ 

a tender only child ⁷²  before my mother,

4:4 he taught me, and he said to me:

“Let your heart lay hold of my words;

keep my commands so that ⁷³  you will live.

4:5 Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding;

do not forget and do not turn aside from the words I speak. ⁷⁴ 

4:6 Do not forsake wisdom, ⁷⁵  and she will protect you;

love her, and she will guard you.

4:7 Wisdom is supreme ⁷⁶  – so ⁷⁷  acquire wisdom,

and whatever you acquire, ⁷⁸  acquire understanding! ⁷⁹ 

4:8 Esteem her highly ⁸⁰  and she will exalt you;

she will honor you if you embrace her.

4:9 She will place a fair ⁸¹  garland on your head;

she will bestow ⁸²  a beautiful crown ⁸³  on you.”

4:10 Listen, my child, ⁸⁴  and accept my words,

so that ⁸⁵  the years of your life will be many. ⁸⁶ 

4:11 I will guide you ⁸⁷  in the way of wisdom

and I will lead you in upright paths. ⁸⁸ 

4:12 When you walk, your steps ⁸⁹  will not be hampered, ⁹⁰ 

and when you run, ⁹¹  you will not stumble.

4:13 Hold on to instruction, ⁹²  do not let it go;

protect it, ⁹³  because it is your life.

Proverbs 23:26

23:26 Give me your heart, my son, ⁹⁴ 

and let your eyes observe my ways;

Isaiah 38:19

38:19 The living person, the living person, he gives you thanks,

as I do today.

A father tells his sons about your faithfulness.

Ephesians 6:4

6:4 Fathers, ⁹⁵  do not provoke your children to anger, ⁹⁶  but raise them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

[6:7]  ¹ tn Heb “repeat” (so NLT). If from the root I שָׁנַן (shanan), the verb means essentially to “engrave,” that is, “to teach incisively” (Piel); note NAB “Drill them into your children.” Cf. BDB 1041-42 s.v.

[6:7]  ² tn Or “as you are away on a journey” (cf. NRSV, TEV, NLT); NAB “at home and abroad.”

[11:19]  ³ tn Or “as you are away on a journey” (cf. NRSV, TEV, NLT); NAB “at home and abroad.”

[29:29]  ⁴ tn Heb “sons” (so NASB); KJV, ASV, NIV, NRSV “children.”

[18:19]  ⁵ tn Heb “For I have known him.” The verb יָדַע (yada’) here means “to recognize and treat in a special manner, to choose” (see Amos 3:2). It indicates that Abraham stood in a special covenantal relationship with the Lord.

[18:19]  ⁶ tn Heb “and they will keep.” The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive carries on the subjective nuance of the preceding imperfect verbal form (translated “so that he may command”).

[18:19]  ⁷ tn The infinitive construct here indicates manner, explaining how Abraham’s children and his household will keep the way of the Lord.

[18:19]  ⁸ tn Heb “bring on.” The infinitive after לְמַעַן (lÿma’an) indicates result here.

[18:19]  ⁹ tn Heb “spoke to.”

[13:8]  ¹⁰ tn The form is the Hiphil perfect with the vav (ו) consecutive, carrying the sequence forward: “and you will declare to your son.”

[13:8]  ¹¹ tn Heb “day, saying.” “Tell…saying” is redundant, so “saying” has not been included in the translation here.

[13:8]  ¹² tn “it is” has been supplied.

[13:8]  ¹³ tn The text uses זֶה (zeh), which Gesenius classifies as the use of the pronoun to introduce a relative clause after the preposition (GKC 447 §138.h) – but he thinks the form is corrupt. B. S. Childs, however, sees no reason to posit a corruption in this form (Exodus [OTL], 184).

[13:9]  ¹⁴ sn This passage has, of course, been taken literally by many devout Jews, and portions of the text have been encased in phylacteries and bound on the arm and forehead. B. Jacob (Exodus, 368), weighing the pros and cons of the literal or the figurative meaning, says that those who took it literally should not be looked down on for their symbolic work. In many cases, he continues, it is the spirit that kills and the letter makes alive – because people who argue against a literal usage do so to excuse lack of action. This is a rather interesting twist in the discussion. The point of the teaching was obviously meant to keep the Law of Yahweh in the minds of the people, to remind them of their duties.

[13:9]  ¹⁵ tn That is, this ceremony.

[13:9]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “for a sign.”

