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Introduction
to Proverbs
Summary of the Book of Proverbs
This summary of
the book of Proverbs provides information about the title, author(s), date of
writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the
chapters of the Book of Proverbs.
Although the
book begins with a title ascribing the proverbs to Solomon, it is clear from
later chapters that he was not the only author of the book. Pr 22:17
refers to the "sayings of the wise," and 24:23
mentions additional "sayings of the wise." The presence of an
introduction in 22:17-21
further indicates that these sections stem from a circle of wise men, not from
Solomon himself. Ch. 30 is
attributed to Agur son of Jakeh and 31:1-9
to King Lemuel, neither of whom is mentioned elsewhere. Lemuel's sayings
contain several Aramaic spellings that may point to a non-Israelite background.
Most of the
book, however, is closely linked with Solomon. The headings in 10:1
and 25:1
again include his name, though 25:1
states that these proverbs were "copied by the men of Hezekiah king of
Judah." This indicates that a group of wise men or scribes compiled these
proverbs as editors and added chs. 25 - 29 to the earlier
collections. Solomon's ability to produce proverbs is specified in 1Ki 4:32, where
3,000 proverbs are attributed to him. Coupled with statements about his
unparalleled wisdom (1Ki 4:29-31,34),
it is quite likely that he was the source of most of Proverbs. The book
contains a short prologue (1:1-7)
and a longer epilogue (31:10-31),
which may have been added to the other materials. It is possible that the
discourses in the large opening section (1:8 -- 9:18)
were the work of a compiler or editor, but the similarities of ch. 6 in this section with
other chapters (compare 6:1 with 11:15; 17:18; 20:16; 27:13;
compare 6:14,19
with 10:12; 15:18; 16:28; 28:25; 29:22;
compare 6:19
with 14:5,25;
19:5)
fit a Solomonic origin equally well. The emphasis on the "fear of the
Lord" (1:7)
throughout the book ties the various segments together.
If Solomon is
granted a prominent role in the book, most of Proverbs would stem from the
tenth century b.c. during the time of Israel's united kingdom. The peace and
prosperity that characterized that era accord well with the development of
reflective wisdom and the production of literary works. Moreover, several
interpreters have noted that the 30 sayings of the wise in 22:17
-- 24:22
(especially the first ten) contain similarities to the 30 sections of the
Egyptian "Wisdom of Amenemope," an instructional piece that is
roughly contemporary with the time of Solomon. Likewise, the personification of
wisdom so prominent in chs. 1 - 9 (see 1:20
and note; 3:15-18;
8:1-36;
9:1-12)
can be compared with the personification of abstract ideas in both Mesopotamian
and Egyptian writings of the second millennium b.c.
The role of
Hezekiah's men (see 25:1)
indicates that important sections of Proverbs were compiled and edited from 715
to 686 b.c. This was a time of spiritual renewal led by the king, who also
showed great interest in the writings of David and Asaph (see 2Ch 29:30).
Perhaps it was also at this time that the sayings of Agur (ch. 30) and Lemuel (31:1-9)
and the other "sayings of the wise" (22:17
-- 24:22; 24:23
-- 34)
were added to the Solomonic collections, though it is possible that the task of
compilation was not completed until after the reign of Hezekiah.
The proverbs
contained in this book are not to be interpreted as prophecies or their
statements about effects and results as promises. For instance, 10:27
says that the years of the wicked are cut short, while the righteous live long
and prosperous lives (see 3:2 and note). The
righteous have abundant food (10:3),
but the wicked will go hungry (13:25).
While such statements are generally true, there are enough exceptions to
indicate that sometimes the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper (see note
on 3:2).
Normally the righteous and wicked "receive their due on earth" (11:31),
but at other times reward and punishment lie beyond the grave.
The Hebrew word
translated "proverb" is also translated "oracle" (Nu 23:7,18),
"taunt" (Isa 14:4)
and "parable" (Eze 17:2), so its
meaning is considerably broader than the English term. This may help explain
the presence of the longer discourse sections in chs. 1 - 9. Most proverbs are
short, compact statements that express truths about human behavior. Often there
is repetition of a word or sound that aids memorization. In 30:33,
e.g., the same Hebrew verb is translated "churning,"
"twisting" and "stirring up."
In the longest
section of the book (10:1 --
22:16)
most of the proverbs are two lines long, and those in chs. 10 - 15 almost always express a
contrast. Sometimes the writer simply makes a general observation, such as
"a bribe is a charm to the one who gives it" (17:8;
cf. 14:20),
but usually he evaluates conduct: "he who hates bribes will live" (15:27).
Many proverbs, in fact, describe the consequences of a particular action or
character trait: "A wise son brings joy to his father" (10:1).
Since the proverbs were written primarily for instruction, often they are given
in the form of commands: "Do not love sleep or you will grow poor" (20:13).
Even where the imperative form is not used, the desired action is quite clear
(see 14:5).
A common
feature of the proverbs is the use of figurative language: "Like cold
water to a weary soul / is good news from a distant land" (25:25).
In ch. 25
alone there are 11 verses that begin with "like" or "as."
These similes make the proverbs more vivid and powerful. Occasionally the
simile is used in a humorous or sarcastic way: "Like a gold ring in a
pig's snout / is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion" (11:22;
cf. 26:9),
or, "As a door turns on its hinges, / so a sluggard turns on his bed"
(26:14).
Equally effective is the use of metaphors: "The teaching of the wise is a
fountain of life" (13:14),
and "the tongue that brings healing is a tree of life" (15:4).
According to 16:24,
"pleasant words are a honeycomb." The figure of sowing and reaping is
used in both a positive and a negative way (cf. 11:18; 22:8).
In order to
develop a proper set of values, a number of proverbs use direct comparisons:
"Better a poor man whose walk is blameless / than a rich man whose ways
are perverse" (28:6).
