NOTES ON PROVERBS Rev’d.

Numia Tauauvea

THE BOOK OF PROVERBS

Dating and Authorship

In the past arguments were made for a date in the 3rd Century BC on the basis of: assumed
Greek influence in the personification of Wisdom (chapters 1‐9), a theory that instruction
passages had evolved over time from pithy sayings via two‐lined sayings, and a claim that
this kind of literature became popular only after the prophets had stopped speaking. More
recent scholarship, however, has noted the book’s links to the wisdom of surrounding nations
of Egypt and Phoenicia. It is now generally accepted that the whole book is pre‐exilic in its
structure – that is it was compiled some time before the Exile of Judah to Babylon in 586 BC.

As we shall see, the book of proverbs contains sections attributed to different authors. The
largest portions are attributed to Solomon, and there is no reason to doubt the accuracy of this
claim. According to 1 Kings 4:32, Solomon compiled 3000 proverbs, and it seems likely that
the collections in this book bearing his name are part of this collected wisdom. Solomon lived
and reigned in the 10th Century BC. Two other portions of the book are attributed to named
authors: chapter 30 to Agur and chapter 31 to Lemuel. Some comments are made about these
men in the sections below commenting on these chapters. It is not possible to date either of
these individuals with any certainty.

Structure
The basic structure of this book is clear from the text itself. In the following outline I have
described the different sections that comprise the book as separate books.

Prologue (1:1‐7) The Purpose of Proverbs

Book 1 (1:8‐9:18) Instructions of Parents
Book 2 (10:1‐22:16) Solomon’s Proverbs, part 1
Book 3 (22:17‐ 24:22) Sayings of the Wise
Book 4 (24:23‐34) More Sayings of the Wise
Book 5 (Ch 25‐29) Solomon’s Proverbs, part 2
Book 6 (Ch 30) Sayings of Agur
Book 7 (Ch 31) Sayings of Lemuel

Prologue (1:1‐7) – The Purpose of Proverbs

This brief prologue to the book opens with a reference to Solomon (1:1). It is clear from
reading the book that only some of the proverbs are attributed to Solomon, but his mention
here may indicate that this prologue was originally part of a shorter book containing only
Solomon’s proverbs or may be intended as a tribute to Solomon as the “father of wisdom
literature”. Certainly Solomon’s proverbs constitute a major part of the book.

The remainder of the prologue explains the purpose of Proverbs (1:2‐6), which is to help
people to attain wisdom and discipline and an understanding of insightful words. It is worth
noting that wisdom is not found in simply knowing these sayings but is a skill that is
developed through reflection upon them, which entails discipline and insight. The call is for
the reader to listen and obtain guidance as to how to understand four kinds of wisdom
sayings: proverbs, parables, sayings and riddles (v6). Most essentially of all, the prologue

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states clearly at the very outset of the book that wisdom rests on the foundation of the fear of
the Lord (1:7).

Tremper Longman notes the fact that the prologue is addressed generally to all who seek
wisdom and instruction. This is helpful in view of the fact that the rest of the book (explicitly
in chapters 1‐9 and implicitly in the collections of proverbs that follow) is addressed more
specifically to young men. The prologue, in Longman’s view, “broadens the audience to
include … the entire covenant community”.1

Book 1 (1:8‐9:18) – Instructions of Parents

This section of Proverbs is a collection of up to 17 separate discourses on wisdom which,
“typically have a call to listen before presenting advice and encouraging obedience by the
description of benefits as well as negative consequences for neglecting the advice”. 2 These
discourses are generally the instructions of parents to a young man. It is worth noticing that
the first place for learning wisdom is in the home (1:8; 4:3; 6:20) and that this involves both
parents. This was true in Israel and it ought to be true for Christians. Those who are parents
would do well to recognise this responsibility and not abdicate it to someone else – whether
the school, the media, or even children’s and youth ministries in the church! Derek Kidner
writes that, “truth is to be learnt first at home, instilled there with firmness and affection as
lessons for the mind and training for the character”.3

Within this section the predominant metaphor is of two paths on which we may walk: the
path of folly leading to death and the path of wisdom leading to life. Two major threats to the
integrity of the young man are identified:

a) Negative peer pressure on youth (1:10‐19)

b) Sexual temptation (2:17; 5:1‐23; 6:23‐29; 7:1‐27)

We are called to live a life of faithful dependence upon God with a readiness to walk in the
straight paths He will prepare (3:5‐6). God is the giver of wisdom (2:6), and His wisdom was
foundational to creation (3:19‐20; 8:22‐31) – hence the world works in keeping with God’s
wisdom. Wisdom is, therefore, greatly to be prized (chapter 4). The ultimate goal is that
wisdom might be internalised (2:10), so that we able to recognise the right path (2:9) and will
be protected and guarded, rescued from the ways of wicked men (2:11‐12).

