The Book of Proverbs
Introduction to The Book

The purpose of this work is to guide you in Spirit Filled interpretation of this "Selected Study". As necessary we will provide outlines, historical backgrounds, note the purpose and focus of the text, and also provide the original hebrew language definitions for the key words in the highlighted text. The English translation used is the King James (Authorized) Version, not because it is the best translation available, but because I just plain prefer it for study!

All Scripture text will be presented in normal cased lettering, and all notes within the text will be in TRUE TYPE FONT, as shown. This (I hope) will allow you to avoid confusion between God's Word and my notes. As I update this website, I will continue to embellish the text so that anyone using NETSCAPE 3.0 or MICROSOFT 3.0 or higher will be able to read the document easier.

If you discover obvious errors (as I am human, and do make mistakes), please let me know. Do not contact me to argue about the doctrinal differences that you may have with my teaching. I do not argue Theology with anyone, so all Legalists, cultists, and others with extremist views, please save your (and my) time. If you want to discuss your doctrinal differences, or share a viewpoint, please contact me at Didaskalos Ministries. I am not so arrogant as to think I know it all, or even 1% of what the scripture teaches.

As one of the poetical Books of the Old Testament, Proverbs has three characteristics:

1. Parallelism: Where there is a parallel of ideas from line to line in the poetry, but no rhyme of wording, or

2. Imagery: Where there is an excessive use of imagery and nature in the Hebrew poetry, or

3. Rhythm: Where there is meter in the Hebrew poetry. Sometimes this rhythm is lost in the translation of the text to English, for the rhythm in Hebrew poetry is often based upon emphasized syllables in the text.

Proverbs, one of the three "Wisdom Books" of the Bible (Job, Ecclesiastes, Proverbs) possesses all three of the Hebrew characteristics of poetry. As a wisdom book Proverbs is not just poetical, but was designed to help the believer discover certain "life truths" that would better his quality of life.

In the Hebrew text the Book is titled "The Proverbs Of":

Proverbs 1:1  "The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel"

Which is the first three words of the text. In the Latin Vulgate the Book is called "The Book of Proverbs".

The word "proverb", <mashal> in the Hebrew, means "parallelism" or "similarity". A proverb is a description that comes to us by way of a comparison. For instance, the English "A stitch in time saves nine" is a proverb taken from tailoring, i.e.. if something goes wrong, don't ignore it. Fix it as soon as possible, or it will get worse and worse.

The Book of Proverbs are principles taken from life, not necessarily Biblical promises. For instance:

Proverbs 10:27  "The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened."

Though the fear of the Lord prolongs days, fearing God does not necessarily mean that the believer will outlive the unbeliever in this life. We know there have been righteous people who have died at an early age, i.e.. Jesus and many of the early Christians. There have also been some godless people who have lived to a ripe old age cursing God daily. Fear of the Lord may prolong days, but does not promise that you will outlive the heathen around you. Also:

Proverbs 22:6  "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

This is a reference to a normative condition, but not an absolute. Often children are raised up in Godly households who become the greatest heathen you have ever met. Salvation is a condition that must be sought, desired. Only in few instances (such as Paul on the Damascus Road) will God knock someone down and make them accept Jesus as Savior. However, the Plan of God will always be vindicated. But does this verse guarantee that children raised in a Godly household will not depart from God? No, because they can and do.

Solomon is not the only author of this Book, for there are many authors. Proverbs 1:1 shows that Solomon was the first author, and Proverbs 10.1-22.16 were also the works of Solomon. In this section Solomon repeatedly addresses himself to his son, the Prince, who will eventually be King of Israel.

However, in Proverbs 22.17:

Proverbs 22:17  "Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge."

"Wise" or <chakam>, plural, literally translates as "the wise men". See also Proverbs 24.22-23. These were a group of wise men who formulated the proverbs in this section.

In Proverbs 25.1 we see proverbs of Solomon that Hezekiah collected:

Proverbs 25:1  "These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out."