This "better . . . than" pattern can be seen also in 15:16-17;
16:19,32;
17:1,12;
a modified form occurs in 22:1.
Another pattern found in the book is the so-called numerical proverb. Used for
the first time in 6:16
(see note there), this type of saying normally has the number three in the
first line and four in the second (cf. 30:15,18,21,29).
The repetition
of entire proverbs (compare 6:10-11
with 24:33-34;
14:12
with 16:25; 18:8
with 26:22; 20:16
with 27:13; 21:19
with 25:24)
or parts of proverbs may serve a poetic purpose. A slight variation allows the
writer(s) to use the same image to make a related point (as in 17:3; 27:21)
or to substitute a word or two to achieve greater clarity or a different
emphasis (cf. 19:1; 28:6).
In 26:4-5
the same line is repeated in a seemingly contradictory way, but this was
designed to make two different points (see notes there).
At times the
book of Proverbs is very direct and earthy (cf. 6:6; 21:9; 25:16; 26:3).
This is the nature of wisdom literature as it seeks pedagogically effective
ways to illumine life situations and to guide the unwise (or not yet wise) into
wise choices concerning how to shape their lives as members of the human
community that lives under the scrutiny and the providential rule and care of
the Creator (see essay, p. 970).
According to
the prologue (1:1-7),
Proverbs was written to give "prudence to the simple, knowledge and
discretion to the young" (1:4), and to make
the wise even wiser (1:5).
The frequent references to "my son(s)" (1:8,10;
2:1; 3:1; 4:1; 5:1) emphasize
instructing the young and guiding them in a way of life that yields rewarding
ends. Acquiring wisdom and knowing how to avoid the pitfalls of folly lead to
personal well-being, happy family relationships, fruitful labors and good
standing in the community (see outline, p. 1279). Although Proverbs is a
practical book dealing with the art of living, it bases its practical wisdom
solidly on the fear of the Lord (1:7; see Ps 34:8-14
and note). Throughout the book reverence for God and reliance on him are set
forth as the path to life, prosperity and security (cf. 3:5-10;
9:10-12;
14:26-27;
16:3,6-7;
18:10; 19:23; 20:22; 22:4; 28:25; 29:25).
Such godly wisdom is a virtual "tree of life" (3:18; 11:30; 13:12; 15:4) that
yields the happy life that God fashioned the creation to produce.
In the initial
cycle of instruction (1:8 -- 9:18)
the writer urges the young man to choose the way of wisdom (that leads to life)
and shun the ways of folly (that, however tempting they may be, lead to death).
The author chooses two prime exemplifications of folly to give concreteness to
his exhortations: (1) to get ahead in the world by exploiting (even oppressing)
others rather than by diligent and honest labor, and (2) to find sexual
pleasure outside the bonds and responsibilities of marriage. Temptation to the
one comes from the young man's male peers (1:10-19);
temptation to the other comes from the adulterous woman (ch. 5; 6:20-35;
ch. 7).
Together, these two temptations illustrate the pervasiveness and power of the
allurements to folly that the young man will face in life and must be prepared
to resist (see also Literary Structure below).
The major
collections of proverbs that follow range widely across the broad spectrum of
human situations, relationships and responsibilities offering insights,
warnings, instructions and counsels along with frequent motivations to heed
them. The range and variety of these defy summation. However, an illustrative
section can convey the general character, moral tone and scope of the
collections. In a variety of situations and relationships the reader is
exhorted to honesty, integrity, diligence, kindness, generosity, readiness to
forgive, truthfulness, patience, humility, cheerfulness, loyalty, temperance,
self-control and the prudent consideration of consequences that flow from attitudes,
choices and/or actions. Anger should be held in check, violence and
quarrelsomeness shunned, gossip avoided, arrogance repudiated. Drunkenness,
gluttony, envy and greed should all be renounced. The poor are not to be
exploited, the courts are not to be unjustly manipulated, legitimate
authorities are to be honored. Parents should care for the proper instruction
and discipline of their children, and children should duly honor their parents
and bring no disgrace on them. Human observation and experience have taught the
wise that a certain order is in place in God's creation. To honor it leads to
known positive effects; to defy it leads only to unhappy consequences. All of
life should be lived in conscious awareness of the unfailing scrutiny of the
Lord of creation and in reliance on his generous providence.
Although
Proverbs is more practical than theological, God's work as Creator is
especially highlighted. The role of wisdom in creation is the subject of 8:22-31
(see notes there), where wisdom as an attribute of God is personified. God is
called the Maker of the poor (14:31; 17:5; 22:2).
He sovereignly directs the steps of people (cf. 16:9; 20:24)
-- even the actions of kings (21:1)
-- and his eyes observe all that humans do (cf. 5:21; 15:3).
All history moves forward under his control (see 16:4,33
and notes).
In summary,
Proverbs provides instruction on how to live wisely and successfully in the
"fear of the Lord" (1:7; 9:10)
within the theocratic arrangement. The fear of the Lord includes reverence for,
trust in and commitment to the Lord and his will as disclosed in his creation
and as revealed in his word. Wisdom in this context, then, is basically
following the benevolent King's design for human happiness within the creation
order -- resulting in quality of mind (1:2) and quality of
life (1:3).
The sectional
headings found in the NIV text itself divide the book into well-defined units.
A short prologue (stating the purpose and theme, 1:1-7)
opens the book, and a longer epilogue (identifiable by its subject matter and
its alphabetic form, 31:10-31)
closes it. The first nine chapters contain a series of discourses that contrast
the way and benefits of wisdom with the way of the fool. Except for the
sections where personified wisdom speaks (1:20; 8:1; 9:1), each discourse
begins with "my son" or "my sons."
