Book of Proverbs

                                 

• The Hebrew word for “proverb” (mashal) means a comparison.  Many of the proverbs are comparisons or contrasts between types of people and behavior.

 

• The English word “proverb” means a short, pithy statement.  It has been said that a proverb takes only a few seconds to read, but may take a lifetime to apply.  We are familiar with other non-Biblical proverbs such as: “early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”  These are unforgettable nuggets of truth that pack a lot of truth into a short statement.  This was a Swedish proverb in a recent Bristol newspaper: “Love me when I least deserve it, because that’s when I really need it.”  We have to be careful with man’s proverbs because they sometimes contradict each other.  For example: “Look before you leap” contradicts “He who hesitates is lost.”  Here is another example: “You get what you pay for” and “the best things in life are free.”  God’s proverbs never contradict each other because they are inspired by God.

Authorship and Date:

• Solomon wrote or compiled most of the proverbs.  No man was better qualified to write such a book.  He asked for wisdom (1 Kg. 3:5-9) and God granted his request (1 Kg. 4:29-30).  Solomon’s wisdom was legendary.  Many people including heads of state came to hear his wisdom (1 Kg. 4:31; 10:1-8).  Solomon spoke some 3,000 proverbs (1 Kg. 4:32), of which over 500 are in the Book of Proverbs, and he wrote 1,005 songs of which only one is in the Bible (Song of Solomon).  He collected and arranged proverbs other than his own (Eccl. 12:9).  Solomon also wrote Psalm 72 and 127.  He compiled sayings of the wise (Prov. 22:17-24:34), and some of his proverbs were later copied by the men of Hezekiah (715-686 B.C., Prov. 25-29).  The final chapters were the words of Agur (Prov. 30) and Lemuel (Prov. 31), who may have been Solomon.  J. Vernon McGee observed that Solomon wrote about three subjects in which he was an expert: Proverbs (wisdom), Ecclesiastes (folly), and Song of Solomon (love). 

 

• Solomon ruled from 970-930 B.C.  His life and reign are recorded in 1 Kgs. 2-11 and 2 Chr. 1-9.  He probably wrote these proverbs before his heart was turned away from God (1 Kg. 11:1-4).  It is tragic that Solomon failed to apply many of the things he understood and wrote in Proverbs.

Literary Style:

• Proverbs is a wisdom book.  It is one of five books of wisdom (Job-S of S.).  The Hebrew word for wisdom (hokmah) means skill for living.  It is perhaps the most practical book in the Bible.  It has been described as “laws from heaven for life on earth.”  Proverbs does not teach salvation by works, but it does teach the good works of a saved person.  Psalms helps us to praise and worship the Lord.  Proverbs helps us to deal properly with others. 

 

• Proverbs is a poetry book.  Most of the proverbs are verses or couplets with parallel thoughts that fit together.  English poetry usually has rhyme in which there is parallel sound.  Hebrew poetry has parallel thoughts or ideas.  These may contrast, clarify, restate or complete the thought of the first statement.  We will see examples of all three.

• Proverbs is a simple, yet profound book.  Although it is practical, it is not shallow or superficial.  Proverbs are in some ways like parables.  They present simple and sometimes vivid pictures, but the student has to ponder their meaning and application.

 

Theme and Purpose:

• Proverbs offers wisdom for living.  Proverbs is “God’s How-To Book.”  The overall theme and purpose is found in 1:2-6.  Wisdom is seeing life from God’s point of view.  Understanding is learning how to live from God’s point of view.  Proverbs shows how to see life and how to live it.  “Wisdom” (skill for living) is mentioned 104 times.  Every minute of every day we operate either from a human viewpoint or God’s viewpoint, the horizontal or the vertical.  Too often human opinions and values influence us more than God’s Word.

 

• Proverbs describes godly character and conduct.  Such wisdom “demands obedience, makes understanding clear, the heart clean, the conscience pure, and the will firm.”  Key verses are Proverbs 1:7; 9:10.  To fear God is to stand in awe of Him and humbly submit to Him.  Solomon learned this from David (Ps. 111:10).

• Proverbs stresses the value and blessing of wisdom (3:13-15; 4:7-8; 8:19; 19:8).

