The Bible Study Podcast, episode 465. Today, the Bible Study podcast continues the study of the

book of Proverbs with chapter 4. Welcome to the Bible study podcast. I'm your host, Chris Christensen.

Proverbs 4 has to do with wisdom,

which is not surprising because we're going to be dealing with that theme a lot here in Proverbs,

but it has to do with getting wisdom at any cost. Listen my sons to a father's instruction,

pay attention and gain understanding. I gave you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching, for I too was a son to my father, still tender and cherished by my mother. Then he taught me,

and he said to me, take hold of my words with all your heart, keep my commands and you will live,

get wisdom, get understanding. Do not forget my words or turn away from

them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you. Love her and she will watch over you.

The beginning of wisdom is this. Get wisdom. Though it costs all you have, get understanding.

Cherish her and she will exalt you. Embrace her and she will honor you.

She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.

I'm going to pause here and look at this. This is part of the section in Proverbs that are the

proverbs from Solomon. Remember Solomon, who is the son of David, not the oldest son, but the son who will

take over after him. And so when he says, I too was a son to my father still tender and cherished

by my mother, then he taught me and he said to me, take hold of my words. So he's talking about

literally his father, David, who was a wise and generous king, not faultless, as we've

talked about before, but was a good king, all things considered. Now, of course, this is a child

of his relationship with Beth Sheba, which started in sin. The first child of that died,

but Solomon is also a son of

Bathsheba. So that's going to be interesting as we look at sections in proverbs that talk about

not forgetting the wife of your youth and things like that, because many of them are written by

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