“Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.”
My Notes
What Does Proverbs 17:6 Mean?
"Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers." The proverb describes generational pride as a two-way street: grandchildren crown their grandparents with dignity, and fathers bring glory to their children. Both directions of generational connection produce honor.
The word "crown" (atarah) is the same word used for a royal crown. Grandchildren aren't just a pleasant addition to old age; they're its supreme adornment. The elderly person whose family has multiplied into grandchildren wears a crown — a visible symbol of legacy, continuity, and blessing.
The reverse direction — "the glory of children are their fathers" — acknowledges that children derive identity and honor from their parents. A father's character, reputation, and faithfulness become part of his children's self-understanding. For good or ill, your father's legacy is your inheritance.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What 'crown' do the generations after you represent?
- 2.How has your parents' character shaped your own identity — for glory or for burden?
- 3.What kind of legacy are you building that your grandchildren could wear as a crown?
- 4.How does multigenerational connection enrich your understanding of your own significance?
Devotional
Grandchildren are an old man's crown. A father's reputation is his children's glory. Both directions of generational connection carry honor — the elderly are crowned by those who come after, and the young are glorified by those who came before.
This proverb celebrates something our culture is losing: multigenerational connection. When grandparents see their grandchildren thriving, it crowns their life with meaning. Everything they built, sacrificed, and endured finds its culmination in the next generation. The crown isn't wealth or achievement — it's the living evidence that your life produced life.
The reverse direction is equally powerful and more challenging: "the glory of children are their fathers." Your children's sense of glory — or shame — is partly shaped by who you are. A father whose character is strong becomes his children's boast. A father whose character is broken becomes his children's burden. Either way, the connection is real.
This isn't fate. Children can overcome a poor inheritance and squander a good one. But the proverb names the gravitational pull: parental character shapes children's identity. You are, whether you choose to be or not, part of your children's self-understanding.
What crown are you wearing — or building — through the generations that follow you? And what glory — or burden — did your parents' character give you?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Children's children are the crown of old men,.... Ancient parents. Grandfathers with the Jews are called old men, as…
The reciprocity of good in sustained family relationships. A long line of children’s children is the glory of old age, a…
They are so, that is, they should be so, and, if they conduct themselves worthily, they are so. 1. It is an honour to…
"A beautiful family picture of linked and mutually blessed "generations." Horton.
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture