Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.
Parallel translations
- WEB Children’s children are the crown of old men; the glory of children are their parents.
- KJV Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
- NKJV Children’s children are the crown of old men, And the glory of children is their father.
- NASB Grandchildren are the crown of the old, And the glory of sons is their fathers.
- NLT Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Grandchildren are an honor to the elderly, and parents are the pride of their children. It matters because generations are meant to be a mutual crown of honor.
Overview
This proverb celebrates the blessing of family across generations: grandchildren crown the old, and godly parents are the glory of their children. It honors the family bonds God designed and the legacy of faithfulness passed down. Such generational blessing reflects God's covenant care across the ages (Psalm 78:4-7).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Ps 127:3–5Children are indeed a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is His reward.
- Prov 16:31Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is attained along the path of righteousness.
- Prov 13:22A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is passed to the righteous.
- Ps 128:3–6Your wife will be like a fruitful vine flourishing within your house, your sons like olive shoots sitting around your table.
- Exod 3:14–15God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
- 1 Kgs 11:12Nevertheless, for the sake of your father David, I will not do it during your lifetime; I will tear it out of the hand of your son.
- 1 Kgs 15:4Nevertheless, for the sake of David, the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and to make Jerusalem strong.
- Gen 50:23He saw Ephraim’s sons to the third generation, and indeed the sons of Machir son of Manasseh were brought up on Joseph’s knees.
- Job 42:16–17After this, Job lived 140 years and saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 17:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.