A key feature
in the introductory discourses of Proverbs is the personification of both
wisdom and folly as women, each of whom (by appeals and warnings on the part of
Lady Wisdom, by enticements on the part of Lady Folly) seeks to persuade
"simple" youths to follow her ways. These discourses are strikingly
organized. Beginning (1:8-33)
and ending (chs. 8 - 9) with direct enticements
and appeals, the main body of the discourses is made up of two nicely balanced
sections, one devoted to the commendation of wisdom (chs. 2 - 4) and the other to
warnings against folly (chs. 5 - 7). In these discourses
the young man is depicted as being enticed to folly by men who try to get ahead
in the world by exploiting others (1:10-19)
and by women who seek sexual pleasure outside the bond of marriage (ch. 5; 6:20-35;
ch. 7). In
the social structures of that day, these were the two great temptations for young
men. The second especially functions here as illustrative and emblematic of the
appeal of Lady Folly.
The main
collection of Solomon's proverbs in 10:1 --
22:16
consists of individual couplets, many of which express a contrast. On the
surface, there does not seem to be any discernible arrangement, though
occasionally two or three proverbs deal with the same subject. For example, 11:24-25
deals with generosity, 16:12-15
mentions kings, and 19:4,6-7
talks about friendship. However, there is growing evidence that arrangements of
larger units were deliberate. Further study of this possibility is necessary.
The second Solomonic collection (chs. 25 - 29) continues the pattern
of two-line verses, but there are also examples of proverbs with three (25:13; 27:10,22,27)
or four (25:4-5,21-22;
26:18-19)
lines. The last five verses of ch. 27 (vv. 23-27) present a
short discourse on the benefits of raising flocks and herds.
In the
"thirty sayings" of the wise (22:17
-- 24:22)
and the "further sayings" of 24:23-34,
there is a prevalence of two- or three-verse units and something of a return to
the style of chs. 1 - 9 (see especially 23:29-35).
These sections have been appended to the preceding and contain some proverbs
similar to those included in the foregoing collections (compare 24:6
with 11:14; 24:16
with 11:5).
One finds even stronger links with chs. 1 - 9 (compare 23:27
with 2:16; 24:33-34
with 6:10-11).
At the end of
the book the editor(s) has (have) attached three additional pieces, diverse in
form and content: the "sayings of Agur," the "sayings of King
Lemuel" and a description of "a wife of noble character." The
first of these (ch. 30) is
dominated by numerical proverbs (30:15,18,21,24,29;
see note on 6:16).
The second (31:1-9)
is devoted exclusively to instruction for kings. The third (31:10-31),
effectively an eqilogue to the whole, is an impressive acrostic poem honoring
the wife of noble character (cf. Ru 3:11 and note). She
demonstrates, and thus epitomizes, many of the qualities and values identified
with wisdom throughout the book. In view of the fact that Proverbs is primarily
addressed to young men on the threshold of mature life, this focus on the ideal
wife appears surprising. But its purpose may be twofold: (1) to offer counsel
on the kind of wife a young man ought to seek, and (2) in a subtle way to
advise the young man (again) to marry Lady Wisdom, thus returning to the theme
of chs. 1 - 9 (as climaxed in ch. 9; compare the description
of Lady Wisdom in 9:1-2
with the virtues of the wife in 31:10-31).
In any event, the concluding epitomizing of wisdom in the wife of noble
character forms a literary frame with the opening discourses, where wisdom is
personified as a woman.
I.
Prologue: Purpose and Theme (1:1-7)
A.
Appeals and Warnings Confronting Youth (1:8-33)
B.
Commendation of Wisdom (chs. 2-4)
C.
Warnings against Folly (chs. 5-7)
D.
Appeals Addressed to Youth (chs. 8-9)
III. The Main
Collection of Solomon's Proverbs (10:1;22:16)
I.
His Character
A.
He Is Teachable, Not Intractable
B.
He Is Righteous, Not Wicked
C.
He Is Humble, Not Proud (15:33)
a.
He is self-controlled (29:11)
.
He is cautious, not hasty (19:2)
II. His
Relationships
.
Respects them (17:6; contrast 30:17)
.
He appreciates her
a.
He praises her (31:28)
0.
Reasons for training them
a.
Own peace of mind and joy (29:17)
1.
By teaching/instructing them (1:10; chs. 5-7; 28:7; cf. 4:1-9)
.
By verbal correction (13:1)
c.
He provides for their
0.
Physical needs (21:20;27:23-27)
.
He values them (27:10)
.
He fulfills his obligations (3:27-28)
III.
His Words
.
The power of life and death (12:6;13:14;15:4;18:21)
.
No substitute for deeds (14:23)
.
Not boastful (27:2)
0.
Revealing secrets (11:13;20:19)
.
Positively, he is righteous (10:11;13:14)
──《New
International Version》
Introduction to Proverbs
The subject of this book may be thus stated
by an enlargement on the opening verses. 1. The Proverbs of Solomon, the son of
David, king of Israel. 2. Which treat of the knowledge of wisdom, of piety towards
God, of instruction and moral discipline, of the understanding wise and prudent
counsels. 3. Which treat of the attainment of instruction in wisdom, which
wisdom is to be shown in the conduct of life, and consists in righteousness
with regard to our fellow-creatures. 4. Which treat of the giving to the simple
sagacity to discover what is right, by supplying them with just principles, and
correct views of virtue and vice; and to the young man knowledge, so that he
need not err through ignorance; and discretion, so that by pondering well these
precepts, he may not err through obstinacy. Take the proverbs of other nations,
and we shall find great numbers founded upon selfishness, cunning, pride,
injustice, national contempt, and animosities. The principles of the Proverbs
of Solomon are piety, charity, justice, benevolence, and true prudence. Their
universal purity proves that they are the word of God.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Proverbs》
00 Overview
PROVERBS
INTRODUCTION
The
title of the book
“The Proverbs of Solomon.” There is no necessity, from this title,
for considering the collection, in the precise state in which we now have it,
as the work of Solomon. The proverbs which the book contains were all his; but
the selection and arrangement of them appear, from the very statements of the
book itself, to have been made by different hands. In Proverbs 25:1 we read, “These are also
proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.” “The
men of Hezekiah” were, without question, “holy men of God,” prophets, appointed
by that eminently pious prince to the execution of the good work. (Ralph
Wardlaw, D.D.)