 

• Proverbs addresses a wide range of topics.  Proverbs has no connected story with a beginning, plot, and ending.  There is no single theme or topic but rather a collection of topics.  Herbert Lockyer wrote: “The proverbs seem to hang as separate pearls on the necklace of truth.”  Proverbs deals with wisdom and folly, pride and humility, justice and vengeance, laziness and work, poverty and wealth, friends and neighbors, love and lust, anger and strife, masters and servants, life and death.  Proverbs describes over 180 different types of people.  As you read and study this book you will see verses that describe the people you know and deal with every day.  Proverbs challenges us to develop godly character qualities: to be alert, compassionate, consistent, courteous, dependable, discerning, disciplined, gentle, honest, humble, industrious, loving, loyal, objective, patient, punctual, submissive, tactful, teachable, thorough, thoughtful, and unselfish.   Some proverbs encourage us to do what is right.  Others warn us about doing what is wrong.  Some proverbs describe the way things ought to be.  Others describe the way things are.  Many proverbs are given as fatherly instruction to a child (“my son”).  Proverbs deals with real life issues in a real way.

Structure:

• 31 chapters; 915 verses; 15,043 words

 

• Introduction and Purpose (1:1-7)

• Proverbs to Youth (1:8-9:18)

 

• Proverbs on Various Subjects (10:1-24:34)

• Words of Agur (Chp. 30)

 

• Words of King Lemuel (Chp. 31)

Interpreting Proverbs:
We should follow three steps in interpreting all Scripture: observation (what does it say?); interpretation (what does it mean?); and application (what does it mean to me personally?).

We need to understand these literary devices:

• Antithesis: contrasting opposite things (10:12: 14:23, “but”)

 

• Comparison: comparing similar things (15:17, “and, so, better than”)

 

• Imagery: using picture language (the bird in the net,1:17; the lot in the lap, 16:33)

• Personification: giving personality to an abstract thing (wisdom’s call, 1:20-33)

 

We need to remember these principles:

• Proverbs are instructions from God, not just clever sayings.  “Lord” (Jehovah) is found 86 times in Proverbs.  A husband asked his wife: “What are you doing with that paint brush and bucket?”  “Can’t you see that I’m painting these ugly walls?”  “Why then are you wearing that ski jacket and overcoat?”  “Cause the instructions say for best results put on two coats.”  We need to follow God’s instructions.

 

• Wisdom and folly are moral rather than mental issues.  The wise person is a righteous person who is saved.  The fool is a wicked person who is unsaved.  A fool doesn’t have a mental problem, but a moral problem.

• Proverbs are general statements, not blanket promises.  A good example of this is Prov. 22:6.  Some parents have raised their children right and when their children grew up they turned their back on Christianity.  Does that mean Prov. 22:6 is not true?  No, this verse is not a blanket promise without any exceptions.  Another example is Prov. 22:29.  Many men skilled in their work do not literally stand before kings.  This verse points to the general truth that if a person does good work, he will tend to be recognized and rewarded for it. 

 

Book of Proverbs
Introduction
                                                          
Title:                                                 

• The Hebrew word for “proverb” (mashal) means___________________________.

 

• The English word “proverb” means______________________________________. 

Authorship and Date:

• _________________________________________________ most of the proverbs.

 

• __________________________________________________________________ 

Literary Style:

• Proverbs is_________________________________________________________. 

 

• Proverbs is_________________________________________________________.

 

• Proverbs is_________________________________________________________. 

Theme and Purpose:

• Proverbs offers______________________________________________________. 

 

• Proverbs describes___________________________________________________. 

• Proverbs stresses_____________________________________________________ (3:13-15; 4:7-8; 8:19; 19:8).

 

• Proverbs addresses___________________________________________________. 

Structure:

• ___________________________________________________________________

 

• _____________________________________________________________ (1:1-7)

• Proverbs to_________________________________________________ (1:8-9:18)

 

• Proverbs on______________________________________________ (10:1-24:34)

• Words of___________________________________________________ (Chp. 30)

 

• Words of___________________________________________________ (Chp. 31)

 

Interpreting Proverbs:
We should follow three steps in interpreting all Scripture: observation (what does it say?); interpretation (what does it mean?); and application (what does it mean to me personally?).

We need to understand these literary devices:

• Antithesis: __________________________________________________________ (10:12: 14:23, “but”)

 

• Comparison: ________________________________________________________ (15:17, “and, so, better than”)

 

• Imagery: ___________________________________________________________ (the bird in the net,1:17; the lot in the lap, 16:33)

• Personification: ______________________________________________________ (wisdom’s call, 1:20-33)

 

We need to remember these principles:

• Proverbs are instructions______________________________________________. 

 

• Wisdom and folly are_________________________________________________. 

• Proverbs are________________________________________________________.  (Prov. 22:6, 29)