Examples of Parental Advice in the Bible

Isaac and Rebecca advise Jacob

The sad event of Jacob stealing Esau’s blessing is found in Genesis 27:1-40. The mother of both Esau and Jacob, Rebecca, was the chief architect behind this theft case (Ge 27:1-40). After having aided Jacob in stealing Esau’s blessings, she heard that Esau had plans to kill Jacob once their father Isaac died. So she sent for Isaac and advised him to run away to Haran to his uncle Laban and stay there until Esau calmed down, and then she would send for him (Ge 27:41-46).

Before Jacob left for Haran, his father Isaac also advised him not to marry any of the Canaanite women. Instead, when he goes to Haran, he should marry one of the daughters of his uncle Laban (Ge 28:1-9). Jacob listened to his mother and father’s advice and left for Haran where he married Leah and Rachel, the daughters of Laban (Ge 29:15-30).

Eli advises his sons

Eli was a faithful priest of God who ministered until his old age. However, his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were unlike him. The Bible even says about them that they do not know the Lord. Hophni and Phinehas were guilty of treating the Lord’s sacrifices with contempt and having an affair with the women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle. (1Sa 2:12-17)

When the old man Eli heard everything his sons did, he advised them, saying “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people. No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make the Lord’s people transgress. If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?” Nevertheless, Hophni and Phinehas did not listen to the advice of their father. Eventually, they died on the same day, while carrying the ark of the Lord during a battle (1Sa 4:1-11). Reference 1 Samuel 2:22-25

David advises Solomon

King David was a great hero for the nation Israel for apart from killing Goliath, he led the nation to win many battles against their enemies. David married eight wives and had many children including Amnon his firstborn son, Adonijah, Absalom, and Solomon. Though Solomon, the son of Bathsheba, was not the eldest, David chose him to be the next in line to the throne.

Now King David after a fulfilling life was about to die. So he sent for his son and successor Solomon and advised him. He told him to observe the requirements of God, follow all His ways, and keep the decrees, commands, regulations, and laws written in the Law of Moses so that he would be successful and God would also fulfill the promise he made to David that if his descendants serve Him faithfully He would ensure that out of David’s descendants would come a succession of kings to rule Israel. (1 Kings 2:1-9)

Solomon followed the advice of his father and, indeed, God was pleased with him, favored him, and blessed him with great prosperity. However, during the later years of his life, he defected from God because his wives led his heart astray into idolatry. (1 King 11:1-13)

The advice King Lemuel’s mother gave him

The personality of King Lemuel is highly debated. One viewpoint says that Lemuel was the pet name of King Solomon; hence King Lemuel was no other than King Solomon himself. If that is true, then what we know as the council of King Lamuel’s mother was the advice Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, gave to his beloved son Solomon.  This advice was added to the book of Proverbs in chapter 31.

As part of her advice to Lemuel, she said, “Do not give your strength to women, Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.” This means he should abstain from lusting after women for such things destroy the strength of the body, weaken the mind, and exhaust one’s treasures. Moreover, excessive indulgence is always unseemly and ruinous to both health and intellect.

She also said, “It is not for kings to drink wine,” This means abstinence from alcohol which can make a good king forget the law of God and judge wrongly. She also said, “Open your mouth for the speechless,” This means he should defend those who are powerless to defend themselves. And she finished her advice by telling Lemuel to judge righteously and plead the cause of the poor and needy. (Proverbs 31:1-9)

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