What Does "Train Up a Child in the Way He Should Go" Mean?

God's wisdom for raising children.

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Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

I suppose Proverbs 22:6 is one of the most well-known passages in all of the Old Testament, especially in religious parenting circles.

But what does the verse actually mean?

Before we dive into the meaning of Proverbs 22:6, we’ll consider a little bit about understanding the Proverbs first.

What’s the Point of the Proverbs?

The object of the practical instruction given in these proverbs is not the Jewish nation or a special privileged class, but any individual…who heeds wisdom’s call to listen to her words of advice. - Fritsch, The Interpreter’s Bible, 776

So Proverbs calls us to pay close attention to what wisdom tells us. But what is wisdom?

Wisdom is the revelation of God’s orderly plan in the universe and in the lives of men, rather than merely the accumulation of intelligent observations on life down through the ages. - Fritsch, The Interpreter’s Bible, 778

The wisdom discussed in Proverbs is not just an “accumulation” of wise sayings that man has agreed “that’s wise.” This wisdom is not from humanity - this wisdom is from God.

The point of the Proverbs is to call all people to live according to God’s wisdom (Proverbs 1:7).

How the Proverbs Connect to Jesus.

The Proverbs are God's wisdom for daily living. The Proverbs connect to Jesus because Jesus is the ultimate demonstration of God’s wisdom.

For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:22-24)

The crucified Christ - considered foolish by men - is the ultimate demonstration of God’s wisdom.

Paul pointed to Christ and said in Him “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2-3). Paul warns Christians not to be deceived by man’s wisdom, which has “an appearance of wisdom” but is not the real thing (Colossians 2:8, 23). God's wisdom in Christ will make us “mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:27-28).

The gospel of Christ is not just something we need to have our sins forgiven, and then we can set aside. No, the gospel of Christ is also the wisdom of God for daily living.

A Breakdown of Proverbs 22:6.

Ok, now that we’ve laid some groundwork for Proverbs, let’s turn our attention to what Proverbs 22:6 says.

“Train up a child.”

The Hebrew word for “train up” (chanak) occurs four other times in the Old Testament. Every other time this word is used, it’s translated as “dedicate.”

Then the officers shall speak to the people, saying: “What man is there who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it.” (Deuteronomy 20:5)

And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to the LORD, twenty-two thousand bulls and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD. (1 Kings 8:63)

King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand bulls and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. (2 Chronicles 7:5)

When we connect the idea of “dedicate” to the words “train up,” we are reminded of how Hannah made a vow to give her son “to the LORD all the days of his life” (1 Samuel 1:11). She promised that just as God had given her a son, so she would give him to the Lord.

“For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has given me the request that I asked of him. So I also dedicate him to the LORD. For all the days of his life he is dedicated to the LORD.” Then he bowed down there in worship to the LORD.(1 Samuel 1:27-28 - NET)

God’s wisdom calls parents to realize that their children are a gift from Him (Psalm 127:3) and that they should, in turn, “dedicate” their children to God.

This proverb pictures a child who is dedicated by parents to the LORD and morally trained to follow him. - NET Bible Translator Notes

“In the way he should go.”

The Hebrew meaning for “in the way he should go” could also be translated as “start a boy on the right road” (NET Bible Translator Notes).

Remember the point of Proverbs: we must listen to and follow God's wisdom, not man's wisdom.

In the book of Proverbs there are only two ways that a person can go, the way of the wise or righteousness, and the way of the fool. One takes training, and the other does not. - NET Bible Translator Notes

Parents who “dedicate” their children to God, who realize their children are gifts from God, will start their children on the right road - the road of God’s wisdom.

The connection to the “dedication” of the house and temple in the passages we noticed earlier (Deuteronomy 20:5; 1 Kings 8:63; 2 Chronicles 7:5) is interesting to consider. There is a sense in which our children should be little “houses” and “temples” dedicated to God.

As Christians, we are now the “temple” of God” - and how we live should reflect that fact.

Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)

While our children will eventually sin if they live long enough, and they will need the gospel of Christ, they should be taught - and shown by their parents’ lives - what God’s will for their life really is. Ultimately, parents must point their children to Jesus Christ.

Parents who follow God’s wisdom will teach their children that their life is not their own to live however they please. There is a “way they should go.”

“And when he is old he will not depart from it.”

When a child is taught that they are dedicated to God, that they belong to God - and they are shown what that sort of life looks like by their parents - that instruction in wisdom has a lasting impact.

The expected consequence of such training is that it will last throughout life. The sages were confident of the character-forming quality of their training. However, proverbs are not universal truths. One can anticipate positive results from careful child-training—but there may be an occasional exception. - NET Bible Translator Notes

Generally speaking, a child will follow the guidance of their parents into God’s wisdom - even in their old age.

I think it’s important to note that some people see this passage as a warning to parents. Their interpretation of Proverbs 22:6 is basically this: If parents allow their children to take the path of their own choosing, then their children will take the foolish path and continue following it. Parents must steer their children in the path of God’s wisdom.

Either interpretation emphasizes how important the parent’s role is in the life of their children. Our children are gifts from God - they need to be taught that they belong to Him and that they have been “dedicated” to the Lord. We must teach our children that we want them to “give their life to the Lord.”

While a child will make their own decisions once they are grown, the teaching their parents instill in them at a young age will play a significant role in their future decisions.

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God’s wisdom teaches parents that we have a significant role in the upbringing of our children and the future direction of their lives.

Are we teaching our children Whose they truly are? Are we communicating to our children how important it is to us as their parents that they devote their lives to God?

As parents, let us follow God’s wisdom and do everything we can to set our children on the right path - on the path following God’s wisdom.