August 2002
Behind the Scenes of Proverbs
Solomon, reputed to be the wisest king of Israel, is the author of a majority
of the proverbs (Proverbs 1:1). Most proverbs are two-liners, not arranged according
to any noticeable pattern or theme. For example, consider these two that follow
one another, but have nothing in common:
"All crooks are liars, but anyone who is innocent will do right.
It's better to stay outside on the roof of your house than to live inside with
a nagging wife" (21:8-9).
The proverbs state general principles, not promises from God. For example, it's
often true that "A gentle answer turns away wrath" (15:1). But don't
count on it every time.
Notice that the first nine chapters are different from the rest of the book.
They form a poetic essay contrasting wisdom with foolishness. Afterward comes
a long string of one-line and two-line maxims, each of which sums up a truth
gleaned from life. These truths are universal, not just for God's people. Any
person who follows the advice will likely live a better, happier life.
The proverbs follow the characteristics of Hebrew poetry. They don't have rhythm,
but they have parallel thoughts. The second half of the proverb might repeat
the idea in the first, or expand it, or perhaps contrast it. A contrasting proverb:
"A dry crust of bread eaten in peace and quiet is better than a feast eaten
where everyone argues" (17:1).
Proverbs is a collection of pithy sayings from several wise men. Most are attributed
to King Solomon, who is reported to have composed 3,000 proverbs (I Kings 4:32).
Two otherwise unknown contributors are Agur (30:1) and a king named Lemuel (31:1),
who says he is passing along the advice of his mother. Additional proverbs come
from a group of sages simply identified as "people with wisdom" (22:17).
Sages were an important part of Jewish society. They served as consultants to
kings, and as teachers to young men. These sages grappled with practical and
philosophical problems, while priests and prophets specialized in religious
matters.
Many of the proverbs come from Solomon, who reigned from about 970-930 B.C.
Other proverbs, however, were added as the centuries went by. Some 250 years
later, scribes working for King Hezekiah began compiling the proverbs of Solomon
(25:1). Still more proverbs were likely added later. It's uncertain when the
book was completed, but Bible experts speculate the work may have continued
until as late as the 300s B.C.
The purpose of Proverbs is clearly stated in the first chapter. The book exists
so "young people can gain knowledge and good sense" (1:4). The sayings,
in fact, were probably part of the curriculum that sages taught to young sons
of aristocrats.
Taken from How to Get Into the Bible
By Stephen M. Miller