Ears that hear
This phrase emphasizes the importance of spiritual discernment and the ability to understand God's truth. In biblical context, hearing is often associated with obedience and receptivity to God's word. Deuteronomy 6:4-5, known as the Shema, begins with "Hear, O Israel," underscoring the call to listen and obey. In the New Testament, Jesus frequently says, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear" (Matthew 11:15), urging listeners to truly understand His teachings. The ability to hear spiritually is a gift from God, enabling believers to discern His voice amidst the noise of the world.

and eyes that see—
Vision in the Bible often symbolizes insight and understanding. The ability to see spiritually is linked to wisdom and revelation from God. In 2 Kings 6:17, Elisha prays for his servant's eyes to be opened to see the spiritual reality around them, revealing the presence of God's protection. Jesus heals the blind in the Gospels, not only restoring physical sight but also symbolizing the opening of spiritual eyes to recognize Him as the Messiah. Spiritual sight allows believers to perceive God's work and truth in their lives and the world.

the LORD has made them both.
This phrase acknowledges God's sovereignty and creative power. It affirms that both physical and spiritual faculties are gifts from the Creator. Genesis 1:27 states that humans are made in the image of God, endowed with the ability to perceive and understand His creation. This acknowledgment of God's handiwork calls believers to use their senses for His glory, aligning with the biblical theme of stewardship. It also serves as a reminder of God's intimate involvement in the details of human life, as seen in Psalm 139:13-16, where God is described as intricately forming each person.

1. Solomon
Traditionally attributed as the author of Proverbs, Solomon was the son of King David and known for his wisdom. His proverbs often provide practical insights into living a life that honors God.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant name of God in the Old Testament, emphasizing His role as the Creator and Sustainer of all things, including human faculties like hearing and sight.

3. Ancient Israel
The cultural and historical context in which the Proverbs were written, where wisdom literature was a key component of teaching and moral instruction.Acknowledging God's Sovereignty
Recognize that our abilities to see and hear are gifts from God, reminding us of His sovereignty and creative power.

Spiritual Perception
Beyond physical sight and hearing, seek to develop spiritual discernment to understand God's will and purpose in our lives.

Gratitude for God's Gifts
Cultivate a heart of gratitude for the senses and faculties God has given us, using them to glorify Him and serve others.

Responsibility to Listen and See
With the gift of hearing and sight comes the responsibility to listen to God's Word and see His work in the world, responding in obedience and faith.

Stewardship of Our Senses
Use our senses wisely and righteously, avoiding things that corrupt or distract us from God's truth.1. What is the meaning of Proverbs 20:12?

2. How can we cultivate "hearing ears" and "seeing eyes" in our daily lives?

3. What does Proverbs 20:12 reveal about God's role in our perception?

4. How does Proverbs 20:12 connect with Psalm 139:13-16 on God's creation?

5. In what ways can we use our senses to glorify God today?

6. How can Proverbs 20:12 guide us in discerning truth in a noisy world?

7. How does Proverbs 20:12 emphasize the importance of divine creation in human faculties?

8. What theological implications arise from God creating both hearing ears and seeing eyes?

9. How does Proverbs 20:12 challenge the belief in human autonomy over divine design?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Proverbs 20?

11. What does 'The eye is the lamp' mean?

12. (Psalm 65:2) If God truly hears all prayers, why do so many sincere requests remain unanswered?

13. What does the Bible advise about handling mean people?

14. Proverbs 20:27 claims 'the spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord'--how can this be reconciled with scientific understandings of human consciousness?Ears that hear

“Ears that hear” (Proverbs 20:12a) highlights both a physical organ and an act of obedience.

- God designed the human ear to take in sound, a daily reminder that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).

- An attentive ear is cherished throughout Scripture: “My sheep listen to My voice” (John 10:27) and “He who answers before listening—this is folly and shame” (Proverbs 18:13).

- Psalm 94:9 asks, “Does He who affixed the ear not hear?”—underscoring that the One who created ears also hears perfectly.

When we truly listen—whether to God’s Word, wise counsel, or the cry of a neighbor—we honor the Creator who built the ear for that very purpose.

---

and

The small conjunction joins ear and eye into a single thought, showing that our senses are meant to work together in harmony.

- The linkage reminds us that God’s gifts never function in isolation; body, soul, and spirit form an integrated whole.

- It also points to balance: hearing guards us from half-truths; seeing confirms what we have heard.

