22:17 Incline your ear 2 and listen to the words of the wise,
and apply your heart to my instruction. 3
22:20 Have I not written thirty sayings 4 for you,
sayings 5 of counsel and knowledge,
22:21 to show you true and reliable words, 6
so that you may give accurate answers 7 to those who sent you?
1 sn A new collection of sayings begins here, forming the fourth section of the book of Proverbs. This collection is not like that of 1:1–9:18; here the introductory material is more personal than 1:1-7, and the style differs, showing great similarity to the Instruction of Amenemope in Egypt (especially the thirty precepts of the sages in 22:17–24:22). Verses 17-21 form the introduction, and then the sayings begin in v. 22. After the thirty sayings are given, there are further sayings in 24:23-34. There is much literature on this material: see W. K. Simpson, ed., Literature of Ancient Egypt; ANET 412-425; and A. Cody, “Notes on Proverbs 22:21 and 22:23b,” Bib 61 (1980): 418-26.
2 sn To “incline the ear” means to “listen carefully” (cf. NCV); the expression is metonymical in that the ear is the instrument for hearing. It is like telling someone to lean over to hear better.
3 tn Heb “knowledge” (so KJV, NASB); in this context it refers to the knowledge that is spoken by the wise, hence “instruction.”
4 tn Older English versions and a few more recent ones render this phrase as either “excellent things” following the Qere (so KJV, ASV, NASB, NKJV), “officers,” or “heretofore” [day before yesterday], following the Kethib. However (as in most recent English versions) the Qere should be rendered “thirty,” referring to the number in the collection (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
5 tn The term “sayings” does not appear in the Hebrew text but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
6 tn Heb “to cause you to know the truth of words of truth” (NASB similar).
7 tn Heb “to return true words”; NAB “a dependable report”; NIV “sound answers.”