Proverbs 22 · WEB
A Good Name Is to Be Chosen
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Summary
Proverbs 22 closes the main Solomonic collection (10:1-22:16) with a strong opening proverb about reputation versus wealth (v. 1), the famous parenting proverb (v. 6), and several practical ethical commands. At verse 17, the chapter transitions to the "words of the wise" — a distinct collection within Proverbs modeled on ancient Egyptian wisdom literature. The final proverb (v. 29) — "do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings" — is a ringing affirmation of excellence as its own reward.
Themes
- Reputation and character as more valuable than wealth
- Parental formation as decisive in the long run
- God as the advocate for the poor against those who exploit them
- The power of companions to form character — choose them carefully
- Excellence in work as the path to significant influence
Key verses
- Prov 22:1 — “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.”
- Prov 22:29 — “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He will not serve obscure men.”
- Prov 22:6 — “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Context & background
Proverbs 22:6 is one of the most discussed parenting proverbs — "the way he should go" may mean the child's individual bent/calling, or it may mean "the right way" in general. Either reading affirms the decisive role of early formation. Verse 17-21 introduces the "thirty sayings of the wise" (vv. 17-24:22), which closely parallels the Egyptian wisdom text *The Instruction of Amenemope*, suggesting that Israel's wisdom tradition was in dialogue with the wider ancient Near Eastern world. God is the champion of the poor (v. 23) — "Yahweh will plead their cause" — this is the legal language of an advocate in court. The boundary stone (v. 28) was a physical marker of property lines — moving it was considered a form of theft (Deuteronomy 19:14).
Cross-references
- 1 Corinthians 15:33 — "bad company corrupts good character" — v. 24-25
- Colossians 3:23-24 — "work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord" — v. 29's skill
- Deuteronomy 19:14 — "do not move your neighbor's boundary stone" — v. 28
- Ephesians 6:4 — "bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord" — v. 6
- Psalm 68:5 — "a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling" — v. 23