---

eyes that see

“Eyes that see” (Proverbs 20:12b) celebrates sight as both physical clarity and spiritual insight.

- “The LORD opens the eyes of the blind” (Psalm 146:8), revealing His power to give sight literally and figuratively.

- Jesus taught that “The eye is the lamp of the body” (Matthew 6:22); what we fix our gaze on shapes every corner of life.

- Paul prayed that “the eyes of your hearts may be enlightened” (Ephesians 1:18), showing that spiritual perception is just as crucial as physical vision.

We steward our sight when we guard against impurity, look for God’s hand in daily events, and focus on eternal realities.

---

the LORD

This name anchors the verse in the person of Israel’s covenant-keeping God.

- “So God created man in His own image” (Genesis 1:27) affirms His personal involvement with every detail of the human frame.

- Jeremiah 51:15 and Colossians 1:16 declare that all things—visible and audible—exist by His power and for His glory.

Because the Creator stands behind our senses, using them rightly becomes an act of worship, not merely biology.

---

has made them both

The closing phrase settles any doubt about ownership.

- Every good faculty is “from above” (James 1:17); our eyes and ears are divine gifts, not self-generated abilities.

- “Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us” (Psalm 100:3); therefore, misuse of these senses is misuse of what belongs to Him.

- Revelation 4:11 reminds us that all creation owes Him glory simply for existing. Gratitude, vigilance, and humble dependence are the fitting responses.

---

summary

Proverbs 20:12 calls us to recognize that both hearing and sight are handcrafted by the LORD. He fashioned these senses for receiving His truth, discerning His works, and loving others well. Honoring Him means listening attentively, seeing clearly, and remembering that every moment of perception is a fresh gift from our Maker.

(12) The Lord hath made even both of them.--And, therefore, they are to be used as He would have them. (Comp. our Lord's constant warning, "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.") The proverb may also remind us of the admonition in Proverbs 15:3, and Psalm 94:9, to remember God's constant watchfulness over us.

Verse 12. - The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them. This apothegm, which seems to be nothing but a trite truism, brings to notice many important consequences. First, there is the result noted in Psalm 94:9, "He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see?" Hence we learn the sleepless providence of God. So 'Pirke Aboth,' "Know that which is above thee, an eye that seeth all, an ear that heareth all." We learn also that all things are directed and overruled by God (comp. Proverbs 15:3; Proverbs 16:4). Then there is the thought that these powers of ours, being the gift of God, should be used piously and in God's service. "Mine ears hast thou opened... Lo, I come... I delight to do thy will, O my God" (Psalm 40:6, etc.). The eye should be blind, the ear deaf, to all that might defile or excite to evil (see Isaiah 33:15). But it is the Lord alone that enables the spiritual organs to receive the wondrous things of God's Law; they must be educated by grace to enable them to perform their proper functions. "God hath given us eyes," says St. Chrysostom ('Hom. 22 in 1 Corinthians'), "not that we may look wantonly, but that, admiring his handiwork, we may worship the Creator. And that this is the use of our eyes is evident from the things which are seen. For the lustre of the sun and of the sky we see from an immeasurable distances, but a woman's beauty one cannot discern so far off. Seest thou that for this end our eye was chiefly given? Again, he made the ear, that we should entertain not blasphemous words, but saving doctrines. Wherefore you see, when it receives anything dissonant, both our soul shudders and our very body also. And if we hear anything cruel or merciless, again our flesh creeps; but if anything decorous and kind, we even exult and rejoice." "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." Septuagint, "The ear heareth and the eye sooth, and both are the works of the Lord."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Ears
אֹ֣זֶן (’ō·zen)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 241: Broadness, the ear

that hear
שֹׁ֭מַעַת (ma·‘aṯ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

and eyes
וְעַ֣יִן (wə·‘a·yin)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

that see—
רֹאָ֑ה (rō·’āh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

the LORD
יְ֝הוָ֗ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

has made
עָשָׂ֥ה (‘ā·śāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

them both.
שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃ (šə·nê·hem)
Number - mdc | third person masculine plural
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)


Proverbs 20:12 NIV
Proverbs 20:12 NLT
Proverbs 20:12 ESV
Proverbs 20:12 NASB
Proverbs 20:12 KJV

Proverbs 20:12 BibleApps.com
Proverbs 20:12 Biblia Paralela
Proverbs 20:12 Chinese Bible
Proverbs 20:12 French Bible
Proverbs 20:12 Catholic Bible

OT Poetry: Proverbs 20:12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye (Prov. Pro Pr)