Introduction and Title
The key word in Proverbs is wisdom, “the ability to live life skillfully.” A godly life in an ungodly world, however, is no simple assignment. Proverbs provides God’s detailed instructions for His people to deal successfully with the practical affairs of everyday life: how to relate to God, parents, children, neighbors, and government. Solomon, the principal author, uses a combination of poetry, parables, pithy questions, short stories, and wise maxims to give in strikingly memorable form the common sense and divine perspective necessary to handle life’s issues.
Because Solomon, the pinnacle of Israel’s wise men, was the principal contributor, the Hebrew title of this book is Mishle Shelomoh, “Proverbs of Solomon.” (1:1). The Greek title is Paroimiai Salomontos, “Proverbs of Solomon.” The Latin title Liber Proverbiorum, “Book of Proverbs,” combines the words pro “for” and verba “words” to describe the way the proverbs concentrate many words into a few. The rabbinical writings called Proverbs Sepher Hokhmah, “Book of Wisdom.”
Author
Solomon’s name appears at the beginning of the three sections he authored: Chapter 1, verse 1 for chapters 1–9; chapter 10, verse 1 for chapters 10:1–22:16; and chapter 25, verse 1 for chapters 25–29. According to First Kings 4:32, he spoke 3000 proverbs and 1,005 songs. Only about 800 of his 3000 proverbs are included in the two Solomonic collections in this book. No man was better qualified than Solomon to be the principal contributor. He asked for wisdom (1 Kin. 3:5–9) and God granted it to him (1 Kin. 4:29–31) to such a degree that people from foreign lands came to hear him speak (1 Kin. 4:34; 10:1–13, 24). His breadth of knowledge, aptitude, skill, and perception were extraordinary. In every area Solomon brought prosperity and glory to Israel until his latter years (cf. 1 Kin. 11:4).
It is likely that Solomon collected and edited proverbs other than his own. According to Ecclesiastes 12:9, “he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs.” The second collection of Solomonic proverbs in 25–29 was assembled by the scribes of King Hezekiah because of his interest in spiritually benefitting his subjects with the Word of God. The prophets Isaiah and Micah ministered during Hezekiah’s time, and it has been suggested that they also might have been involved in this collection.
“The words of the wise” (22:17; cf. 24:23) are quite similar to those found in The Wisdom of Amenemope, a document of teachings on civil service by an Egyptian who probably lived between 1000 B.C. and 600 B.C. Wise men of this period went to hear one another, and it is probable that Amenemope borrowed certain aphorisms from Hebrew literature. If the hakhamim (“wise men”) lived before Solomon’s time, he may have been the collector and editor of his series of wise sayings.
There is no biblical information about Agur (30) or Lemuel (31). Agur teen Jakeh (30:1) is simply called an oracle, and Lemuel is called a king and an oracle (31:1). Both have been identified with Solomon, but there is no basis for this suggestion.
Date and Setting
Proverbs is a collection of topical maxims and is not a historical book. It is a product of the wisdom school in Israel. According to Jeremiah 18:18 and Ezekiel 7:26, three groups communicated to the people on behalf of God: the priests imparted the Law; the prophets communicated the divine word and visions; and the sages, or elders, gave counsel to the people. The sages provided the practical application of godly wisdom to specific problems and decisions. The “Preacher” of Ecclesiastes is a good example of the wisdom school (see Eccl. 1:1, 12; 7:27; 12:8–10). Qoheleth, or “Preacher,” meant “one who addresses an assembly”: he presided over a “school” of wise men and “taught the people knowledge” (Eccl. 12:9). “My son” in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes evidently refers to the pupil. This was parallel to Samuel’s role of heading Israel’s school of prophets.
Wisdom literature is also found in other countries of the ancient Near East. In Egypt, written examples can be found as early as 2700 B.C. Although the style was similar to Israel’s Wisdom Literature, the proverbs and sayings of these countries differed from those of Israel in content because they lacked the character of the righteous standards of the Lord.
Solomon’s proverbs were written by 931 B.C., and his proverbs in chapters 25–29 were collected by Hezekiah about 230 years later (Hezekiah reigned from 715 to 686 B.C.). Under Solomon Israel was at its spiritual, political, and economic summit. Solomon probably wrote his proverbs in his middle years, before his character began to decline into carnality, materialism, and idolatry.
