05.4.

11

The Book of Proverbs

Trust in the Lord wit h all your heart and lean not
on your own underst anding; in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

The Rebellious and Horny Proverbist:

When one reads or studies the book of proverbs, you cannot help but think of King Solomon. Solomon was Israel’s pop-icon
and international king who was notorious for his wisdom and wealth (1 Kings 10:23), as well as his wives (700 wives and 300
concubines – 1 Kings 11:3) and his rebellion against God. Part of Solomon’s disobedience was his alliance and love for
“Egypt” (Deut. 17:16). Ancient Egypt was known for their power, wealth, religion, and for their proverbs. 1 Kings 4:32 tells us
that Solomon “spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five.” Adopting a proverbial style of
communicating truth from Egypt was one thing, but unfortunately, Solomon’s love and mimicking of Ancient Egypt did not
stop there. He married their women (1 Kings 3:1), received gifts from their blood-bath conquests of power (1 Kings 9:15-16);
worshipped their gods (1 Kings 11:1-4), and even enslaved people, like Egypt did (1 Kings 4:6;5:13; 9:15). Needless to say,
though he began well, Solomon was not a good guy. However, he was granted wisdom and favor early on, and “Solomonic
Proverbs” were passed on throughout the years, kept, and eventually written down.

The Writer of Proverbs:

Undoubtedly, much of the book of Proverbs are “Solomonic” but he is not the author of the book. Proverbs is a collection of
sayings and writings (specially from parents/fathers to children/sons) from a number of writers – King Hezekiah, Agur, and
Lemuel (a non-Israelite). As Tremper Longman puts it, “…the book of Proverbs is actually a collection or anthology that has
the following form: Preamble (1:1-7), Extended Discourse on Wisdom (1:8-9:18), Solomonic Proverbs (10:1-22:16; 25:!-
29:27), Sayings of the Wise (22:17-24:34), Sayings of Agur (30:1-33), Sayings of Lemuel (31:1-9), and the Poem of the
Virtuous Woman (31:10-31).

Practical Shalom:
So Proverbs is a collection of writings but for what purpose? One distinction to make is that Proverbs not at all the same as
the Law or the Prophets. The difference is one of emphasis rather than basic orientation.

The Law and the Prophets lay their stress on the covenant people as a whole, called to show the world what shalom
(restored humanity) can be; Proverbs focuses on what shalom (restoration) should look like in day-to-day behavior and in
personal character.

Proverbial Wisdom for Everyday Stuff:

A key term in Proverbs is of course “wisdom.” The word (Hb. khokmah) can have the nuance of “skill” (as it does in Ex. 28:3),
particularly the skill of choosing what is right and truly beneficial. In the covenantal framework of Proverbs, it denotesskill in
the art of godly or shalom living. As Eugene Peterson described it, “Wisdom is the art of living skillfully in whatever actual
conditions we find ourselves…Wisdom has to do with becoming skillful in honoring our parents and raising our children,
handling our money and conducting our sexual lives, going to work and exercising leadership, using words well and treating
friends kindly, eating and drinking healthily, cultivating emotions within ourselves and attitudes toward others that make for
peace.”

Proverbs are general principles – not universal rules or promises - covering a wide array of topics from daily life: diligence
and laziness (6:6–11); friendship (3:27–28; 18:24); speech (10:19–21); marriage (18:22; 19:14); child rearing (22:6); domestic
peace (15:17; 17:1); work (11:1); getting along and good manners (23:1–2; 25:16–17; 26:17–19; 27:14); eternity (14:32;
23:17–18); and much more.

From The ESV Study Bible’s Introduction to Proverbs:

In each of these areas it offers wisdom for realizing the life of the covenant in the details; it shows that “godliness is of value
in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Tim. 4:8). It demonstrates clearly that:
1. God's will is intensely practical, applying to every aspect of his people's lives. A proper relation to God involves, first,
trying hard to understand his truth, and then embracing and obeying what one understands.
2. A life lived by God's will is a happy life (3:21–26).
3. A life lived by God's will is a useful life (3:27–28; 12:18, 25).
4. A life lived by God's will does not just happen; one must seek after it, study, pursue it, and discipline oneself.
5. Such a life is available to those who go after it (9:1–6).