Proverbs 1

Proverbs 1:1

1. The title of the book 1:1 Verse one introduces both the book as a whole and chapters 1-9 in particular.

Proverbs 1:2-6

2. The purpose of the book 1:2-6 “The Book of Proverbs has two purposes: to give moral skillfulness and to give mental discernment. The first purpose is developed in Proverbs 1:3-4; then, after a parenthetical exhortation in Proverbs 1:5, the second purpose is developed in Proverbs 1:6.” [Note: Ross, p. 904. “The purpose of all these sections [all the sections of the book] is the inculcation of certain cardinal social virtues, such as industry, thrift, discretion, truthfulness, honesty, chastity, kindness, forgiveness, warning against the corresponding vices, and praise of wisdom as the guiding principle of life.” [Note: Crawford H. Toy, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Proverbs, p. vii.] This book claims to offer wisdom (Heb. hokmah) to the reader. The words “wise” and “wisdom” occur about 125 times in Proverbs. It is this wisdom that the Apostle Paul commanded Christians to walk in (cf. Ephesians 5:15).

Wisdom is “God’s fixed order for life, an order opposed to chaos and death. “No longer can wisdom be defined simplistically as ’the practical application of knowledge.’ Instead wisdom must be thought of as a broad, theological concept denoting a fixed, righteous order to which the wise man submits his life.” [Note: Bruce K. Waltke, “The Book of Proverbs and Ancient Wisdom Literature,” Bibliotheca Sacra 136:543 (July-September 1979):234, 238. “‘Wisdom’ (hokmah) basically means ‘skill.’” [Note: Ross, p. 904. “. . . wisdom means being skillful and successful in one’s relationships and responsibilities. It involves observing and following the Creator’s principles of order in the moral universe.” [Note: Roy B. Zuck, “A Theology of the Wisdom Books and the Song of Songs,” in A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, p. 232. “It isn’t enough simply to be educated and have knowledge, as important as education is. We also need wisdom, which is the ability to use knowledge. Wise men and women have the competence to grasp the meaning of a situation and understand what to do and how to do it in the right way at the right time.. . . “The pages of history are filled with the names of brilliant and gifted people who were smart enough to become rich and famous but not wise enough to make a successful and satisfying life. Before his death, one of the world’s richest men said that he would have given all his wealth to make one of his six marriages succeed. It’s one thing to make a living, but quite something else to make a life.” [Note: Wiersbe, pp. 10-11, 12. “When a man knows the right and does the right he is a wise man. It is the wedding of knowing and doing-it is the junction of the good and the true.” [Note: Paul E. Larsen, Wise Up and Live, p. 4. This is not to say that everyone who submits to God will be able to make equally wise decisions in life.

Some Christians, for example, demonstrate more wisdom than others. This is another sense in which Proverbs uses the word wisdom. Nevertheless, essentially, wisdom is a proper or skillful orientation toward God. [Note: For a study of the subject of wisdom as Proverbs uses it, including the shades of meaning the various Hebrew synonyms provide, see Kidner, pp. 36-38; and Zuck, pp. 209-19, 232-38. Several commentaries contain helpful topical indexes to the proverbs (e.g., Ross, pp. 897-903; W. G. Plaut, Book of Proverbs, pp. 333-36; and Kidner, pp. 31-56).] “Proverbial wisdom is characterized by short, pithy statements; but the speculative wisdom, such as Ecclesiastes or Job, uses lengthy monologues and dialogues to probe the meaning of life, the problem of good and evil, and the relationship between God and people.” [Note: Ross, p. 883. Cf. The New Bible Dictionary, s.v. “Wisdom Literature,” by D. A. Hubbard.] The key words in Proverbs 1:2 through 4 have the following meanings.

WordVerseMeaningWisdomPsa_1:2 aSkillfulnessInstructionPsa_1:2 aChild trainingUnderstandingPsa_1:2 bDiscernmentRighteousnessPsa_1:3 bRight behaviorJusticePsa_1:3 bCorrect decisionsEquityPsa_1:3 bMoral integrityPrudencePsa_1:4 aSensibility in practical mattersDiscretionPsa_1:4 bThoughtfulnessA second purpose of the book is to solve riddles: thought-provoking problems about life. The riddles in view (Proverbs 1:6) are any puzzles that are unclear and need interpreting, not just what we call riddles today (cf. Numbers 12:8; Judges 14:12; 1 Kings 10:1; Ezekiel 17:2; Habakkuk 2:6). [Note: See Harry Torcszyner, “The Riddle in the Bible,” Hebrew Union College Annual 1 (1924):125-49. Proverbs 1:2-6 set forth four objectives. God gave us these proverbs to impart an intimate acquaintance with wisdom and discipline (Proverbs 1:2 a) and to impart understanding of wisdom sayings (Proverbs 1:2 b, 6). He also wanted to impart moral insight (Proverbs 1:3) and to identify the intended recipients of wisdom (Proverbs 1:4). [Note: John E. Johnson, “An Analysis of Proverbs 1:1-7,” Bibliotheca Sacra 144:576 (October-December 1987):425-28. “The Book of Proverbs was not intended to be read as an exhaustive book of right actions but as a selective example of godly wisdom.” [Note: John H. Sailhamer, “The Mosaic Law and the Theology of the Pentateuch,” Westminster Theological Journal 53 (Fall 1991):247.

