6:20 My son, keep your father’s commands and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
For the 14th time in the first 6 chapters, father addresses his son (see also :1). And like all the others, this is another command to pay attention to what he says. I hate it when he keeps saying that!
While scholars have noted that the father-son relationship was a common literary devise of ancient wisdom literature, the reference to momma clearly brings this one back home. Here, “mother’s teaching” is placed on equal footing with “father’s commands.”
While Proverbs is mostly guy-talk and sometimes might seem a bit sexist, it really isn’t. The main theme of Proverbs – Wisdom – is personified as a wonderful godly woman (9:1-6).
Admittedly immoral women are a major father-to-son talking point (like in this chapter – :24 to the end) and there are some “pretty interesting” references to wives (like 21:9). Yet, overall, women are held in appropriate esteem – especially mothers and wives.
In fact, while father talks all the way through the book, Proverbs actually ends with a whole chapter of advice from the mother of King Lemuel (31:1). Once again, momma gets the last word!