Discovery BoxProverbs 4:20 
Context4:20 My child, pay attention to my words;
listen attentively 1 to my sayings.
Proverbs 5:1
Context5:1 My child, 3 be attentive to my wisdom,
pay close attention 4 to my understanding,
Proverbs 7:24
Context7:24 So now, sons, 5 listen to me,
and pay attention to the words I speak. 6
Proverbs 13:13
Context13:13 The one who despises instruction 7 will pay the penalty, 8
but whoever esteems instruction 9 will 10 be rewarded. 11
Proverbs 27:23
Context27:23 Pay careful attention to 12 the condition of your flocks, 13
give careful attention 14 to your herds,
1 tn Heb “incline your ear.” The verb הַט (hat) is the Hiphil imperative from נָטָה (natah, Hiphil: “to turn to; to incline”). The idiom “to incline the ear” gives the picture of “lean over and listen closely.”
sn Commentators note the use of the body in this section: ear (v. 20), eyes (v. 21), flesh (v. 22), heart (v. 23), lips (v. 24), eyes (v. 25), feet (v. 26), and hands and feet (v. 27). Each is a synecdoche of part representing the whole; the total accumulation signifies the complete person in the process.
2 sn In this chapter the sage/father exhorts discretion (1, 2) then explains how to avoid seduction (3-6); this is followed by a second exhortation to prevention (7, 8) and an explanation that obedience will avoid ruin and regret (9-14); finally, he warns against sharing love with strangers (15-17) but to find it at home (18-23). For an analysis of the chapter, see J. E. Goldingay, “Proverbs V and IX,” RB 84 (1977): 80-93.
3 tn The text again has “my son.” In this passage perhaps “son” would be the most fitting because of the warning against going to the adulterous woman. However, since the image of the adulterous woman probably represents all kinds of folly (through personification), and since even in this particular folly the temptation works both ways, the general address to either young men or women should be retained. The text was certainly not intended to convey that only women could seduce men.
4 tn Heb “incline your ear” (so NAB, NRSV); NLT “listen carefully.”
5 tn The literal translation “sons” works well here in view of the warning. Cf. KJV, NAB, NRSV “children.”
6 tn Heb “the words of my mouth.”
7 tn Heb “the word.” The term “word” means teaching in general; its parallel “command” indicates that it is the more forceful instruction that is meant. Both of these terms are used for scripture.
8 tc The MT reads יֵחָבֶל (yekhavel, “he will pay [for it]”; cf. NAB, NIV) but the BHS editors suggest revocalizing the text to יְחֻבָּל (yÿkhubal, “he will be broken [for it]”; cf. NRSV “bring destruction on themselves”).
tn Heb “will be pledged to it.” The Niphal of I חָבַל (khaval) “to pledge” means “to be under pledge to pay the penalty” (BDB 286 s.v. Niph). Whoever despises teaching will be treated as a debtor – he will pay for it if he offends against the law.
9 tn Heb “fears a commandment”; NIV “respects a command.”
10 tn Heb “he” or “that one” [will be rewarded].
11 tc The LXX adds: “A crafty son will have no good thing, but the affairs of a wise servant will be prosperous; and his path will be directed rightly.”
12 tn The sentence uses the infinitive absolute and the imperfect from יָדַע (yada’, “to know”). The imperfect here has been given the obligatory nuance, “you must know,” and that has to be intensified with the infinitive.
13 tn Heb “the faces of your flock.”
14 tn The idiom is “place [it on] your heart” or “take to heart.” Cf. NLT “put your heart into.”
sn The care of the flock must become the main focus of the will, for it is the livelihood. So v. 23 forms the main instruction of this lengthy proverb (vv. 23-27).