Wisdom is personified as a woman who cries out to be heard (1:20‐33; 8:1‐21) and who has
built a firm house into which she invites us to come (9:1‐6). She is contrasted with “ the
woman Folly” (9:13), a temptress who leads people to destruction (9:13‐18). The vivid
description of the personification of Wisdom has led to speculation that an angelic being is
being described or even that this is a description of Christ. These interpretations, however,
depend on too literal a reading of this figurative language, and it appears that what is intended
is simply a poetic description of one attribute of God’s character. We may, however, accept
with Derek Kidner4 that the language used may serve a purpose with the benefit of a view
from the New Testament in preparing our expectations for the ultimate incarnational
personification of God’s wisdom in the person of Christ.

1
Longman, 2010, 104.
2
Longman, 2010, 103.
3
Kidner, 1985, 20.
4
Kidner, 1985, 23.

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Books 2 (10:1‐22:16) and 5 (Ch 25‐29) – Solomon’s Proverbs

These two collections of Solomon’s proverbs contain 375 sayings. These are usually short
and pithy one line sayings containing six or seven Hebrew words (“usually three strong beats
answered by another three”5). Exceptions cover several lines (e.g. 25:20; 25:21‐22; 26:18‐19;
26:24‐25; 27:10; 27:15‐16) or a whole paragraph (27:23‐27). The order is apparently random 6
except for a few collections on similar themes (e.g. 10:18‐21 on the use of words; 16:12 ‐15
and 25:2‐7 on kings; 26:13‐16 on the sluggard; 26:20‐28 on mischief making).

It has been suggested that the original wise sayings consisted of just three words (for
example, see David’s words to Saul in 1 Samuel 24:23), but that the proverbs of Solomon add
a second line to amplify the meaning of the first (e.g. 21:10) or to sharpen it by contrast (e.g.
12:6). In other words, these proverbs are parallel statements containing either synthetic or
antithetical parallelism. The proverbs generally see merit rewarded and lapses penalised (e.g.
13:25), apparently in this life, with some exceptions like 13:23. They are written in poetic
language and include some beautiful and powerful similes (e.g. 11:22; 25:13; 26:22; 25:15).
In general the proverbs challenge the reader to compare the “now” with the consequence
(23:29‐35; 13:11; 5:4; 19:20). They provoke an attitude of thoughtful reflection.

Chapters 25‐29 are separate from the longer collection of Solomon’s proverbs in 10:1‐22:16.
This shorter collection was edited by Hezekiah’s men and has some distinctive features:
 There is a greater tendency in for groupings of proverbs on similar theme (e.g. kings
in 26:2‐7; fools in 26:1‐12; sluggards in 26:13‐16; mischief‐makers in 26:17‐28).
 More of the proverbs run to an extra line or a second or third verse (e.g. 25:13, 20;
25:8‐10, 21‐22; 26:24‐26) and one short poem (27:23‐27).
 There is a marked emphasis (especially in chapters 28‐29) on rulers and people with
influence in a society (e.g. 25:26; 28:2; 29:8, 18).

Books 3 and 4 (22:17‐24:34) – Sayings of the Wise

These collections have a different tone from Solomon’s proverbs. They are more personal,
directive and impassioned, with “Dos” and (more often) “Don’ts” as opposed to the
impassionate statements of principles in Solomon’s proverbs. Many of the same themes are
found here as in other parts of the book (e.g. mercy to the poor, wise friendships, financial
prudence, firmness with children, hard work, sexual purity) but there are also some special
emphases, notably:
 Quiet trust instead of fretfulness (23:17‐18; 24:19ff.) – this is similar to Psalm 37.
 Generous compassion extending even to strangers and enemies (24:11‐12, 17, 29).

