Proverbs 20:11

“Even a child is known by his doings, etc.] As well as a man; “ye shall know them by their fruits”, (<400716>Matthew 7:16); professors and profane. So a child soon discovers its genius by its actions; it soon shows its inclination and disposition; and some shrewd guesses may be made how it will turn out, a wise man or a fool, a virtuous or a vicious man; though this does not always hold good, yet something may be observed, which may be a direction to parents in the education of their children, and placing them out to what is proper and suitable for them. Some observe, that the word has a quite contrary meaning, that “a child carries himself a stranger by his doings”f559; so that he is not…”

“The conduct of children even is the best test of principle (compare Mat 7:16).”

“The graces or the faults of children are not trifles. “The child is father of the man;” and the earliest actions are prophecies of the future, whether it will be pure and right, or unclean and evil. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Is known - The future disposition of a man may be probably conjectured from his childish manners. Proverbs 20:13”

“Pro 21:8, Pro 22:15; Psa 51:5, Psa 58:3; Mat 7:16; Luk 1:15, Luk 1:66, Luk 2:46, Luk 2:47, Luk 6:43, Luk 6:44 Proverbs 20:12”

“11 Even a child maketh himself known by his conduct, Whether his dispostion be pure and whether it be right. If מעלל may be here understood after the use of עולל, to play, to pass the time with anything, then גּם neht refers thereto: even by his play (Ewald). But granting that מעולל \[children\], synon. with נער, had occasioned the choice of the word מעלל (vid., Fleischer on Isa 3:4), yet this word never means anything else than work, an undertaking of something, and accomplishing it; wherefore Bttcher proposes מעוּליו, for מעלוּל may have meant play, in contradistinction to מעלל ot noitcni. This is possible, but conjectural. Thus gam is not taken along with b'amalalav. That the child also…”