At a glance
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Authorship | Solomon (most); Agur (Proverbs 30); King Lemuel and mother (Proverbs 31) |
| Date | Solomonic core ~10th c. BC; final composition possibly Hezekiah's era (Proverbs 25:1) |
| Genre | Wisdom literature / proverbs |
| Purpose | Practical wisdom for godly living |
| Chapters | 31 |
Outline
| Section | Chapters | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Prologue and father-son speeches | 1-9 | Extended wisdom instruction |
| Solomon's proverbs | 10-22:16 | Short proverbs on diverse subjects |
| Words of the wise | 22:17-24:34 | Two collections |
| Hezekiah's collection of Solomon's | 25-29 | Re-compiled Solomonic proverbs |
| Agur's sayings | 30 | Numerical sayings |
| King Lemuel and ideal wife | 31 | Royal counsel and virtuous wife acrostic |
Main themes
| Theme | Description |
|---|---|
| Fear of the LORD | "Beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10) |
| Wisdom and folly | Personified (Proverbs 1-9; 8) |
| Practical wisdom | Speech, work, money, relationships, sex, anger, etc. |
| Sexual fidelity | Proverbs 5-7 extensive |
| Honoring parents | Proverbs 1:8; throughout |
| Worker and sluggard | Diligence rewarded; sloth condemned |
| Friendship | Proverbs 17:17; 18:24; 27:6, 17 |
| Speech | Tongue's power, life and death (Proverbs 18:21) |
| Wealth and poverty | Moderate wisdom; not prosperity-gospel |
Key passages
- Proverbs 1:7, fear of LORD beginning of knowledge
- Proverbs 3:5-6, trust in LORD
- Proverbs 8, wisdom personified
- Proverbs 22:6, "train up a child"
- Proverbs 31:10-31, virtuous wife acrostic
How to read proverbs
Proverbs are generalities, not absolute promises. They reflect typical patterns under God's wisdom-order. Specific proverbs:
- Don't always apply to every situation
- Reflect cumulative wisdom; exceptions exist
- Should be applied with discernment
- Don't make promises in absolute terms
Example: "Train up a child in the way he should go…" (Proverbs 22:6) is a wisdom-generality, not an absolute guarantee.