1:7 beginning of knowledge. Not the end, or totality, of knowledge, but the beginning, without which other data are meaningless or even perverse. The fear of the Lord is also the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). Note also Job 28:28; Psalm 111:10.

1:8 My son. In the first nine chapters of Proverbs there are seventeen specific “lessons” (Proverbs 1:8; 1:10; 1:15; 2:1; 3:1; 3:11; 3:21; 4:1; 4:10; 4:20; 5:1; 5:7; 6:1; 6:20; 7:1; 7:24; 8:32) each beginning with either “my son,” or “hear ye children,” always emphasizing the importance of heeding the words of the teachings.