Proverbs 22:6: Edit history

Revision #11611

Proverbs 22:6

Localized for English-speaking readers

Status: approved

Changes from the previous English revision

= ## Context

- The first part of Proverbs 22 concludes the collection of Solomonic sayings that begins in chapter 10 (a new collection, "the words of the wise," begins at verse 17). Verse 6 is an independent saying with no direct connection to the verses before or after it. Verse 15 of the same chapter states, "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."

+ The first part of Proverbs 22 concludes the collection of Solomonic sayings that begins in chapter 10; a new collection, "the words of the wise," begins at verse 17. Verse 6 is an independent saying with no direct connection to the verses before or after it. Verse 15 of the same chapter states, "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."

= ## Interpretation

- - **"The way he should go" as God's way**: Following the rendering of the New Korean Revised Version, this view takes the verse as an instruction to teach children from an early age the right way of fearing God. It is the most widespread reading.

+ - **"The way he should go" as God's way**: This reading, reflected in the Korean Revised Version (New Revised Edition), takes the verse as an instruction to teach children from an early age the right way of fearing God. It is the most widespread interpretation.

= - **Training suited to the child's disposition**: Because the Hebrew literally speaks of training a child "according to his way," some interpreters understand the verse as a call to teach each child in a manner suited to his or her temperament and stage of development.

= - **A warning**: A minority view reads the verse as an ironic warning: if a child is allowed to go whatever way he wishes, he will be unable to abandon those habits even in old age.

- - **The meaning of "train up"**: The verb *ḥānak* can also mean "to dedicate" or "to initiate," so some interpret the verse as a call to dedicate the child to God and to give him a right start.

+ - **The meaning of "train up"**: The Hebrew verb *ḥānak* can also mean "to dedicate" or "to initiate," so some interpret the verse as a call to dedicate the child to God and to give the child a right start.

= ## Debate

- Some observe that reading this verse as an unconditional promise from God leads parents whose children have left the church despite receiving Christian instruction to blame themselves. Many commentators hold that Proverbs belongs to a genre that expresses principles of wisdom that hold true in most cases rather than promises without exception. Others, by contrast, maintain that the faith of those who cling to this verse as a promise and pray for their children should also be respected.

+ Some observe that reading this verse as an unconditional promise from God leads parents whose children have left the church despite receiving Christian instruction to blame themselves. Many commentators hold that Proverbs belongs to a genre that expresses principles of wisdom that hold true in most cases rather than promises without exception. Others, by contrast, maintain that the faith of those who hold to this verse as a promise and pray for their children should also be respected.

- ## In the Korean Church

- It is one of the verses most frequently used as a motto for Sunday school, dedication services for church school teachers, Children's Sunday, and Vacation Bible School.

+ ## In Korean Churches

+ In Korean Protestant churches, Proverbs 22:6 is one of the verses most frequently used as a motto for Sunday school, dedication services for church school teachers, Children's Sunday, and Vacation Bible School.

= ## Related Passages

…

Proverbs 22:6 is the proverb stating that a child taught the way he should go will not depart from it even when he is old. It is widely used as a motto for Christian education, and interpreters disagree over whether it is a promise that will certainly be fulfilled or a general principle.
Proverbs 22:6 is the proverb that reads, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (KJV). It is widely used as a motto for Christian education, and interpreters disagree over whether it is a promise that will certainly be fulfilled or a general principle.

Full revision

Proverbs 22:6 is the proverb that reads, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (KJV). It is widely used as a motto for Christian education, and interpreters disagree over whether it is a promise that will certainly be fulfilled or a general principle.

Context

The first part of Proverbs 22 concludes the collection of Solomonic sayings that begins in chapter 10; a new collection, "the words of the wise," begins at verse 17. Verse 6 is an independent saying with no direct connection to the verses before or after it. Verse 15 of the same chapter states, "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."

Interpretation

"The way he should go" as God's way: This reading, reflected in the Korean Revised Version (New Revised Edition), takes the verse as an instruction to teach children from an early age the right way of fearing God. It is the most widespread interpretation.
Training suited to the child's disposition: Because the Hebrew literally speaks of training a child "according to his way," some interpreters understand the verse as a call to teach each child in a manner suited to his or her temperament and stage of development.
A warning: A minority view reads the verse as an ironic warning: if a child is allowed to go whatever way he wishes, he will be unable to abandon those habits even in old age.
The meaning of "train up": The Hebrew verb ḥānak can also mean "to dedicate" or "to initiate," so some interpret the verse as a call to dedicate the child to God and to give the child a right start.

Debate

Some observe that reading this verse as an unconditional promise from God leads parents whose children have left the church despite receiving Christian instruction to blame themselves. Many commentators hold that Proverbs belongs to a genre that expresses principles of wisdom that hold true in most cases rather than promises without exception. Others, by contrast, maintain that the faith of those who hold to this verse as a promise and pray for their children should also be respected.

In Korean Churches

In Korean Protestant churches, Proverbs 22:6 is one of the verses most frequently used as a motto for Sunday school, dedication services for church school teachers, Children's Sunday, and Vacation Bible School.

Related Passages

Deuteronomy 6:6-7
Ephesians 6:4
2 Timothy 3:15

Revision	Time (UTC)	Contributor	Summary	Status
#11611	2026-11-05 01:48:32	AI localization	Localized for English-speaking readers	approved
#11610	2026-11-05 01:48:32	AI localization	English baseline before localization	approved