[13:9]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “for a memorial.”

[13:9]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “between your eyes” (KJV and ASV both similar); the same expression occurs in v. 16.

[13:9]  ¹⁹ tn The purpose of using this ceremony as a sign and a memorial is that the Law might be in their mouth. The imperfect tense, then, receives the classification of final imperfect in the purpose clause.

[13:9]  ²⁰ sn “Mouth” is a metonymy of cause; the point is that they should be ever talking about the Law as their guide as they go about their duties (see Deut 6:7; 11:19; Josh 1:8).

[13:9]  ²¹ tn This causal clause gives the reason for what has just been instructed. Because Yahweh delivered them from bondage, he has the strongest claims on their life.

[13:14]  ²² sn As with v. 8, the Law now requires that the children be instructed on the meaning of this observance. It is a memorial of the deliverance from bondage and the killing of the firstborn in Egypt.

[13:14]  ²³ tn Heb “tomorrow.”

[13:14]  ²⁴ tn Heb “and it will be when your son will ask you.”

[13:14]  ²⁵ tn The question is cryptic; it simply says, “What is this?” but certainly refers to the custom just mentioned. It asks, “What does this mean?” or “Why do we do this?”

[13:14]  ²⁶ tn The expression is “with strength of hand,” making “hand” the genitive of specification. In translation “strength” becomes the modifier, because “hand” specifies where the strength was. But of course the whole expression is anthropomorphic for the power of God.

[13:14]  ²⁷ tn Heb “house of slaves.”

[13:15]  ²⁸ tn Heb “dealt hardly in letting us go” or “made it hard to let us go” (see S. R. Driver, Exodus, 110). The verb is the simple Hiphil perfect הִקְשָׁה (hiqshah, “he made hard”); the infinitive construct לְשַׁלְּחֵנוּ (lÿshallÿkhenu, “to release us”) could be taken epexegetically, meaning “he made releasing us hard.” But the infinitive more likely gives the purpose or the result after the verb “hardened himself.” The verb is figurative for “be stubborn” or “stubbornly refuse.”

[13:15]  ²⁹ tn The text uses “man” and “beast.”

[13:15]  ³⁰ tn The form is the active participle.

[13:16]  ³¹ tn The word is טוֹטָפֹת (totafot, “frontlets”). The etymology is uncertain, but the word denotes a sign or an object placed on the forehead (see m. Shabbat 6:1). The Gemara interprets it as a band that goes from ear to ear. In the Targum to 2 Sam 1:10 it is an armlet worn by Saul (see S. R. Driver, Exodus, 110). These bands may have resembled the Egyptian practice of wearing as amulets “forms of words written on folds of papyrus tightly rolled up and sewn in linen” (W. C. Kaiser, Jr., “Exodus,” EBC 2:384).

[13:16]  ³² sn The pattern of the passage now emerges more clearly; it concerns the grateful debt of the redeemed. In the first part eating the unleavened bread recalls the night of deliverance in Egypt, and it calls for purity. In the second part the dedication of the firstborn was an acknowledgment of the deliverance of the firstborn from bondage. They were to remember the deliverance and choose purity; they were to remember the deliverance and choose dedication. The NT will also say, “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price, therefore, glorify God” (1 Cor 6:20). Here too the truths of God’s great redemption must be learned well and retained well from generation to generation.

[4:6]  ³³ tn Heb “that this may be”; the referent of “this” (the twelve stones) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[4:6]  ³⁴ tn Heb “in order that this might be a sign among you.”

[4:7]  ³⁵ tn Heb “were cut off from before.”

[4:7]  ³⁶ tn Heb “how the waters descending from above stood still.”

[4:21]  ³⁷ tn Heb “What are these stones?”

[34:11]  ³⁸ tn Heb “the fear of the Lord I will teach you.” In vv. 13-14 the psalmist explains to his audience what it means to “fear” the Lord.

[34:12]  ³⁹ tn Heb “Who is the man who desires life?” The rhetorical question is used to grab the audience’s attention. “Life” probably refers here to quality of life, not just physical existence or even duration of life. See the following line.

[34:12]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “[Who] loves days to see good?”

[34:13]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “guard your tongue from evil.”

[34:13]  ⁴² tn Heb “and your lips from speaking deception.”

[34:14]  ⁴³ tn Or “do good.”

[34:14]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “seek peace and pursue it.”