And in Proverbs 30.1 we see proverbs by Agur:

Proverbs 30:1  "The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal"

And Proverbs 31.1 was authored by King Lemuel and his mother:

Proverbs 31:1  "The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him."

So we have a plurality of authorship for this Book, which makes setting the date the Book was written very difficult. The Book of Proverbs was actually written over a extended period of time, starting at King Solomon and ending at King Hezekiah. During Hezekiah's reign (Proverbs 25.1) the various Proverbs were collected together n one Book. Some scholars believe that Ezra the Scribe collected these proverbs, arranged them, and was the final editor of the Book. We cannot be dogmatic about this.

There are many themes in this Book: sin, wealth, goodness, pride, love, poverty, idleness, discipline, etc. Many Pastors have discovered this Book to be a gold mine of preaching material.

The overriding them of the Book is "A Guide for Successful Living". This is shown in the prologue of the Book, Proverbs 1.1-7:
 
 

The Author Stated:	Proverbs 1:1  "The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel"
The Purpose of the Book Stated. Each purpose is introduced by the word "to":	Proverbs 1:2-6   "(1)To know wisdom and instruction; (2)to perceive the words of understanding;  (3)To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;  (4)To give subtilty to the simple, (5)to the young man knowledge and discretion.  A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:  (6)To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings."
A Summary Statement is made:	Proverbs 1:2  "To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding"
The Summary Statement is developed: (1) To produce moral wisdom in the lives of men and women, (2) To bring a person to a disciplined way of life, (3) To give a person a capacity for intellectual discernment	Proverbs 1:3-6  "To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;  To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.  A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:  To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings."
The Basic Motto of Book:	Proverbs 1:7  "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction."

There are four types of men mentioned in the Book. There is the wise man who puts God first. Then there's the righteous man who is living right before God and men both. Finally, there is the upright man who is living according to God's standards. Finally, there are the fools who neither knows nor seek God.

1.1-7: Prologue

1.8-chapter 9: Conflict between wisdom and folly. Here Solomon personifies wisdom and folly like Paul personifies love in 1 Corinthians 13.

1.8-33: Introduction to the tension, the wages of ignoring wisdom.
2-4: The description of wisdom and its dividends.
5-7: The description of folly and its dividends.
8: The application of the description of wisdom.
9: A call from wisdom, and a call from folly.

22.17-chapter 24: The proverbs of the wise men

24.30-34: Products of the foolish man

25-29: Collection of the men of Hezekiah

30: Words of Agur

31: Words of Lamuel

Proverbs contains a great deal of parallelism. There are five types of parallelism in Hebrew poetry, and four of the types are in Proverbs. There is synonymous parallelism, where the first and second line of the poem deal with the same thing, but with different words. An example would be:

or as in:

There is also antithetical parallelism where the two lines are opposite of one another, or a contrast between two things. This is usually drawn together by the word "but" as in:

Then you have synthetic parallelism where the second line of the oem is a continuation of the first line. These two lines are drawn together by the word "even", as in:

Then there is the parallelism that teaches a truth by showing an illustration, then shows reveal the truth that the illustration teaches. Usually the word "so" ties these lines together. You can see this in:

The parallelisms in Proverbs are very universal: they apply to all people from all walks of life. The Book itself is very exhaustive. I do not believe there is a theme left uncovered. The moral level of Proverbs is higher than any other piece of ancient literature of its era, and the Proverbs are quite true to life. For instance:

Proverbs 25:24  "It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house."

Which every man I know will agree on. And, as the Pastor of a Church, I wholeheartedly agree with:

Proverbs 26:20  "Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth."

For I have seen Churches destroyed through talebearers, tattlers, well meaning fools that have spread rumor and innuendo that had no basis in fact. Or again:

Proverbs 18:16  "A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men."

Which is a great comfort to every Christian worker. Finally, as a preacher I often quote:

Proverbs 16:25  "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

Especially to the liberals among us who believe that Pluralism will get you to Heaven. No, John 14.6 tells us that Jesus is the only way to God - all other roads are highways to Hell!

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