The Book of Proverbs is not to be regarded simply as a collection
of wise sayings, genial sentiments, prudent guesses, or affectionate
exhortations. The book may be viewed, on the contrary, as representing the very
science of practical philosophy. Proverbs are condensed philosophies. Sometimes
proverbs are condensed histories. Wise men who speak even about “earthly
things” are often obliged to have recourse to “dark sayings.” Some truths can
only be hinted at; some reforms can only be outlined, and then can only be
shown as if in twilight; there are dark things in life for which names can be
found only by a kind of spiritual genius; there are also possible reforms or
re-arrangements of life which even the proposers hardly realise in all their
scope and uses--hence even reformers and spiritual teachers of every kind have
often expressed themselves darkly, suggestively, tentatively, so much so that
their hesitation has been misunderstood and mocked by fluent ignorance and
superficial ability. (Joseph Parker, D.D.)
A proverb, strictly speaking, is a short moral sentence, which
means something further than what the words literally imply. Most of Solomon’s
proverbs are rather to be called maxims or sentences. The characteristic
feature of this kind of writing is brevity, much thought in a small compass; as
in a seed is contained the whole power of vegetation which is to produce the
tree. And the obscurity attendant on “these words of the wise, and their dark sayings,” is not
altogether without its uses. It whets the understanding, excites an appetite
for knowledge, and keeps alive the attention by the labour of the
investigation, giving an increased pleasure to the discovery of truth, by
having called forth our efforts to attain it. (B. E. Nicholls,
M.A.)
These proverbs of Solomon are a collection of wise and moral
sayings, usually plain and concise; they are also of the poetical kind, and
fall into metre, and therefore were the more easily learned and remembered by
those in whose language they were written. They have not that air of smartness,
and vivacity, and wit which modem writers have usually affected in their maxims
and sentences; but they have what is better--truth and solid good sense. (J.
Jortin, D.D.)
The word which forms the present title of the book calls for
special notice. The Greek περοιμία, the Latin proverbium,
express only the fact that the saying so described is current among men, a “by-word,” differing
in its origin, it may be, from other words, at first out o! the way, afterwards
common and familiar, The Hebrew word for proverb (mashal) has a
much more definite significance. Its root-meaning is that of comparison, the
putting this and that together, noting likeness in things unlike. It answers,
i.e., to the Greek παραβολὴ
rather than παριομία. The
primary idea of a Hebrew proverb, traceable throughout the book, in spite of
the wider range of meaning which the word subsequently acquired, is that of
comparison and similitude. The words of Proverbs 26:7, “The legs of the lame are
not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools,” which speak of the mashal
in this sense, are also the best illustration of its meaning. That it was
applied also to moral apothegms of varying length, pointed and pithy in their
form though there might be no similitude, is evident enough throughout the
book. Elsewhere it is used with a partial extension of its meaning in another
direction. Discourses in which there is more or less of a poetic character,
even though there be no formal comparison, and no didactic result, are
described as “parables.” (Dean Plumptre.)
I shall not very much observe any reference which these proverbs
have the one to the other, because I conceive them to be as a heap of corn,
wherein every grain is weighty, but they have little connection the one with
the other. But this let me note of them, that these proverbs, far surpassing
others, do not only contain an inward pith of excellency in the proverbial
sense of them, but even in the husk and outward letter do deliver precious
things and of great use unto us. (Michael Jermin.)
The
authorship of the book
The Jewish tradition ascribed the Proverbs, or Sayings of the
Wise, to Solomon, just as it ascribed the Psalms, or inspired lyrics of the
poets, to King David, and we may add, just as it ascribed all the gradual
accretions and developments of the law to Moses. But even a very uncritical
reader will observe that the Book of Proverbs as we have it is not the work of
a single hand; and a critical inquiry into the language and style of the
several parts, and also into the social and political conditions which are
implied by them, has led scholars to the conclusion that, at the most, a
certain number of Solomon’s wise sayings are included in the collection, but
that he did not in any sense compose the book. (R. F. Horton,
D.D.)
It is not necessary to suppose that Solomon is the author of all
the proverbs in this book. He may have been the collector or editor, as well as
the originator. Let us regard the proverbs as a moral note-book, or practical
guide to life; it will then be doubly interesting to look into a guide drawn up
by no less an authority than “Solomon the son of David king of Israel” It
should be keenly interesting to us to know what such a man has brought back from
the fields of experience, and what he has set down with the sanction of his own
name. Solomon had swept the whole circle of social experience. (Joseph
Parker, D.D.)
The
structure of the work
The book may be divided into five parts.
Part 1 is a sort of preface, extending from chapter 1-chapter 9.
The teacher gives his pupil a connected series of admonitions, cautions, and
encouragements to the study of wisdom.
Part 2, from chapter 10- Proverbs 22:16, comprises what may be
strictly called proverbs, i.e., unconnected sentences expressed with
much neatness and simplicity.
Part 3 reaches from Proverbs 22:17 -chapter 24; in it the teacher renews his
connected admonitions to the study of wisdom.
Part 4 extends from chapter 24-chapter 29. It contains proverbs
supposed to have been selected from some larger collection of Solomon by the
men of Hezekiah. This part, like the second, consists of unconnected sentences.
