Proverbs 6:20My son, keep your father's commandment, and don't forsake your mother's teaching.
The setting
Ancient Israel, ~970-930 BC. A father sits with his son at evening, sharing wisdom that has been passed down for generations in Jerusalem, modern-day Israel...
The emotion here: urgent concern for next generation's moral foundation
The original word
mitzvah (מצוה) — commandment, not just suggestion but binding instruction with divine authority
Why it matters
Hebrew fathers were legally responsible for their sons' moral education until age 13
Read with care
What most readers miss in Proverbs 6:20
Both 'father's commandment' and 'mother's teaching' carry equal weight — revolutionary for ancient times
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about blind obedience to any parental demand. It specifically refers to moral and spiritual instruction, not personal preferences or control.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Proverbs 6:20
Bible Genome reading
Proverbs 6:20 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Proverbs 6:20 comes from the book of Proverbs, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Solomon. The dominant emotion in this verse is grateful, with a comfort power of 60% and a tone that is tender. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include parental honor, family wisdom. Notable phrases: keep your father's commandment; don't forsake your mother's teaching. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grateful
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
— John 3:16
“I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith.”
— 2 Timothy 4:7
“It will be, that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.'”
— Acts 2:21
“for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,”
— Ephesians 2:8
“So now it wasn't you who sent me here, but God, and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land o…”
— Genesis 45:8
Your reflection
What does Proverbs 6:20 mean to you, today?
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