OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY:
THE BOOK OF PROVERBS
“The fear of the LORD is the
beginning of knowledge, But
fools despise wisdom and
instruction.” {Proverbs 1:7}
BACKGROUND
• Collection of “wise sayings” by several
men—Solomon major contributor
• Scribes put the collection together (25:1)
• Only part of the 3,000 proverbs
Solomon authored
• Moral instruction to the young
• The book covers a wide range of subjects
• Book read like a dictionary—
subject changes frequently
STUDYING THE BOOK
• Written in the style • “An excellent wife is the
crown of her husband,
of Hebrew poetry
But she who causes
• Emphasis on
shame is like rottenness
“parallelism”
in his bones.” (12:4)
• Largely
• “A wise son makes a
glad father, But a foolish
“antithetical”
son is the grief of his
• Verses with
mother.” (10:1)
opposite thought
in each line
STUDYING THE BOOK
• “The evil will bow
• Sometimes the
before the good, And the
parallelism is
wicked
at
the
gates
of
“synonymous”
the righteous.” (14:19)
• Verses with
• “Take firm hold of
thought is repeated
instruction, do not let
in both lines
go; Keep her, for she is
your life.” (4:13)
STUDYING THE BOOK
• Sometimes the
parallelism is
“synthetic”
• Verses in which
line B supplements
or completes the
thought of line A
• “Keep your heart with
all diligence, For out of
it spring the issues of
life.” (4:23)
• “My son, pay attention
to my wisdom; Lend
your ear to my
understanding.” (5:1)
WISDOM
• Wisdom begins,
not in good,
secular education,
but in “the fear of
the Lord.”
• “Trust in the LORD
with all your heart,
And lean not on
your own
understanding;
In all your ways
acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct
your paths.” (3:5,6)
WISDOM
• Wisdom begins,
not in good,
secular education,
but in “the fear of
the Lord.”
• Occurs 14 times in
the book
• “Wisdom is the
principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting,
get understanding.”
(4:7)
• “The fear of the LORD
is the beginning of
wisdom, And the
knowledge of the Holy
One is understanding.”
(9:10)
CHOICE SELECTION
CONCERNING WISDOM
• Call of Wisdom
– “Wisdom calls aloud
outside; She raises her
voice in the open
squares. She cries out in
the chief concourses, At
the openings of the gates
in the city she speaks her
words.” (1:20,21)
• Source of wisdom
– “For the LORD gives
wisdom; From His
mouth come knowledge
and understanding; He
stores up sound wisdom
for the upright; He is a
shield to those who walk
uprightly.” {2:6,7}
CHOICE SELECTION
CONCERNING WISDOM
• Preciousness of
wisdom
– “She is more precious
than rubies, And all the
things you may desire
cannot compare with her.
Length of days is in her
right hand, In her left
hand riches and honor.”
(3:15,16)
• Wisdom is the
principal thing
– “Wisdom is the principal
thing; Therefore get
wisdom. And in all your
getting, get
understanding. Exalt
her, and she will promote
you; She will bring you
honor, when you
embrace her.” {4:7,8}
CHOICE SELECTION
CONCERNING WISDOM
• The
personification of
wisdom
– “I, wisdom, dwell with
prudence, And find out
knowledge and
discretion. The fear of the
LORD is to hate evil;
pride and arrogance and
the evil way and the
perverse mouth I hate.”
(8:12,13)
• The feast of
wisdom
– “Wisdom has built her
house, She has hewn out
her seven pillars; She has
slaughtered her meat,
She has mixed her wine,
She has also furnished
her table.” {9:1,2}
MAIN DIVISIONS OF THE BOOK
• INTRODUCTION
– The practical purpose of Proverbs (1:1-6)
• PART I
– Proverbs of Solomon concerning the value
and attainment of wisdom (1:7—9:18)
• PART II
– Proverbs of Solomon on practical morality
(10:1—22:16)
MAIN DIVISIONS OF THE BOOK
• PART III
– Proverbs of the wise, admonitions to get wisdom
and follow it. (22:17—24:34)
• PART IV
– Proverbs of Solomon selected by men of
Hezekiah. The practice of wisdom, contrast
between the righteous and the wicked
(25—29)
• PART V
– Words of Agur and King Lemuel. Lessons
concerning God, men, nature and praises of a
virtuous woman (30—31)
PERSONAL DUTIES
• We have the same
duties taught in
the New
Testament as parts
of our Christian
manner of life.
• Duty to God
• “The fear of the LORD
is the beginning of
knowledge, But fools
despise wisdom and
instruction.” (1:7)
• Fear of the Lord is
respect and reverence
that leads to trust
and obedience.
PERSONAL DUTIES
• We have the same
duties taught in
the New
Testament as parts
of our Christian
manner of life.
