Reading Guide
Proverbs
Introduction (1:1-9) “The proverbs of Solomon”
Solomon’s wisdom - See 1 Kings 3:4-12; 1 Kings 4:29-34
The phrase “The Proverbs of Solomon” is a title for the entire book. The title does not mean that Solomon authored or collected all the proverbs in this book. Some sections are collections from different authors: 22:17-24:22; 24:23-34; 30:1-33; Prov 31:1-9. (NET Bible study note, (1:1)
Gaining wisdom - Hebrew khokhmah means much more than just mental activity, it refers to action also. Like “skill” or “applied knowledge”. In this case “moral skill”.
Another theme in the introduction: The “fear” of the LORD; but this is not terror; rather it is reverence and awe of God and about my place in the universe; a moral mindset; humble oneself before God
Section 1 - Chapters 1-9 - Ten speeches from a Father to a son
The moral logic of proverbs
WIse: WIsdom and fear of the LORD >> virtue, integrity, generosity >> success and peace
Foolish: Folly and evil >> selfishness and pride >> ruin and shame
Make the pursuit of wisdom and the fear of the LORD the highest priority in life.
Also four poems of Lady Wisdom (1:20-33; 3:13-20; ch 8; ch 9)
Wisdom has been poetically personified as a woman calling out to humanity to pay attention and to seek her. This is a poetic way of claiming that we live in God’s moral universe.
God’s invitation to learn wisdom from previous generations.
Chapters 10-29 - Hundreds of ancient proverbs
Apply wisdom in the fear of the LORD to every life topic you can imagine.
Keep in mind that proverbs state probabilities but they are NOT promises.
There are no guarantees; lots of things can and do go wrong in this world.
Proverbs focus on the general rule, but NOT the exceptions.
For example, read Proverbs 10:27 and 22:6. Do these always 100% hold true?
Job and Ecclesiastes, on the other hand, focus on the exceptions.
Chapter 30 - Agur acknowledges his own ignorance and folly and his great need for God’s wisdom, and then he discovers that divine wisdom has been given to him in the scriptures.
So Agur is put forward as a model reader of the book of Proverbs, someone who is always open to hearing God’s wisdom in the scriptures.
Chapter 31:1-9 - Lemuel, a king who passes on the wisdom that was given to him by his mother - guidance for wise leadership.
Chapter 31:10-31 - The woman of noble character
An alphabet poem - each line begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
She lives according to the wisdom of Proverbs; a model of someone who takes God’s wisdom and translates it into practical decisions of everyday life: at work, at home, in her family, and in her community.
Symmetry:
The book opens with words of a father to a son about listening to Lady Wisdom.
The book closes with words of a mother to her son about a woman who lives wisely.