Theme and Purpose
Proverbs is one of the few biblical books that clearly spells out its purpose. The purpose statement in chapter 1, verses 2–6 is twofold: (1) To impart moral discernment and discretion (1:2a,3–5); and (2) to develop mental clarity and perception (1:2b,6). The words “wisdom and instruction” (1:2a) complement each other because wisdom (hokhmah) means “skill,” and instruction (musar) means “discipline.” No skill is perfected without discipline, and when a person has skill he has freedom to create something beautiful. Proverbs deals with the most fundamental skill of all: practical righteousness before God in every area of life. This requires knowledge, experience, and a willingness to put God first (3:5–7). Chapters 1–9 are designed to create a felt need for wisdom and Proverbs as a whole is designed both to prevent and to remedy ungodly life-styles. The book served as a manual to impart the legacy of wisdom, prudence, understanding, discretion, knowledge, guidance, competence, correction, counsel, and truth from generation to generation.
The theme of Proverbs is: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (1:7a). To fear God is to stand in awe of His righteousness, majesty, and power and to trust Him by humbly depending upon Him. There is a reciprocal relationship here, because “the fear of the LORD is the beginning [foundation] of wisdom” (9:10), but wisdom leads to the knowledge and fear of God (2:1–5).
Keys to Proverbs
Key Word: Wisdom
Key Verses (1:5–7; 3:5–6)—“A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, to understand a proverb and an enigma, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (1:5–7).
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (3:5–6).
Key Chapter (31)—The last chapter of Proverbs is unique in ancient literature, as it reveals a very high and noble view of women. The woman in these verses is: (1) A good woman (31:13, 15–16, 19, 25); (2) a good wife (31:11–12, 23–24); (3) a good mother (31:14–15, 18, 21, 27); and (4) a good neighbor (31:20–26). Her conduct, concern, speech, and life stand in sharp contrast to the woman pictured in chapter 7.
Christ in Proverbs
In chapter 8, wisdom is personified and seen in its perfection. It is divine (8:22–31), it is the source of biological and spiritual life (3:18; 8:35–36), it is righteous and moral (8:8–9), and it is available to all who will receive it (8:1–6, 32–35). This wisdom became incarnate in Christ “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3). “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30; cf. 1 Cor. 1:22–24).
Contribution to the Bible
Proverbs along with Job and Ecclesiastes is the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament. It is built upon the fear of Yahweh as the basis for practical holiness and skill in life. There is a universal and comprehensive tone in this book because it talks to everyone. The proverbs are generalized statements that are true to life even though individual cases may differ. Psalms emphasizes a walk before God and the devotional life, but Proverbs concentrates on a walk before men and the daily life. The proverbs are practical, moral, and concise—they should be read very slowly in small sections. Some are humorous as well (see 11:22; 19:24; 23:13,35; 24:33; 25:24; 26:13–16; 27:15–16; 30:15,21–23). There are at least fourteen New Testament quotations or allusions to the Proverbs.
James has a number of similarities to the Book of Proverbs. Compare Proverbs and James on the tongue: (a) Prov. 12:18–19 and James 1:26; (b) Prov. 15:1–2 and James 3:5; (c) Prov. 18:21; 21:6 and James 3:6; (d) Prov. 21:23 and James 1:19; 3:8; (e) Prov. 25:15 and James 3:3; and (f) Prov. 25:23 and James 4:1. The comparison of earthly and divine wisdom in James also resembles Proverbs. Man’s wisdom in James 3:15–16 is: (1) earthly (Prov. 14:2); (2) natural (Prov. 7:18); (3) demonic (Prov. 27:20); (4) jealous (Prov. 6:34); (5) selfish (Prov. 28:25); (6) disorderly (Prov. 11:29); and (7) evil (Prov. 8:13). God’s wisdom in James 3:17 is: (1) pure (Prov. 15:26); (2) peaceable (Prov. 3:1–2); (3) gentle (Prov. 11:2); (4) reasonable (Prov. 14:15); (5) full of mercy and good fruits (Prov. 11:17; 3:18), (6) unwavering (Prov. 21:6); and (7) without hypocrisy (Prov. 28:13).