• Duty to Self
• “The fear of the LORD
is the instruction of
wisdom, and before
honor is humility.”
(15:33)
• One must avoid pride
and develop humility.
Must resist things
deprive one of
salvation.
PERSONAL DUTIES
• We have the same
duties taught in
the New
Testament as parts
of our Christian
manner of life.
• Duty to our
neighbors
• “He who despises his
neighbor sins; But he
who has mercy on the
poor, happy is he.”
(14:21)
• One’s duty to his
neighbor includes
expressing sympathy
and cheer. Helping in
time of need.
PERSONAL DUTIES
• We have the same
duties taught in
the New
Testament as parts
of our Christian
manner of life.
• Family duties
• “Train up a child in the
way he should go, And
when he is old he will
not depart from it.”
(22:6)
• One’s duty to his
family—parents,
spouse and children.
GREAT LESSONS
FROM PROVERBS
• One of the main
subjects in
Proverbs is the
contrast between
the wise and
foolish. Righteous
and unrighteous—
obedient and
disobedient…
• “For whoever finds me
finds life, And obtains
favor from the LORD;
But he who sins against
me wrongs his own
soul; All those who hate
me love death.”
(8:35,36)
THE CONTRAST IN PROVERBS
• In Proverbs we see
“both sides” of an
issue. One is
positive and the
other is negative.
Men must
choose…
• “The fear of the LORD
is the beginning of
knowledge, But fools
despise wisdom and
instruction.” (1:7)
• “The way of a fool is
right in his own eyes,
But he who heeds
counsel is wise.”
(12:15)
THE CONTRAST IN PROVERBS
• In Proverbs we see
“both sides” of an
issue. One is
positive and the
other is negative.
Men must
choose…
• “He who trusts in his
own heart is a fool, But
whoever walks wisely
will be delivered.”
(28:26)
• “Trust in the LORD
with all your heart, And
lean not on your own
understanding.” (3:5)
THE CONTRAST IN PROVERBS
• In Proverbs we see
“both sides” of an
issue. One is
positive and the
other is negative.
Men must
choose…
• “A fool's wrath is
known at once, But a
prudent man covers
shame.” (12:16)
• “He who is slow to
anger is better than the
mighty, and he who
rules his spirit than he
who takes a city.”
(16:32)
THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
• Righteousness can
be best defined as
obeying God’s
commands.
• “I traverse the way of
righteousness, in the
midst of the paths of
justice.” (8:20)
• “In the way of
righteousness is life,
And in its pathway
there is no death.”
(12:28)
THE WICKED AND RIGHTEOUS
• The upright and
the wicked are
contrasted
throughout
Proverbs…
• “Then you will
understand righteousness
and justice, Equity and
every good path. When
wisdom enters your heart,
and knowledge is pleasant
to your soul.” (2:9,10)
• “The righteousness of the
blameless will direct his
way aright, but the
wicked will fall by his
own wickedness.” (11:5)
REWARD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
• Many rewards are
made by God for
the ones who
choose
righteousness…
• “The wicked are
overthrown and are no
more, But the house of
the righteous will
stand.” (12:7)
• “The way of the wicked
is an abomination to the
LORD, but He loves
him who follows
righteousness.” (15:9)
ATTITUDES ARE IMPORTANT
• God is supremely
interested in out
thoughts and
attitudes.
Disposition of the
heart a chief
requirement…
• “For as he thinks in his
heart, so is he. ‘Eat and
drink!’ he says to you,
but his heart is not with
you.” (23:7)
• “Do you see a man wise
in his own eyes? There
is more hope for a fool
than for him.” (26:12)
FEAR OF THE LORD
• The importance of
fearing God is the
central message
and most valuable
lesson of the
Proverbs.
• “In the fear of the
LORD there is strong
confidence, And His
children will have a
place of refuge.” (14:26)
• “Do not let your heart
envy sinners, but be
zealous for the fear of
the LORD all the day.”
(23:17)
SPEECH—
USE OF THE TONGUE
• The use of the
tongue is a
prominent theme
of Proverbs.
• “A word fitly spoken is
like apples of gold In
settings of silver.”
(25:11)
• “A soft answer turns
away wrath, but a harsh
word stirs up anger.”
(15:1)
• “Pleasant words are like
a honeycomb, Sweetness
to the soul and health to
the bones.” (16:24)
SPEECH—
SPEECH OF WISE AND FOOLS
• In Proverbs the
speech between
the wise and fools
are contrasted.
Again men must
choose...
• “Wise people store up
knowledge, but the mouth
of the foolish is near
destruction.” (10:14)
• “The words of a man's
mouth are deep waters;
the wellspring of wisdom
is a flowing brook.” (18:4)
• “A fool's lips enter into
contention, and his mouth
calls for blows. A fool's
mouth is his destruction,
And his lips are the snare
of his soul.” (18:6,7)