Bible Strands
Proverbs 4:5
Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — A father addresses his son, continuing the instructional dialogue begun in the preceding verse about laying hold of his commands.
The words — The imperative קְנֵה (ke.Neh) commands the reader to acquire, while the negative prohibition תִּשְׁכַּח (tish.Kach) forbids forgetting the instructor's words.
The thread — The pursuit of wisdom recurs in Proverbs 3:13 and James 1:5, where both texts direct the reader toward obtaining divine insight.
Why it lands — The text demands active pursuit of understanding and warns against neglecting the received instruction.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Cross-references
- James 1:5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
- Proverbs 3:13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding,
- 2 Chronicles 34:2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.
- Proverbs 1:22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?
- Psalms 44:18 Our hearts have not turned back; our steps have not strayed from Your path.
- Job 23:11 My feet have followed in His tracks; I have kept His way without turning aside.
- Proverbs 8:5 O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.
- Proverbs 17:16 Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
- Proverbs 19:8 He who acquires wisdom loves himself; one who safeguards understanding will find success.
- Psalms 119:51 The arrogant utterly deride me, but I do not turn from Your law.