Survey of Proverbs
Proverbs is the most intensely practical book in the Old Testament because it teaches skillful living in the multiple aspects of everyday life. Its specific precepts include instruction on wisdom and folly, the righteous and the wicked, the tongue, pride and humility, justice and vengeance, the family, laziness and work, poverty and wealth, friends and neighbors, love and lust, anger and strife, masters and servants, life and death. Proverbs touches upon every facet of human relationships, and its principles transcend the bounds of time and culture.
The Hebrew word for proverb (mashal) means “comparison, similar, parallel.” A proverb uses a comparison or figure of speech to make a pithy and poignant observation. Proverbs have been defined as simple illustrations that expose fundamental realities about life. These maxims are not theoretical but practical; they are easily memorized, based on real-life experience, and designed for use in the mainstream of life. The proverbs are general statements and illustrations of timeless truth, which allow for, but do not condone, exceptions to the rule. The key word is hokhmah, “wisdom”: it literally means “skill” (in living). Wisdom is more than shrewdness or intelligence. Instead, it relates to practical righteousness and moral acumen. The Book of Proverbs may be divided into six segments: (1) the purpose of Proverbs (1:1–7); (2) the proverbs to the youth (1:8–9:18); (3) the proverbs of Solomon (10:1–24:34); (4) the proverbs of Solomon copied by Hezekiah’s men (25:1–29:27); (5) the words of Agur (30:1–33); and (6) the words of King Lemuel (31:1–31).
The Purpose of Proverbs (1:1–7): The brief prologue states the author, theme, and purpose of the book.
The Proverbs to the Youth (1:8–9:18): Following the introduction, there is a series of ten exhortations, each beginning with “My son” (1:8–9:18). These messages introduce the concept of wisdom in the format of a father’s efforts to persuade his son to pursue the path of wisdom in order to achieve godly success in life. Wisdom rejects the invitation of crime and foolishness, rewards seekers of wisdom on every level, and wisdom’s discipline provides freedom and safety (1–4). Wisdom protects one from illicit sensuality and its consequences, from foolish practices and laziness, and from adultery and the lure of the harlot (5–7). Wisdom is to be preferred to folly because of its divine origin and rich benefits (8–9). There are four kinds of fools, ranging from those who are naive and uncommitted to scoffers who arrogantly despise the way of God. The fool is not mentally deficient; he is self-sufficient, ordering his life as if there were no God.
The Proverbs of Solomon (10:1–24:34): There is a minimal amount of topical arrangement in these chapters. There are some thematic clusters (e.g., 26:1–12, 13–16, 20–22), but the usual units are one-verse maxims. It is helpful to assemble and organize these proverbs according to such specific themes as money and speech. This Solomonic collection consists of 375 proverbs of Solomon. Chapters 10–15 contrast right and wrong in practice, and all but nineteen proverbs use antithetic parallelism, that is, parallels of paired opposite principles. Chapters 16:1–22:16 offer a series of self-evident moral truths and all but eighteen proverbs use synonymous parallelism, that is, parallels of paired identical or similar principles. The words of wise men (22:17–24:34) are given in two groups. The first group includes thirty distinct sayings (22:17–24:22), and six more are found in the second group (24:23–34).
The Proverbs of Solomon copied by Hezekiah’s Men (25:1–29:27): This second Solomonic collection was copied and arranged by “the men of Hezekiah” (25:1). These proverbs in chapters 25–29 further develop the themes in the first Solomonic collection.
The Words of Agur (30:1–33): The last two chapters of Proverbs form an appendix of sayings by other otherwise unknown sages, Agur and Lemuel. Most of Agur’s material is given in clusters of numerical proverbs.
The Words of King Lemuel (31:1–31): The last chapter includes an acrostic of twenty-two verses (the first letter of each verse consecutively follows the complete Hebrew alphabet) portraying a virtuous wife (31:10–31).
Wilkinson, B., & Boa, K. (1983). Talk thru the Bible (pp. 162–166). Nashville: T. Nelson.