Part 5 comprises the two last chapters. The first of these
contains the wise observations and instructions delivered by Agur to his pupils
Ithiel and Ucal; the other, the excellent lessons addressed to King Lemuel by
his mother. The description of the virtuous woman Proverbs 31:10-31) is by some considered
to be a separate poem. (B. E. Nicholls, M. A.)
Though the composition be of the disjointed kind, yet there is a
general design running through the whole which the author keeps always in view,
and that is, to instruct the people, and particularly young people, at their
entrance into public and active life, to give them an early love and an earnest
desire of real wisdom, and to lay down such clear rules for their behaviour as
shall carry them through the world with peace and credit. (J. Jortin, D.D.)
The main body of proverbs is the collection which begins at
chapter 10 and ends at Proverbs 22:16. This collection has
certain distinct features which mark it off from all that precedes and from all
that follows. All these proverbs are identical in form--each is expressed in a
distich. (There is an apparent exception in Proverbs 19:7) The general drift of their
teaching is quite uniform, the morality indicated is of no very lofty type; the
motives for right conduct are mainly prudential; there is no sense of mystery
or wonder, no tendency to speculation or doubt. A few scattered precepts occur
which seem to touch a higher level, and to breathe a more spiritual air. But
these may have been added by the author of chapters 1-9. To this collection is
added an appendix (Proverbs 22:17-29; Proverbs 23:1-35; Proverbs 24:1-22), which opens with an
exhortation addressed by the teacher to his pupil. The literary form of this
appendix falls far behind the style of the main collection. We are evidently
brought down to a later period in Israel’s melancholy history. Another brief
appendix follows (Proverbs 24:23-34), in which the distich
form almost entirely disappears. Chapters 25-29 contain an entirely new
collection, which was made in the literary court of Hezekiah, about 250 years
after the time of Solomon. In this collection there is no uniformity of
structure such as distinguished the proverbs of the first collection. The book
closes with three quite distinct passages, which can only be regarded as
appendices. The two collections, with their several appendices, were at some
favourable point in religious history, possibly in those happy days of Josiah
when the Deuteronomic Law was newly promulgated to the joyful nation, brought
together, and, as we should say now, edited, with an original introduction by
an author who, unknown to us by name, is among the greatest and noblest of
Biblical writers. The first nine chapters of the book, which form the
introduction to the whole, strike a far higher note, appeal to nobler
conceptions, and are couched in a much loftier style than the book itself. The
writer bases his moral teaching on Divine authority rather than on the
utilitarian basis which prevails in most of the proverbs. Writing in a time
when the temptations to a lawless and sensual life were strong, appealing to
the wealthier and more cultured youth of the nation, he proceeds in sweet and
earnest discourse to woo his readers from the paths of vice into the Temple of
Wisdom and Virtue. His method of contrasting the “two ways,” and exhorting men
to shun the one and choose the other, constantly reminds us of the similar
appeals in the Book of Deuteronomy; but the touch is more graphic and more
vivid; the gifts of the poet are employed in depicting the seven-pillared House
of Wisdom and the deadly ways of Folly; and in the wonderful passage which
introduces Wisdom appealing to the sons of men, on the ground of the part which
she plays in the creation and by the throne of God, we recognise the voice of a
prophet--a prophet, too, who holds one of the highest places in the line of
those who foretold the coming of our Lord. (R. F. Horton, D. D.)
With regard to the arrangement and structure of the Book of
Proverbs, it may be observed that ancient interpreters divided it into five
parts, like the books of Moses and the Psalms. The first part, or book, which
is introductory to the rest, consists of chapters 1-9 inclusive. The second
part extends from chapter 10-24 inclusive. The third part of it is composed of
proverbs of Solomon copied out and added by the men of Hezekiah, and comprises
chapters 25-29 The fourth part contains the words of Agur--probably a
symbolical name of Solomon--and is formed of chapter 30. The last part is
chapter 31, the words of King Lemuel, probably another symbolical title of
Solomon himself. These five parts of the proverbs are not thrown together
promiscuously, loosely, and incoherently, but they have their special
characteristics and peculiar
organisation. (Bp. Chris. Wordsworth.)
The
ethical teaching of the book
It will, perhaps, be slighted on account of its contents, as a
mere system of dry morality, by those who had rather deal in discourses of the
mystic or enthusiastic kind, and admire that sort of rapturous and ecstatic
devotion. But whether they will allow it or no, this book contains the main parts of pure and
undefiled religion, and lays down the best of rules for the prudent conduct of
life, and for obtaining the favour of God and the testimony of an approving
conscience. (J. Jortin, D.D.)
The careful reader of this book will receive the instructions of
that wisdom which directs men to practise justice regulated by discretion and
tempered by moderation and mercy. It teaches us our duty to God and man, and
leads us in every good path. Solomon could have given us lectures on astronomy
and poetry, on the nature of birds and beasts, and everything that attracts the
curiosity of many; but as the wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,
he is directed by the Spirit of God to give us in this book the instructions of
Divine and moral wisdom, to remain for the use of men till the latest
posterity. (George Lawson, D.D.)
Wisdom is the general topic of the whole book: that sound,
practical judgment in affairs of life which yields good citizenship, honourable
success in commercial and public affairs, virtuous and contented household
life. The first nine chapters form a connected discourse, in which wisdom is
personified. Not grey-eyed Pallas Athene was so majestic or so winsome. This
stately figure is both queen and counsellor; her haunt is no retired tower, or
nun’s cell, but the market-place, the bazaar, the court-room, the public
square. Not great learning or charm of wit is her requirement, but sound behaviour in the
sight of God and man. (Charles M. Southgate.)