[34:15]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “the eyes of the Lord [are] toward the godly, and his ears [are] toward their cry for help.”

[34:16]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “the face of the Lord [is] against the doers of evil to cut off from the earth memory of them.”

[71:18]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “and even unto old age and gray hair.”

[71:18]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “until I declare your arm to a generation, to everyone who comes your power.” God’s “arm” here is an anthropomorphism that symbolizes his great strength.

[78:3]  ⁴⁹ tn Or “known.”

[78:3]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 5, 8, 12, 57).

[78:4]  ⁵¹ tn The pronominal suffix refers back to the “fathers” (“our ancestors,” v. 3).

[78:4]  ⁵² tn Heb “to a following generation telling the praises of the Lord.” “Praises” stand by metonymy for the mighty acts that prompt worship. Cf. Ps 9:14.

[78:5]  ⁵³ tn The Hebrew noun עֵדוּת (’edut) refers here to God’s command that the older generation teach their children about God’s mighty deeds in the nation’s history (see Exod 10:2; Deut 4:9; 6:20-25).

[78:5]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “which he commanded our fathers to make them known to their sons.” The plural suffix “them” probably refers back to the Lord’s mighty deeds (see vv. 3-4).

[78:6]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “in order that they might know, a following generation, sons [who] will be born, they will arise and will tell to their sons.”

[78:7]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “keep.”

[78:8]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “a generation that did not make firm its heart and whose spirit was not faithful with God.” The expression “make firm the heart” means “to be committed, devoted” (see 1 Sam 7:3).

[1:8]  ⁵⁸ tn The imperative שְׁמַע (shÿma’, “Listen!”) forms an urgent exhortation which expects immediate compliance with parental instruction.

[1:8]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “my son.” It is likely that collections of proverbs grew up in the royal courts and were designed for the training of the youthful prince. But once the collection was included in the canon, the term “son” would be expanded to mean a disciple, for all the people were to learn wisdom when young. It would not be limited to sons alone but would include daughters – as the expression “the children of (בְּנֵי, bÿne) Israel” (including males and females) clearly shows. Several passages in the Mishnah and Talmud record instructions to teach daughters the Mosaic law so that they will be righteous and avoid sin as well. The translation “my child,” although not entirely satisfactory, will be used here.

[1:8]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “training” or “discipline.” See note on 1:2.

[1:8]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “of.” The noun אָבִיךָ (’avikha, “of your father”) may be classified as a genitive of source.

[1:8]  ⁶² tn Heb “instruction.” In Proverbs the noun תּוֹרַה (torah) often means “instruction” or “moral direction” rather than “law” (BDB 435 s.v. 1.a). It is related to יָרָה (yarah, “to point [or, show] the way” in the Hiphil (BDB 435). Instruction attempts to point a person in the right direction (e.g., Gen 46:28).

[1:8]  ⁶³ tn Heb “of.” The noun אִמֶּךָ (’immekha, “of your mother”) may be classified as a genitive of source.

[4:1]  ⁶⁴ sn The chapter includes an exhortation to acquire wisdom (1-4a), a list of the benefits of wisdom (4b-9), a call to pursue a righteous lifestyle (10-13), a warning against a wicked lifestyle (14-19), and an exhortation to righteousness (20-27).

[4:1]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “sons.”

[4:1]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “discipline.”

[4:1]  ⁶⁷ tn The Qal infinitive construct with preposition ל (lamed) indicates the purpose/result of the preceding imperative.

[4:1]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “know” (so KJV, ASV).

[4:2]  ⁶⁹ tn The perfect tense has the nuance of instantaneous perfect; the sage is now calling the disciples to listen. It could also be a perfect of resolve, indicating what he is determined to do.

[4:2]  ⁷⁰ tn The word לֶקַח (leqakh, “instruction”) can be subjective (instruction acquired) or objective (the thing being taught). The latter fits best here.

[4:3]  ⁷¹ tn Or “a boy with my father.”

[4:3]  ⁷² tc The LXX introduces the ideas of “obedient” and “beloved” for these two terms. This seems to be a free rendering, if not a translation of a different Hebrew textual tradition. The MT makes good sense and requires no emendation.

[4:4]  ⁷³ tn The imperative with the vav expresses volitional sequence after the preceding imperative: “keep and then you will live,” meaning “keep so that you may live.”

[4:5]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “from the words of my mouth” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); TEV, CEV “what I say.”

