For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
For I was my father's son, tender and only (beloved) in the sight of my mother. My father taught me as his true son, even as I teach you. I obeyed him, and it has been well with me; do you the same (Mercer). "Tender and only beloved" exactly answers to David's words concerning him (1 Chronicles 29:1, "Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender"). In proportion as I was pre-eminently dear to my parents, my father, from my tender years, "taught me" (Proverbs 4:4). It is the truest mark of love on the part of the parent to teach the child in the ways of heavenly wisdom; and to leave a child untaught is virtually to act as if you hated him. "Only beloved" cannot mean that Solomon was David's only son by Bathsheba, for other sons by her are named in 1 Chronicles 3:5. So Isaac is called Abraham's only son (Genesis 22:2; Genesis 22:12; Genesis 22:16), though at the time he had Ishmael. "Only son" is used to express one peculiarly beloved. So our word 'unique' for a thing pre-eminent in kind [and so the Greek, agapeetos (G27)]. The Masoretes mention another reading, 'among the sons ( libneey (H1121)) of my mother,' for "in the sight of ( lipneey (H6440)) my mother." All this he says to show that it was with good reason he called his teaching "good doctrines."