Proverbs 23:22 · Bible study
Proverbs 23:22 Commentary: Honor Your Parents in Old Age
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the biblical command to honor aging parents in Proverbs 23:22: listen to your father, do not despise your mother when she is old. Wisdom for today.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Adult children must continue to honor their aging parents by heeding their instruction and not showing contempt.
- Key words: 'Listen' (shama), implies obedience; 'despise' (buz), hold as insignificant; 'old' (zaqen), advanced age.
- Main debate: Whether 'listen' requires unquestioning obedience or respectful attention, and how this applies when parents are ungodly.
- Theological theme: Honor for parents as a lifelong expression of wisdom and obedience to God's order.
- Best use: Teaching on family relationships, the value of the elderly, and the practical outworking of the fifth commandment.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Listen to your father who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old.
KJV King James Version 1769
Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, And despise not thy mother when she is old.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Hearken to thy father, who begat thee, And despise not thy mother when she hath become old.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Hearken to thy father, that begot thee: and despise not thy mother when she is old.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Oye á tu padre, á aquel que te engendró; y cuando tu madre envejeciere, no la menosprecies.
Ouve a teu pai, que te gerou; e não desprezes a tua mãe, quando ela envelhecer.
Écoute ton père, lui qui t’ a engendré,
Gehorche deinem Vater, der dich gezeugt hat, und verachte deine Mutter nicht, wenn sie alt wird.
Hoor naar uw vader, die u gewonnen heeft; en veracht uw moeder niet, als zij oud geworden is.
Da’ retta a tuo padre che t’ha generato, e non disprezzar tua madre quando sarà vecchia.
Słuchaj ojca twego, który cię spłodził, a nie pogardzaj matką twoją, gdy się zstarzeje.
Слушайся отца твоего: он родил тебя; и не пренебрегай матери твоей, когда она и состарится.
你要聽從 生 你的父親； 你母親 老了，也不可 藐視她。
Give ear to your father whose child you are, and do not keep honour from your mother when she is old.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Proverbs 23:22
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree this verse addresses a specific and ongoing duty: adult children must continue to honor their aging parents by heeding their instruction and refusing contempt. Adam Clarke notes the caution is necessary because very old women may be 'helpless, useless, and burdensome,' yet these circumstances do not lessen the child's duty. Gill argues the father's authority and affection, plus his longer experience, give weight to his counsel; the mother's old age must never trigger a dismissal of her advice as 'old wives' fables.' Jamieson-Fausset-Brown observe the shift from childhood obedience to adult reverence. Keil and Delitzsch treat the verse as part of a larger unit urging the acquisition of wisdom, with the command to honor parents forming the foundation. The shared reading is firm: honoring parents is a lifelong call, and aging does not release children from it.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The command to honor aging parents by listening and not despising them is clear and uncontested across Christian traditions.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Application to adult vs. young children | The command applies to adult children who may be tempted to disregard aging parents. | Some emphasize obedience (exact compliance), others emphasize respectful listening and consideration, allowing room for adult discernment. |
| Despise, attitude vs. action | Both internal contempt and external neglect are forbidden. | Whether the primary focus is on inner attitude (the heart's contempt) or outward behavior (neglect, harsh words). |
| Role of father versus mother | Both parents are to be honored; the verse pairs them symmetrically with different verbs. | Some argue the father's role as 'begetter' gives him a distinct authority; others see the pairing as complementary without hierarchy. |
| Connection to surrounding verses on wisdom | Honoring parents is part of the larger pursuit of wisdom and truth. | Whether the command stands independently or must be read strictly within the unit vv. 22-25 as a call to buy truth. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Proverbs 23:22 sits within a section scholars often call the 'Sayings of the Wise' (Proverbs 22:17, 24:22), a collection of instructions addressed to a son. In ancient Israel, the family was the primary unit for passing on wisdom, and both father and mother held teaching roles (Proverbs 1:8; 6:20). The verb translated 'listen' (shama) carries the force of obedience, not simply hearing. The father is described as 'who gave you life' (zeh yeladekha), literally 'this one begot you', a phrase that grounds his authority in the act of generation itself. The mother is singled out with a warning not to despise her 'when she is old.' The Hebrew verb buz means to hold in contempt, treat as insignificant. In a culture where elderly parents could become physically dependent and socially marginal, the temptation to dismiss their counsel or treat them as burdens was real. Cross-references reinforce the seriousness of this command: Leviticus 19:3 commands respect for mother and father together; Deuteronomy 27:16 pronounces a curse on anyone who dishonors them. The fifth commandment (Exodus 20:12) promises long life for honoring parents, and Proverbs 30:17 warns graphically against mocking a parent. This verse applies that enduring law specifically to the season when a mother is old and vulnerable.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Proverbs 23:22. The Masoretic Text is stable across manuscripts, and the verse is uniformly present in the tradition.
Reception History
This verse has been consistently used in Christian teaching on the fourth commandment, especially regarding care for elderly parents. Early church writers such as the author of the Didache included honor to parents as part of the 'way of life.' In the Reformation, Luther's Small Catechism explained the fifth commandment (‘Honor your father and mother’) as applying to adult children who should care for parents in their old age. Puritan preachers often cited this verse to warn against neglect. In modern times, it has been a key text for discussions on aging and the value of the elderly in church and society.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Listen to the father who gave you life, his authority rests on his role as your origin, and his experience qualifies him to speak.
- Do not despise your mother when she is old, her age does not diminish her worth or the weight of her words.
- The broader context: honoring parents is linked to acquiring wisdom (Proverbs 23:23-25), showing that respect for them opens the door to truth and understanding.
Five-point outline
- The call to obedience: 'hearken' implies a readiness to follow, not just hear.
- The basis of that call: the father gave you life, biological origin creates a bond of authority and gratitude.
- A specific warning: do not despise your mother when she is old, old age is a vulnerable season that tempts children to contempt.
- The contrast with surrounding verses: vv. 23-24 urge buying truth and wisdom; honoring parents is itself a form of wisdom.
- The joyful outcome: v. 25 shows that when parents are honored, they rejoice, and that joy is a mark of a wise child.
Illustration hooks
- The grown child who instinctively rolls her eyes when her elderly mother offers advice, dismissing it as outdated.
- The pressure a father feels to ignore his aging father's opinions on finances, even when those opinions come from decades of experience.
- The daily challenge of caring for a mother with dementia, where her words are confused but her value remains undiminished.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I honor a parent who was absent or abusive, does this verse still apply?
- What does it look like to obey this command when my parent's advice goes against my own mature judgment or faith convictions?
- How do I balance caring for aging parents with the demands of my own spouse and children, is there a limit to this duty?
Leading a Discussion
Proverbs 23:22 challenges us to consider how we treat our parents as they age. The verse is direct: listen to your father, do not despise your mother when she is old. But what does that look like in daily life, especially when parents become frail or their advice feels irrelevant? Use these questions to explore the passage together.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What actions does the verse command, and toward whom? Notice the different verbs used for father and mother.
- Observation: Why do you think the verse specifies 'when she is old' regarding the mother? What is the temptation it addresses?
- Interpretation: The Hebrew word for 'despise' (buz) means to hold as insignificant. What are some modern forms of despising an aging parent?
- Interpretation: How does this verse connect to the fifth commandment's promise of long life for honoring parents?
- Application: Think of a specific way you can 'listen' to an aging parent this week, not necessarily agree, but genuinely hear and consider their words.
- Application: How can your church community support those who care for elderly parents, especially when the burden feels heavy?
- Application: What do you do when a parent's advice or behavior is unwise or even harmful? Does this verse require you to obey or simply to not despise?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Leviticus 19:3 | “‘Each one of you shall respect his mother and his father. You shall keep my Sabbaths. I am Yahweh your God. |
| Deuteronomy 21:18 | If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and though they chasten him, will not listen to them, |
| Deuteronomy 21:21 | All the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall remove the evil from among you. All Israel shall hear, and fear. |
| Deuteronomy 27:16 | ‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or his mother.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ |
| Proverbs 1:8 | My son, listen to your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching; |
| Proverbs 6:20 | My son, keep your father’s commandment, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching. |
| Proverbs 30:11 | There is a generation that curses their father, and doesn’t bless their mother. |
| Proverbs 30:17 | “The eye that mocks at his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, the young eagles shall eat it. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that old age does not remove a child’s responsibility to care for his mother. He says the duty remains strong because of God’s command in this verse.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes draw a direct, practical line from the command to obey a father because he gave life to the command not to show contempt for a mother as she grows old. The distinction is that the same honor owed for begetting is owed when age makes a parent less capable.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that a father deserves attention not only for his authority but also for his longer experience in life. He warns young people not to dismiss their mother's advice simply because she is old, calling out the common tendency to treat her counsels as silly old wives' tales.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes that hearken means obey just as in Proverbs 1:8 and Ephesians 6:1. He also says adults should despise their old parents because they once obeyed them as children.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch see Proverbs 23:22 and 23:25 as one connected group. They explain that the command to listen to parents means actual obedience. You are welcome to hope for their joy.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees this chapter as a connected series of warnings against sensual self-indulgence, with covetousness as the deep root of evils like greed for power and luxury. He emphasizes that only the fear of Jehovah and a hope that endures beyond death can preserve someone from ruin.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that a father who begot you has authority over you and a genuine concern for your good. He says you should respect his advice just as you would obey the Father in heaven.