Proverbs 2:2

2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—

Proverbs 2:2 in Other Translations

KJV
2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
ESV
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;
NLT
2 Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.
MSG
2 Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom; set your heart on a life of Understanding.
CSB
2 listening closely to wisdom and directing your heart to understanding;

Proverbs 2:2 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 2:2

So that thou incline thine ear unto Wisdom
Hearken to Wisdom, that is, Christ; or rather to the instruction of Wisdom, which is the Gospel; so called, because it is the produce of divine wisdom, what the wisdom of man could never have devised, and which it opposes; and in which there is a most glorious display of the wisdom of God, in the justification and salvation of his people by Christ, ( 1 Corinthians 2:6 1 Corinthians 2:7 ) ; and is worth listening unto with the greatest attention, which is what is designed by this expression; [and] apply thine heart to understanding;
to a spiritual and experimental understanding of the Gospel, and the truths of it: for an inclination of the ear, without an application of the heart, which signifies the intenseness of the mind, an earnest and hearty desire after knowledge, will signify nothing; a hypocrite may seemingly hear with great attention, and show much affection, and yet his heart be after the world and the things of it, ( Ezekiel 33:31 ) ; see ( Psalms 119:112 ) .

Proverbs 2:2 In-Context

1 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—
3 indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the LORDand find the knowledge of God.

Cross References 1

  • 1. Proverbs 22:17; Proverbs 23:12
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