It is worth noting that this section of Proverbs bears a similarity to an Egyptian document
called the Instruction of Amenemope, dated some tome in the period 1580‐1100 BC. That
document contains instructions to a son about proper conduct and is arranged into 30
sections. Allen Ross writes about the relationship between the two documents:7
Although the two collections are not identical, they are similar enough
to attest direct influence. General knowledge of wisdom sayings across
the ancient Near East as well as specific interchange between Egypt
and Solomon's court make a literary connection likely. Because of the
5
Kidner, 1985, 25.
6
Some scholars dispute this and claim that units can be identified on the basis of repetitions of themes,
words or sounds, but the lack of consensus even among those scholars who believe in this level of structure
suggests either that it does not genuinely exist, or will elude the modern reader.
7
Allen Ross, 2001.

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dates involved, it is unlikely that Amenemope borrowed from Solomon.

Similar teachings in the Pentateuch might suggest a greater antiquity
for biblical wisdom sayings, but there is insufficient material to draw a
firm conclusion. Many ancient laws, sayings, songs, poetic couplets,
and proverbs found their way into inspired Scripture. Inspiration does
not exclude the divine use of existing material; but in Scripture it takes
on a new force, a higher meaning, and becomes authoritative.

The connection with Egyptian wisdom is perhaps not unexpected given the fact that 1 Kings
4:30 likens Solomon’s wisdom to the wisdom of the people of the east and Egypt. Despite the
relationship between these two wisdom documents, it is worth realising that the connection is
loose, based on the use of 30 sections and some shared interests, but this section of Proverbs
uses own its order and has a largely different emphasis.8

Book 6 (Ch 30) – Sayings of Agur

It seems likely that Agur was an Ishmaelite man from Massa (this is the name of a tribe of
Ishmael according to Genesis 25:14, and became the name of a region in northern Arabia –
this identification of Agur depends on reading 30:1 as “son of Jakeh of Massa” rather than
“son of Jakeh – an oracle”, as suggested in the NIV footnotes). It has been suggested that he
was possibly a convert to the religion of Israel, but it is also possible that this is an example
of the borrowing of wisdom from a man who did not worship Yahweh in the recognition that
all truth is God’s truth (in the same way that Paul could quote pagan philosophers when their
words were true and supported his argument). Some critical scholars argue that Agur’s words
stop at verse 4, that he was an unbeliever or agnostic and that the rest of the chapter is a
response to him, but this seems to have little basis in the text (there is no division at v4, and it
seems that v2‐3 are ironic).

This chapter bears some similarities to Job: verse 4 echoes says Job 38:18, saying “Tell me if
you know!” and the word Eloah is used for God in verse 5 (it is used 41 times in Job and also
in the Arabic language). A distinctive feature of Agur’s sayings is his groups of four things
(v15, 18, 21, 24, 29; also in v11‐14 there is a list of four things without the usual
introduction). Most of these have a crescendo introduction (“three things … four”, v15, 18,
21, 29). This pattern is familiar elsewhere in Scripture: Job 5:19; Proverbs 6:16‐19; Amos 1 ‐
2. Some of these sayings have a moral and others apparently do not.

Book 7 (Ch 31) – Sayings of Lemuel

If the suggested reading of 30:1 as a reference to Massa in Arabia is correct, then Lemuel was
also from Massa – in fact he was its king. It is debatable whether all of chapter 31 represents
the words of Lemuel, taught to him by his mother, or whether his contribution ends at verse 9
and verses 10 to 31 are from a different pen. The interpretation of the chapter does not
depend on the authorship. The chapter as a whole exemplifies the combination of instruction
(v1‐9; compared with chapters 1‐9 and 22:17‐24:34) and observation (v10‐31; compared with
Solomon’s proverbs) that characterises the whole book. The first section (v1‐9) comprises
instructions on how to be a good king which may still prove useful for politicians today with
some cultural translation.

Verses 10‐31 are an alphabetic acrostic poem about the ideal wife. Acrostics also found in
Psalms (four in the first book and four in the fifth book, most notably Psalm 119) and four in
Lamentations 1‐4. This poem may seem daunting given the high standard it sets, but its
8
See Kidner, 1985, 44.

