Proverbs 4:3 kjv

For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

Proverbs 4:3 nkjv

When I was my father's son, Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,

Proverbs 4:3 niv

For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother.

Proverbs 4:3 esv

When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,

Proverbs 4:3 nlt

For I, too, was once my father's son,
tenderly loved as my mother's only child.

Proverbs 4 verses

Proverbs 4 3 Meaning

Proverbs 4:3 conveys a deeply personal and foundational aspect of wisdom transmission. It portrays the speaker, traditionally King Solomon recalling his upbringing, as a child who was not only receptive but also profoundly loved and uniquely cherished by both his father and mother. This imagery emphasizes that the instruction being imparted is rooted in a tender, intimate familial bond, establishing wisdom not as a detached academic pursuit but as a treasured inheritance lovingly passed from one generation to the next within an environment of exceptional care and affection. It highlights the optimal state of a young, impressionable heart to receive crucial life principles.

Proverbs 4 3 Context

Proverbs chapter 4 serves as a strong exhortation from a father, possibly King David or Solomon himself, urging his son (or readers metaphorically as sons) to earnestly seek and adhere to wisdom. The entire chapter emphasizes the supreme value of wisdom as the key to life, protection, and prosperity. Verse 3 establishes the tender, loving atmosphere in which this wisdom was originally received by the speaker. It sets a familial tone for the subsequent impassioned pleas to "get wisdom" (Prv 4:5), grounding the urgency of the father's instruction in his own past experience of being a cherished and teachable son, who understood the profound significance of the lessons bestowed upon him by his parents.

Proverbs 4 3 Word analysis

• For (כִּי - ki): This connective particle explains or justifies the upcoming instruction by recounting the speaker's own experience. It provides credibility and depth, emphasizing that the speaker imparts what he himself once received and valued.
• I was (הָיִיתִי - hayiti): The use of the past tense personalizes the narrative, indicating that the speaker himself went through the process of receiving instruction from his parents. This creates an empathetic bridge, validating the teaching that follows.
• my father's son (בֵן לְאָבִי - ben l'avi): This phrase underscores the patriarchal line of teaching, where the father is the primary instructor and inheritor of tradition. It highlights not just biological relationship, but a bond of heirship and direct lineage in receiving and transmitting wisdom.
• tender (רַךְ - rak): Meaning "soft," "delicate," or "young," this word portrays the child as impressionable and receptive, at an age when foundational values and truths are most easily absorbed and shaped. It implies a state of vulnerability that invites gentle care and deliberate instruction.
• and only beloved (וְיָחִיד - v'yachid): "Yachid" denotes unique, singular, or exceedingly cherished. It can mean an "only child" but more profoundly implies a highly valued, exceptionally precious status. This intensifies the profound love and special attention given to the child, signifying that the wisdom imparted was delivered with utmost care and singular focus.
• in the sight of my mother (לְאִמִּי - l'immi): Though primarily seen as a father's instruction in Proverbs, the mother's role is affirmed. This phrase implies her deep affection and esteem for her child. Her presence signifies the nurturing, safe environment crucial for a child's tender heart to flourish and receive wisdom. Both parents contribute to the cherished and supportive upbringing.

Proverbs 4 3 Bonus section

The inclusion of both father and mother in verse 3 underscores a holistic and balanced approach to ancient Israelite child-rearing, where the mother’s nurturing influence complements the father's direct instruction. This dual parental devotion implies that wisdom, being such a vital part of life, should be imparted within an environment of comprehensive love and security. The "tender and only beloved" description serves as a powerful call for parents to cultivate similar deep, cherishing affection and intentionality when raising their own children, recognizing the fleeting, receptive period of youth as paramount for character and faith formation.

Proverbs 4 3 Commentary

Proverbs 4:3 is more than a simple biographical note; it’s a profound personal testimony grounding the call to wisdom in love and lineage. By casting himself as "my father's son, tender and only beloved," the speaker—Solomon as a metaphor for wisdom's conveyor—establishes authenticity and credibility. This portrayal evokes an environment of optimal receptivity: a young, impressionable mind (tender) nurtured by deep, singular parental affection (only beloved by his mother). The verse underlines that wisdom isn't a mere academic exercise but a deeply personal, cherished legacy, best received when one is humble, open, and surrounded by loving guidance. It frames the instruction that follows not as a burdensome lecture but as an invaluable inheritance freely and lovingly given. For instance, just as a potter shapes soft clay, or a master craftsman molds a precious material, so too are the tender hearts of children molded by the loving, intentional wisdom shared by their parents in early, crucial years. This foundational truth lays the groundwork for the urgent exhortation to embrace wisdom that characterizes the rest of the chapter.