Broadly speaking, the wisdom of the Hebrews covers the whole
domain of what we should call science and philosophy. It is the consistent
effort of the human mind to know, to understand, and to explain all that
exists. It is, to use the modern phrase, the search for truth. But by wisdom is
meant not merely the search, but also the discovery; not merely a desire to
know, but also a certain body of conceptions ascertained and sufficiently
formulated. While Wisdom embraces in her wide survey all things in heaven and
in earth, there is one part of the vast field which makes a special demand upon
human interest. The proper study of mankind is man. Very naturally the earliest
subject to occupy human thought was human life, human conduct, human society. (R.
F. Horton, D. D.)
The general idea of wisdom is, that it consists in the choice of
the best ends, and of the best means for their attainment. This definition admits
of application both in & lower and in a higher department. In the first
place it may be applied to the whole conduct of human life, in all its daily
intercourse and ordinary transactions, and amidst all its varied circumstances.
We stand in different relations; we occupy different conditions; we are
subjected to different trials; we are exposed to different temptations; our lot
is characterised by different changes, difficulties, and perplexing incidents;
one day, one hour, may shift our position, and require an entire alteration of
our course. To accommodate our conduct to these variations--to suit to all of
them the application of the great general principles and precepts of the Divine
law, and to “guide our affairs with discretion” in them all--requires ”wisdom.”
And for enabling us to act our part rightly, creditably, and usefully, from day
to day, there is, in this book, an immense fund of admirable counsel and
salutary direction. And then, secondly, the knowledge of wisdom may be taken in
its higher application to interests of a superior order, to spiritual duties,
to the well-being of the better part, to all that regards true religion and the
salvation of the soul. Wisdom, in this book, is generally understood in this
its highest application, as might indeed be expected in a book of instructions
from God. We would hardly imagine a communication from Him confined to the mere
prudential and successful regulation of our temporal affairs. How important
soever this may be in a life of which the personal and the social enjoyment, so
long as it lasts, is to so great an extent made up of little things, and
dependent on their due adjustment, yet in a Divine communication to man, as an
immortal creature, and occupying a position, in regard to God and his everlasting
destinies, so peculiar, and so pregnant with interesting results, we cannot
conceive these to be the only, or even the principal, subjects. Nor are they.
They are in every way subordinate. (Ralph Wardlaw, D. D.)
Summary
of contents for homiletic purposes
The Words of the Wise, or Proverbs of Experience. Treasures in the
House, or Proverbs of Home-Life. Closer than a Brother, or Proverbs of
Friendship. The Reward of the Diligent, or Proverbs of Industry. The Suicide of
the Soul, or Proverbs of Purity. The Principal Thing, or Proverbs of Wisdom.
The Struggle with the Strong, or Proverbs of Counsel. The False Balance, or
Proverbs of Trade. Wine a Mocker, or Proverbs of Temperance. The Issues of
Life, or Proverbs of Restraint. The Better Choice, or Proverbs of Integrity.
The Shining Path, or Proverbs of Holiness. The Exaltation and Reproach of a
Nation, or Proverbs of Politics. (Bp. W. S. Perry.)
PROVERBS
INTRODUCTION
The
title of the book
“The Proverbs of Solomon.” There is no necessity, from this title,
for considering the collection, in the precise state in which we now have it,
as the work of Solomon. The proverbs which the book contains were all his; but
the selection and arrangement of them appear, from the very statements of the
book itself, to have been made by different hands. In Proverbs 25:1 we read, “These are also
proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.” “The
men of Hezekiah” were, without question, “holy men of God,” prophets, appointed
by that eminently pious prince to the execution of the good work. (Ralph
Wardlaw, D.D.)
The Book of Proverbs is not to be regarded simply as a collection
of wise sayings, genial sentiments, prudent guesses, or affectionate
exhortations. The book may be viewed, on the contrary, as representing the very
science of practical philosophy. Proverbs are condensed philosophies. Sometimes
proverbs are condensed histories. Wise men who speak even about “earthly things”
are often obliged to have recourse to “dark sayings.” Some truths can only be
hinted at; some reforms can only be outlined, and then can only be shown as if
in twilight; there are dark things in life for which names can be found only by
a kind of spiritual genius; there are also possible reforms or re-arrangements
of life which even the proposers hardly realise in all their scope and
uses--hence even reformers and spiritual teachers of every kind have often
expressed themselves darkly, suggestively, tentatively, so much so that their
hesitation has been misunderstood and mocked by fluent ignorance and
superficial ability. (Joseph Parker, D.D.)
A proverb, strictly speaking, is a short moral sentence, which
means something further than what the words literally imply. Most of Solomon’s
proverbs are rather to be called maxims or sentences. The characteristic
feature of this kind of writing is brevity, much thought in a small compass; as
in a seed is contained the whole power of vegetation which is to produce the tree.
And the obscurity attendant on “these words of the wise, and their dark sayings,” is not
altogether without its uses. It whets the understanding, excites an appetite
for knowledge, and keeps alive the attention by the labour of the
investigation, giving an increased pleasure to the discovery of truth, by
having called forth our efforts to attain it. (B. E. Nicholls,
M.A.)
These proverbs of Solomon are a collection of wise and moral
sayings, usually plain and concise; they are also of the poetical kind, and
fall into metre, and therefore were the more easily learned and remembered by
those in whose language they were written. They have not that air of smartness,
and vivacity, and wit which modem writers have usually affected in their maxims
and sentences; but they have what is better--truth and solid good sense. (J.
Jortin, D.D.)