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picture is beautiful and is certainly an ideal for any wife to aspire and a good guide for a man
seeking a spouse. It is worth noting how powerful, influential and productive this wife is. She
is no powerless and servile subordinate, but a dynamic and resourceful partner. She is highly
involved in the managing of the affairs of the home and the instruction of the children (v26‐
28), and the reputation of her husband depends at least in part upon her role as his wife (v23).
The poem, and therefore the book, climaxes with a reference to the fear of the Lord (v30),
making a neat parallel to the statement at the beginning of the book that “the fear of the
LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (1:7).

The Message of Proverbs

Proverbs is perhaps the most readily accessible of the wisdom books. It is highly practical
and its relevance to life today is often clear. Fee and Stuart write about the content and
purpose of the book:9
As a generalization, it is useful to note that Proverbs teaches what
might be called ‘old fashioned basic values’. No parent wants his or
her child to grow up unhappy, disappointed, lonely, socially rejected,
in trouble with the law, immoral, inept, or broke. It is neither selfish
nor unrealistic for a parent to wish a child a reasonable level of
success in life – including social acceptance, freedom from want, and
moral uprightness. Proverbs provides a collection of pithy, advisory
statements designed to do just that. There is no guarantee, of course,
that a life will always go well for a young person. What proverbs does
say is that, all things being equal, there are basic attitudes and
patterns of behaviour that will help a person grow into responsible
adulthood.

The concerns of this book for right behaviour are highly relevant to modern society, and we
discover that the results of folly are just as great a problem for modern families and
communities as they were when the book was written. According to Proverbs, folly includes:
 Violent crime (1:10‐19; 4:14‐19)
 Careless promising or pledging (6:1‐5)
 Laziness (6:7‐11)
 Malicious dishonesty (6:12‐15)
 Sexual impurity (2:16‐19; 5:3‐20; 6:23‐35; 7:4‐27; 9:13‐18; 23:26‐28)

In response, we are urged to the same actions that will build strong families and communities
today:
 Care for the poor (2:22, 27)
 Respect government (23:1‐3; 24:21‐22)
 Discipline children (23:13‐14)
 Be moderate in consumption of alcohol (23:19‐21, 29‐35)
 Take care of our parents (23:22‐25)

Specifically religious language is rare in Proverbs (although see 1:7; 3:5‐12; 15:3, 8 ‐9, 11;
16:1‐9; 22:9, 23; 24:18, 21 etc.) but, as we have already said in the introduction to wisdom

9
Fee and Stuart, 1993, 216‐217.

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literature, this does not imply that the wisdom being presented is godless. In fact, it teaches us
that:10
Not everything in life has to be strictly religious to be godly. Indeed,
Proverbs can help serve as a corrective to the extremist tendency to
spiritualize everything, as if there were something wrong with the
basic, material, physical world.

Interpretation and application

Despite the accessibility of Proverbs, there are a number of potential difficulties with
interpreting and applying this book:

 The presence of conflicting proverbs (even adjacent to one another, as in 26:4‐5)

As discussed in the earlier introduction to wisdom literature, this simply highlights the fact
that proverbs are not generalised statements of how to act in every situation, but guidelines to
considering possible courses of action and their likely consequences. Discernment and
judgement is needed to know how to apply their truth into specific situations.

 The presence of generalisations

Generalisations about rewards for the righteous and punishment for the wicked are not to be
taken blindly, but may provoke a response of cry for justice. 11 Perhaps this is even part of the
book’s intention. Derek Kidner argues that the book speaks of the “nine‐tenths of life” 12 that
is predictable and leaves the irregularities to other wisdom books (i.e. Job and Ecclesiastes).
Furthermore, Proverbs itself is not entirely devoid of recognition of difficulties of life in this
world (e.g. 20:24).

 Some proverbs seem obvious

Some of the proverbs have been accused of being little more than platitudes or tautologies
(self‐evident sayings). For example, 12:17 seems to simply state the obvious. We should not
be too quick to assume that there is no meaning to these proverbs – perhaps 12:17 is telling us
more than we realise, warning us against “yes men” or guiding as to how to decide between
two witnesses based on their character – but we should also heed Derek Kidner’s warning:13
The very things that, we feel, should go without saying may, if left
unsaid, go by default. They may be selfevident to us by now, only
because at some stage they were dinned into our reluctant ears with
small regard for novelty.

