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NASB | Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go [teaching him to seek God's wisdom and will for his abilities and talents], Even when he is old he will not depart from it. [Eph 6:4; 2 Tim 3:15] |
Bible Question:
I found a very serious problem in the book of Proverbs. Solomon who wrote the book said: Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. But he himself was taught by David and abandoned what he had learned. Could it be that he learned with his father to have wives and concubines and just excelled on this? Honestly I don't believe any human being is conditioned by what they are taught as kids. I have seen many change their ways no matter what kind of teaching they had as kids. The only thing I am sure continues in them is the psychological conditionments that don't leave the subconscious mind. But their actual life style are subject to all kinds of change, both for those who were raised in Christian homes and pagan homes. Now, what to do with this passage of Scriptures? Thank you, Finder |
Bible Answer: Solomon had something that David did not have. A great deal of wisdom given to him by God. I Kings 3:11-12 (ICB) God said to him, 'You did not ask for a long life. And you did not ask for riches for yourself. You did not ask for the death of your enemies. Since you asked for wisdom to make the right decisions, 12.) I will give you what you asked. I will give you wisdom and understanding. Your wisdom will be greater than anyone has had in the past. And there will never be anyone in the future like you. It'll be safe to say that the wisdom in Proverbs 22:6 came form God. If God's word states that if you train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it, then you can believe it to be so. However; please note that the scripture doesn't say that occassionally we won't stumble. It says when we are old we will not depart from it. What is old?? There could be a great many years between being a child and being old. If Solomon strayed from the path of righteousness, the question is: Did David raise Solomon the way that Solomon should go?? David had two major problems raising his children. 1.) David was a man of War. He fought a many wars. I would think that it would be difficult to fight those wars and to raise a child at the same time. One of the two will go lacking, David and his Mihgty Men were no joke!! David's second problem could be found in: II Samuel 12:7 (ICB) Then Nathan said to David, 'You are the man!. This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: I appointed you king of Israel. I saved you from Saul. I gave you his kingdom and his wives. And I made you king of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you even more. So why did you ignore the Lord's command? Why did you do what he says is wrong? You killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites! And you took his wife to become your wife! So there will .always be people in your family who will be killed by a sword. This is because you showed that you did not respect me! And you took the wife of Uriah the Hittite! This is what the Lord says! I am bringing trouble to you from your own family. While you watch, I will take your wives from you. And I will give them to someone who is very close to you. He will have sexual relations with your wives, and everyone will know it.' David's trouble was coming from his own household. I think that it was his son Absalom who slept with David's wives. I know it was Absalom who tried to de-throne his ole man and claim his crone. Solomon, well he just went out in left field altogether. This does not sound like children who was raised in the way that they should go. David was a man after God's own heart, he just fell a little short of being the perfect father. The good news is there is no contradiction in Proverbs 22:6. For we all have sinned, and we will continue to fall short of the glory of God on occassions, but a true Christian will get back up and try it again. Even the prodical son came back home, why?? Because he knew better. |