The word which forms the present title of the book calls for
special notice. The Greek περοιμία, the Latin proverbium,
express only the fact that the saying so described is current among men, a “by-word,” differing
in its origin, it may be, from other words, at first out o! the way, afterwards
common and familiar, The Hebrew word for proverb (mashal) has a
much more definite significance. Its root-meaning is that of comparison, the
putting this and that together, noting likeness in things unlike. It answers,
i.e., to the Greek παραβολὴ
rather than παριομία. The
primary idea of a Hebrew proverb, traceable throughout the book, in spite of
the wider range of meaning which the word subsequently acquired, is that of
comparison and similitude. The words of Proverbs 26:7, “The legs of the lame are
not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools,” which speak of the mashal
in this sense, are also the best illustration of its meaning. That it was
applied also to moral apothegms of varying length, pointed and pithy in their
form though there might be no similitude, is evident enough throughout the
book. Elsewhere it is used with a partial extension of its meaning in another
direction. Discourses in which there is more or less of a poetic character,
even though there be no formal comparison, and no didactic result, are
described as “parables.” (Dean Plumptre.)
I shall not very much observe any reference which these proverbs
have the one to the other, because I conceive them to be as a heap of corn,
wherein every grain is weighty, but they have little connection the one with
the other. But this let me note of them, that these proverbs, far surpassing
others, do not only contain an inward pith of excellency in the proverbial
sense of them, but even in the husk and outward letter do deliver precious
things and of great use unto us. (Michael Jermin.)
The
authorship of the book
The Jewish tradition ascribed the Proverbs, or Sayings of the
Wise, to Solomon, just as it ascribed the Psalms, or inspired lyrics of the
poets, to King David, and we may add, just as it ascribed all the gradual
accretions and developments of the law to Moses. But even a very uncritical
reader will observe that the Book of Proverbs as we have it is not the work of
a single hand; and a critical inquiry into the language and style of the
several parts, and also into the social and political conditions which are
implied by them, has led scholars to the conclusion that, at the most, a
certain number of Solomon’s wise sayings are included in the collection, but
that he did not in any sense compose the book. (R. F. Horton,
D.D.)
It is not necessary to suppose that Solomon is the author of all
the proverbs in this book. He may have been the collector or editor, as well as
the originator. Let us regard the proverbs as a moral note-book, or practical
guide to life; it will then be doubly interesting to look into a guide drawn up
by no less an authority than “Solomon the son of David king of Israel” It
should be keenly interesting to us to know what such a man has brought back
from the fields of experience, and what he has set down with the sanction of
his own name. Solomon had swept the whole circle of social experience. (Joseph
Parker, D.D.)
The
structure of the work
The book may be divided into five parts.
Part 1 is a sort of preface, extending from chapter 1-chapter 9.
The teacher gives his pupil a connected series of admonitions, cautions, and
encouragements to the study of wisdom.
Part 2, from chapter 10- Proverbs 22:16, comprises what may be
strictly called proverbs, i.e., unconnected sentences expressed with
much neatness and simplicity.
Part 3 reaches from Proverbs 22:17 -chapter 24; in it the teacher renews his
connected admonitions to the study of wisdom.
Part 4 extends from chapter 24-chapter 29. It contains proverbs
supposed to have been selected from some larger collection of Solomon by the
men of Hezekiah. This part, like the second, consists of unconnected sentences.
Part 5 comprises the two last chapters. The first of these
contains the wise observations and instructions delivered by Agur to his pupils
Ithiel and Ucal; the other, the excellent lessons addressed to King Lemuel by
his mother. The description of the virtuous woman Proverbs 31:10-31) is by some considered
to be a separate poem. (B. E. Nicholls, M. A.)
Though the composition be of the disjointed kind, yet there is a
general design running through the whole which the author keeps always in view,
and that is, to instruct the people, and particularly young people, at their
entrance into public and active life, to give them an early love and an earnest
desire of real wisdom, and to lay down such clear rules for their behaviour as
shall carry them through the world with peace and credit. (J. Jortin, D.D.)
The main body of proverbs is the collection which begins at
chapter 10 and ends at Proverbs 22:16. This collection has
certain distinct features which mark it off from all that precedes and from all
that follows. All these proverbs are identical in form--each is expressed in a
distich. (There is an apparent exception in Proverbs 19:7) The general drift of their
teaching is quite uniform, the morality indicated is of no very lofty type; the
motives for right conduct are mainly prudential; there is no sense of mystery
or wonder, no tendency to speculation or doubt. A few scattered precepts occur
which seem to touch a higher level, and to breathe a more spiritual air. But
these may have been added by the author of chapters 1-9. To this collection is
added an appendix (Proverbs 22:17-29; Proverbs 23:1-35; Proverbs 24:1-22), which opens with an
exhortation addressed by the teacher to his pupil. The literary form of this
appendix falls far behind the style of the main collection. We are evidently
brought down to a later period in Israel’s melancholy history. Another brief
appendix follows (Proverbs 24:23-34), in which the distich
form almost entirely disappears. Chapters 25-29 contain an entirely new
collection, which was made in the literary court of Hezekiah, about 250 years
after the time of Solomon. In this collection there is no uniformity of
structure such as distinguished the proverbs of the first collection. The book
closes with three quite distinct passages, which can only be regarded as
appendices. The two collections, with their several appendices, were at some
favourable point in religious history, possibly in those happy days of Josiah
when the Deuteronomic Law was newly promulgated to the joyful nation, brought
together, and, as we should say now, edited, with an original introduction by
an author who, unknown to us by name, is among the greatest and noblest of
Biblical writers. The first nine chapters of the book, which form the
introduction to the whole, strike a far higher note, appeal to nobler
conceptions, and are couched in a much loftier style than the book itself. The
writer bases his moral teaching on Divine authority rather than on the
utilitarian basis which prevails in most of the proverbs. Writing in a time
when the temptations to a lawless and sensual life were strong, appealing to
the wealthier and more cultured youth of the nation, he proceeds in sweet and
earnest discourse to woo his readers from the paths of vice into the Temple of
Wisdom and Virtue. His method of contrasting the “two ways,” and exhorting men
to shun the one and choose the other, constantly reminds us of the similar
appeals in the Book of Deuteronomy; but the touch is more graphic and more
vivid; the gifts of the poet are employed in depicting the seven-pillared House
of Wisdom and the deadly ways of Folly; and in the wonderful passage which
introduces Wisdom appealing to the sons of men, on the ground of the part which
she plays in the creation and by the throne of God, we recognise the voice of a
prophet--a prophet, too, who holds one of the highest places in the line of
those who foretold the coming of our Lord. (R. F. Horton, D. D.)
