Proverbs 4:20-22 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them and health to all their flesh.
‘Attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.’ Again the repetitive warning (4:1, 20; 5:1; 7:24) to obey godly instruction and reproof.
‘For they are life unto those that find them and health to all their flesh.’ Four secrets of health and eternal life: Attend to my words (4:20). Incline your ears to my sayings. Constantly look into God’s Word (Ps. 1:2-3; Jas. 1:21-27; 2Tim. 3:16). Keep the Word in the heart (4:21; Rom. 1:16; 10:17). These secrets are life and health to all who find and obey them (Ps. 91:1-16; 107:20; John 15:7; Rom. 1:16).
‘Health [Hebrew: marpe’] Translated as “health” (4:22; 12:18; 13:17; 16:24; Jer. 8:15); as “healing” (Jer. 14:19; Mal. 4:2); “cure” (Jer. 33:6); “remedy” (2Chr. 36:16; Pro. 6:15; 29:1); “sound” (14:30); and “wholesome” (15:4). That physical health and healing are referred to is clear in all these passages. Here, it states “health to all their flesh,” not spirit. When Christians awake to their full rights in the gospel they can have a healthy body as well as soul (3Jn. 1:2; 1Pet. 2:24; Matt. 8:16-17; Jas. 5:14-16).
Living the Word 