Also, describing how things normally work is essential to understanding our world and
recognising the principles of wisdom behind it.

 Some proverbs can seem mercenary

Some proverbs seem to advise nothing but self‐interest (e.g. 27:12; 11:17) and some may
even seem morally dubious (is 21:14 really advising bribery?). It must be noted, however,
that some proverbs are simply describing the way things are rather than advising how we
should act and that there are repeated references to the LORD throughout the book, even in

10
Fee and Stuart, 1993, 217.
11
See Kidner, 1985, 27.
12
See Kidner, 1985, 27.
13
Kidner, 1985, 27.

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the collections of Solomon’s proverbs (see 16:1‐9), and the very foundation of wisdom
begins with Him. No action that is in disobedience to God’s revealed will can possibly be
wise according to the very foundation principle of wisdom.

The key to a proper interpretation of Proverbs is a correct understanding of the nature of the
proverb. Proverbs are short and pithy, and this creates a problem in that, “The briefer a
statement is, the less likely it is to be totally precise and universally applicable”. 14 In the
Hebrew proverbs often contain vocabulary or rhythm and sound qualities that aid
memorisation, like English proverbs such as “a stitch in time saves nine” or “look before you
leap”. Proverbs are not legal guarantees from God but general guidelines as to a wise way to
approach the issue. As such:15
Hebrew proverbs … must be understood reasonably and taken on their
own terms. They do not state everything about a truth but they point
toward it. They are, taken literally, often technically inexact. But as
learnable guidelines for the shaping of selected behaviour, they are
unsurpassed.

Grant Osborne warns that:16

Most important, we dare not read more into the proverbial statement
than is there. By their very nature they are generalized statements,
intended to give advice rather than to establish rigid codes by which
God works.

Some additional examples may help to clarify this truth:

 Proverbs 6:20 – this verse should not be taken to mean that parents must be obeyed by
people of every age whatever they command. Obedience to God must come first and
parents should only be obeyed when their commands are honouring to Him and
genuinely in the best interests of the child.
 Proverbs 6:27‐29 – these verses are not literally about fire, and they are not warning
against any physical contact with another man’s wife, but they do powerfully express
the dangers of adultery.
 Proverbs 16:3 – this is not a universal promise. Success depends on God’s definition
and we must ask what it means to commit our plans to God?

Bearing this in mind, and without repeating the guidelines for interpretation found in the
section introducing wisdom literature, the following principles summarise key points in how
proverbs should be applied:
1. Proverbs are poetry – get behind the meaning of figurative language and translate it to
your cultural context
2. Proverbs are worded to be memorable, not theoretically precise
3. Proverbs are intensely practical, not abstract and theoretical
4. Proverbs must be read as a collection – compare proverbs on similar themes
5. Proverbs do not support selfish living but aim to stretch us outside the confines of our
own perspective
6. Proverbs are not universal guarantees from God, but poetic guidelines for wise
decision making
7. Proverbs give good advice for some aspects of life, but are not comprehensive
14
Fee and Stuart, 1993, 217.
15
Fee and Stuart, 1993, 218.
16
Osborne, 1991, 195.

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8. Proverbs must never be applied without the bedrock principle of the fear of the Lord.

Bibliography
Fee, Gordon D. & Stuart, Douglas, How to read the Bible for all its Worth: a guide to
understanding the Bible (2nd edition), (Bletchley: Scripture Union, 1993).

Kidner, Derek, The Wisdom of Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes: An introduction to wisdom
literature, (Downers Grove: IVP, 1985).

Longman, Tremper III, “Preaching Wisdom” in Kent, Grenville J.R., Kissling, Paul J. and
Turner, Laurence A. ‘He Began With Moses…’ preaching the Old Testament today,
(Nottingham: IVP, 2010).

Osborne, Grant R., The Hermeneutical Spiral: a comprehensive introduction to biblical

interpretation, (Downers Grove: IVP, 1991).

Ross, Allen P., Proverbs in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary series, (Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 2001).