Proverbs 4:10
in Proverbs 4Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; And the years of thy life shall be many.
KJV
Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
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This verse in Proverbs 4
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThere is only one way of truth, but different paths from different places join it, just like tributaries flowing into a perennial river. So these are really inspired words: "Hear, my son, and accept my words, to have many paths of life. I am teaching you the ways of wisdom, so that its springs may never fail you"—that is, those which spurt from the same soil. He is not merely affirming that there is more than one path of salvation for a single righteous person. He adds that there are plenty of righteous people and plenty of routes for them.
This site's exposition
the years of your life will be many
on Proverbs 4:10-13
The father turns from wisdom's rewards to wisdom's road, promising that “your steps will not be impeded”. Instruction is to be gripped and kept, because “it is your life,” language stronger than the “love her” of 4:6. The unhindered path pictures a life ordered by wisdom.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
Listen, my son, and accept my words, etc. That is, so you may receive the gifts of eternal life.
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
), all the good lessons he had taught him; and perhaps he means particularly the book of Psalms, many of which were Maschils--psalms of instruction, and two of them are expressly said to be for Solomon.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
), as many in this world as Infinite Wisdom sees fit, and in the other world thou shalt live that life the years of which shall never be numbered. Keep her therefore, whatever it cost thee, for she is thy life,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings,....
(1.) By way of precept and exhortation. David, in teaching his son, though he was a child of great capacity and quick apprehension, yet to show that he was in good earnest, and to affect his child the more with what he said, expressed himself with great warmth and importunity, and inculcated the same thing again and again.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The years of thy life shall be many - Vice and intemperance impair the health and shorten the days of the wicked; while true religion, sobriety, and temperance, prolong them. The principal part of our diseases springs from “indolence, intemperance, and disorderly passions.” Religion excites to industry, promotes sober habits, and destroys evil passions, and harmonizes the soul; and thus, by preventing many diseases, necessarily prolongs life.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| שְׁמַ֣ע | shema' | listen | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| בְּ֭נִי | beni | O son my | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| וְקַ֣ח | vekach | and receive | H3947 → | 966 times |
| אֲמָרָ֑י | ʾamarai | words my | H561 → | 49 times |
| וְיִרְבּ֥וּ | veyirbu | so they may increase | H7235 → | 227 times |
| לְ֝ךָ֗ | lekha | for you | ||
| שְׁנ֣וֹת | shenot | years of | H8141 → | 877 times |
| חַיִּֽים׃ | chaiyim | life | H2416 → | 498 times |
שְׁמַ֣עlisten
shema'H8085 →1159 times
בְּ֭נִיO son my
beniH1121 →4930 times
וְקַ֣חand receive
vekachH3947 →966 times
אֲמָרָ֑יwords my
ʾamaraiH561 →49 times
וְיִרְבּ֥וּso they may increase
veyirbuH7235 →227 times
לְ֝ךָ֗for you
lekha
שְׁנ֣וֹתyears of
shenotH8141 →877 times
חַיִּֽים׃life
chaiyimH2416 →498 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 3:2for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life.
it leads to
- Ephesians 6:1–3
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
- Psalms 91:16
With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.”
- Ephesians 6:1–3
Through
1 Thessalonians 2:13And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as the true word of God—the…
it leads to
- Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
- Romans 10:17
Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
- 1 Peter 1:23
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
- 1 Peter 1:25
but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.
- 1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
- Hebrews 4:12
Through
Proverbs 3:16Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
it leads to
- Proverbs 3:2
for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life.
- Proverbs 3:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Proverbs
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 1; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.