[4:6]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “her”; the 3rd person feminine singular referent is personified “wisdom,” which has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[4:7]  ⁷⁶ tn The absolute and construct state of רֵאשִׁית (re’shit) are identical (BDB 912 s.v.). Some treat רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה (re’shit khokhmah) as a genitive-construct phrase: “the beginning of wisdom” (cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV). Others take רֵאשִׁית as an absolute functioning as predicate and חָכְמָה as the subject: “wisdom is the first/chief thing” (cf. KJV, ASV). The context here suggests the predicate.

[4:7]  ⁷⁷ tn The term “so” does not appear in the Hebrew but is supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness and style.

[4:7]  ⁷⁸ tn The noun קִנְיָן (qinyan) means “thing got or acquired; acquisition” (BDB 889 s.v.). With the preposition that denotes price, it means “with (or at the price of) all that you have acquired.” The point is that no price is too high for wisdom – give everything for it (K&D 16:108).

[4:7]  ⁷⁹ tc The verse is not in the LXX; some textual critics delete the verse as an impossible gloss that interrupts vv. 6 and 8 (e.g., C. H. Toy, Proverbs [ICC], 88).

[4:8]  ⁸⁰ tn The verb is the Pilpel imperative from סָלַל (salal, “to lift up; to cast up”). So the imperative means “exalt her; esteem her highly; prize her.”

[4:9]  ⁸¹ sn The personification of wisdom continues with the bestowal of a wreath for the head (e.g., 1:9). The point is that grace will be given to the individual like a wreath about the head.

[4:9]  ⁸² tn The verb מָגַן (magan) is a Piel (denominative) verb from the noun “shield.” Here it means “to bestow” (BDB 171 s.v.).

[4:9]  ⁸³ sn This verse uses wedding imagery: The wife (wisdom) who is embraced by her husband (the disciple) will place the wedding crown on the head of her new bridegroom. Wisdom, like a virtuous wife, will crown the individual with honor and grace.

[4:10]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “my son” (likewise in v. 20).

[4:10]  ⁸⁵ tn The vav prefixed to the imperfect verb follows an imperative; this volitive sequence depicts purpose/result.

[4:10]  ⁸⁶ tn Heb “and the years of life will be many for you.”

[4:11]  ⁸⁷ tn The form הֹרֵתִיךָ (horetikha) is the Hiphil perfect with a suffix from the root יָרָה (yarah, “to guide”). This and the parallel verb should be taken as instantaneous perfects, translated as an English present tense: The sage is now instructing or pointing the way.

[4:11]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “in the tracks of uprightness”; cf. NAB “on straightforward paths.” Both the verb and the object of the preposition make use of the idiom – the verb is the Hiphil perfect from דֶּרֶךְ (derekh, related to “road; way”) and the object is “wagon tracks, paths.”

[4:12]  ⁸⁹ sn The noun צַעֲדֶךָ (tsa’adekha, “your steps”) and the temporal infinitive בְּלֶכְתְּךָ (belekhtÿkha, “when you walk”) use the idiom of walking to represent the course of life. On that course there will be no obstacles; the “path” will be straight – morally and practically.

[4:12]  ⁹⁰ sn The verb צָרַר (tsarar, “to be narrow; to be constricted”) refers to that which is narrow or constricted, signifying distress, trouble, adversity; that which was wide-open or broad represents freedom and deliverance.

[4:12]  ⁹¹ sn The progression from walking to running is an idiom called “anabasis,” suggesting that as greater and swifter progress is made, there will be nothing to impede the progress (e.g., Isa 40:31).

[4:13]  ⁹² tn Heb “discipline.”

[4:13]  ⁹³ tn The form נִצְּרֶהָ (nitsÿreha, from נָצַר, natsar) has an anomalous doubled letter (see GKC 73 §20.h).

[23:26]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “my son”; the reference to a “son” is retained in the translation here because in the following lines the advice is to avoid women who are prostitutes.

[6:4]  ⁹⁵ tn Or perhaps “Parents” (so TEV, CEV). The plural οἱ πατέρες (Joi patere", “fathers”) can be used to refer to both the male and female parent (BDAG 786 s.v. πατήρ 1.b).

[6:4]  ⁹⁶ tn Or “do not make your children angry.” BDAG 780 s.v. παροργίζω states “make angry.” The Greek verb in Col 3:21 is a different one with a slightly different nuance.