With regard to the arrangement and structure of the Book of
Proverbs, it may be observed that ancient interpreters divided it into five
parts, like the books of Moses and the Psalms. The first part, or book, which
is introductory to the rest, consists of chapters 1-9 inclusive. The second
part extends from chapter 10-24 inclusive. The third part of it is composed of
proverbs of Solomon copied out and added by the men of Hezekiah, and comprises
chapters 25-29 The fourth part contains the words of Agur--probably a
symbolical name of Solomon--and is formed of chapter 30. The last part is
chapter 31, the words of King Lemuel, probably another symbolical title of
Solomon himself. These five parts of the proverbs are not thrown together promiscuously,
loosely, and incoherently, but they have their special characteristics and peculiar organisation.
(Bp. Chris. Wordsworth.)
The
ethical teaching of the book
It will, perhaps, be slighted on account of its contents, as a
mere system of dry morality, by those who had rather deal in discourses of the
mystic or enthusiastic kind, and admire that sort of rapturous and ecstatic
devotion. But whether they will allow it or no, this book contains the main parts of pure and
undefiled religion, and lays down the best of rules for the prudent conduct of
life, and for obtaining the favour of God and the testimony of an approving
conscience. (J. Jortin, D.D.)
The careful reader of this book will receive the instructions of
that wisdom which directs men to practise justice regulated by discretion and
tempered by moderation and mercy. It teaches us our duty to God and man, and
leads us in every good path. Solomon could have given us lectures on astronomy
and poetry, on the nature of birds and beasts, and everything that attracts the
curiosity of many; but as the wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,
he is directed by the Spirit of God to give us in this book the instructions of
Divine and moral wisdom, to remain for the use of men till the latest posterity.
(George Lawson, D.D.)
Wisdom is the general topic of the whole book: that sound,
practical judgment in affairs of life which yields good citizenship, honourable
success in commercial and public affairs, virtuous and contented household
life. The first nine chapters form a connected discourse, in which wisdom is
personified. Not grey-eyed Pallas Athene was so majestic or so winsome. This
stately figure is both queen and counsellor; her haunt is no retired tower, or
nun’s cell, but the market-place, the bazaar, the court-room, the public
square. Not great learning or charm of wit is her requirement, but sound behaviour in the
sight of God and man. (Charles M. Southgate.)
Broadly speaking, the wisdom of the Hebrews covers the whole
domain of what we should call science and philosophy. It is the consistent
effort of the human mind to know, to understand, and to explain all that
exists. It is, to use the modern phrase, the search for truth. But by wisdom is
meant not merely the search, but also the discovery; not merely a desire to
know, but also a certain body of conceptions ascertained and sufficiently
formulated. While Wisdom embraces in her wide survey all things in heaven and
in earth, there is one part of the vast field which makes a special demand upon
human interest. The proper study of mankind is man. Very naturally the earliest
subject to occupy human thought was human life, human conduct, human society. (R.
F. Horton, D. D.)
The general idea of wisdom is, that it consists in the choice of
the best ends, and of the best means for their attainment. This definition
admits of application both in & lower and in a higher department. In the
first place it may be applied to the whole conduct of human life, in all its daily
intercourse and ordinary transactions, and amidst all its varied circumstances.
We stand in different relations; we occupy different conditions; we are
subjected to different trials; we are exposed to different temptations; our lot
is characterised by different changes, difficulties, and perplexing incidents;
one day, one hour, may shift our position, and require an entire alteration of
our course. To accommodate our conduct to these variations--to suit to all of
them the application of the great general principles and precepts of the Divine
law, and to “guide our affairs with discretion” in them all--requires ”wisdom.”
And for enabling us to act our part rightly, creditably, and usefully, from day
to day, there is, in this book, an immense fund of admirable counsel and
salutary direction. And then, secondly, the knowledge of wisdom may be taken in
its higher application to interests of a superior order, to spiritual duties,
to the well-being of the better part, to all that regards true religion and the
salvation of the soul. Wisdom, in this book, is generally understood in this
its highest application, as might indeed be expected in a book of instructions
from God. We would hardly imagine a communication from Him confined to the mere
prudential and successful regulation of our temporal affairs. How important
soever this may be in a life of which the personal and the social enjoyment, so
long as it lasts, is to so great an extent made up of little things, and
dependent on their due adjustment, yet in a Divine communication to man, as an
immortal creature, and occupying a position, in regard to God and his
everlasting destinies, so peculiar, and so pregnant with interesting results,
we cannot conceive these to be the only, or even the principal, subjects. Nor
are they. They are in every way subordinate. (Ralph Wardlaw, D. D.)
Summary
of contents for homiletic purposes
The Words of the Wise, or Proverbs of Experience. Treasures in the
House, or Proverbs of Home-Life. Closer than a Brother, or Proverbs of
Friendship. The Reward of the Diligent, or Proverbs of Industry. The Suicide of
the Soul, or Proverbs of Purity. The Principal Thing, or Proverbs of Wisdom.
The Struggle with the Strong, or Proverbs of Counsel. The False Balance, or
Proverbs of Trade. Wine a Mocker, or Proverbs of Temperance. The Issues of
Life, or Proverbs of Restraint. The Better Choice, or Proverbs of Integrity.
The Shining Path, or Proverbs of Holiness. The Exaltation and Reproach of a
Nation, or Proverbs of Politics. (Bp. W. S. Perry.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》