Proverbs 1:7

3. The thesis of the book 1:7 This verse enjoys almost universal recognition as the key statement not only in Proverbs but in all the wisdom literature of the Bible (cf. Proverbs 9:10; Proverbs 15:33; Job 28:28; Psalms 111:10; Ecclesiastes 12:13). Some people think of it as the motto of the book, others the foundational principle, others the major premise, or something similar. The verse contains a positive statement followed by its negative corollary.

The “fear of the Lord” occurs at least 18 times in Proverbs (Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 1:29; Proverbs 2:5; Proverbs 3:7; Proverbs 8:13; Proverbs 9:10; Proverbs 10:27; Proverbs 14:2; Proverbs 14:26-27; Proverbs 15:16; Proverbs 15:33; Proverbs 16:6; Proverbs 19:23; Proverbs 22:4; Proverbs 23:17; Proverbs 24:21; Proverbs 31:30). “Fear” includes not only a correct way of thinking about God but a correct relationship with Yahweh. It is an affectionate reverence that results in humbly bowing to the Father’s will. It is a desire not to sin against Him because His wrath is so awful and His love is so awesome.

“Beginning” does not mean that the fear of the Lord is where one starts learning wisdom, but then he or she can move away from it as from the starting line in a race. Rather, the fear of the Lord is the controlling principle, the foundation, on which one must build a life of wisdom.

“What the alphabet is to reading, notes to reading music, and numerals to mathematics, the fear of the LORD is to attaining the revealed knowledge of this book.” [Note: Waltke, The Book . . ., p. 181. “Knowledge” is a relationship that depends on revelation and is inseparable from character. Even though many unbelievers have acquired much information without the fear of God, true knowledge rests on a relationship to God that revelation supports. We can learn the really important lessons in life only this way.

Other ancient Near Eastern countries produced wisdom literature in addition to what we have in our Old Testament. [Note: See, for example, Cullen I. K. Story, “The Book of Proverbs and Northwest Semitic Literature,” Journal of Biblical Literature 64 (1945):319-37; Giovanni Pettinato, “The Royal Archives of Tell Mardikh-Ebla,” Biblical Archaeologist 39 (May 1976):45; Edmund J. Gordon, Sumerian Proverbs: Glimpses of Everyday Life in Ancient Mesopotamia, pp. 24, 152; W. G. Lambert, Babylonian Wisdom Literature, pp. 92, 97, 222; James M.

Lindenberger, “The Aramaic Proverbs of Ahiqar” (Ph.D. dissertation, Johns Hopkins University, 1974); Leo G. Perdue, Wisdom and Cult, pp. 28-61; and Waltke, The Book . . ., pp. 28-31. However, the wisdom literature outside Israel did not contain advice to look to a personal relationship with a god as essential to obtaining wisdom. The references to fearing the Lord in Proverbs, including Proverbs 1:7, are unique and make this book distinctive and theologically relevant. The demand for faith underlies the whole book. Only in a right relationship to the true and living God can one enter into God’s foreordained, righteous order for life and find true success and happiness.

The fool despises God’s revealed order for life and the instruction that would lead him or her into it (Proverbs 1:7 b).

The Hebrews believed people could acquire knowledge in three ways. One way was through observing nature and human behavior. Another way was by drawing analogies between traditional beliefs (e.g., creeds) and reality. A third way was through an encounter with the transcendent God. [Note: James L. Crenshaw, “The Acquisition of Knowledge in Israelite Wisdom Literature,” Word & World 7:3 (Summer 1986):247-52.

Proverbs 1:8-19

1. Warning against consorting with sinners 1:8-19 In this pericope, the wise way (following the moral law in general, Proverbs 1:8-9) does not have the personal appeal, or the excitement and hope of power, that the second way does (Proverbs 1:10-19). Its only reward is goodness, as opposed to acceptance by one’s peers. “The Bible is the basic textbook in the home. It was once the basic textbook in the educational system, but even if that were still true, the Bible in the school can’t replace the Bible in the home. I note that many modern parents sacrifice time and money to help their children excel in music, sports, and social activities; I trust they’re even more concerned that their children excel in knowing and obeying the Word of God.” [Note: Wiersbe, p. 104. Proverbs 1:19 articulates the point of the comparison. The Hebrew word translated “gains” (Proverbs 1:19) implies a money-grabbing attitude (cf. Proverbs 15:27).

Proverbs 1:20-33

2. Wisdom’s appeal 1:20-33 This is one of several passages in Proverbs where the writer personified wisdom. Her call comes to people in the market, in the hustle and bustle of life, not in the seclusion of the home or sanctuary (cf. Proverbs 1:8). [Note: See Phyllis Trible, “Wisdom Builds a Poem: The Architecture of Proverbs 1:20-33,” Journal of Biblical Literature 94 (1975):509-18. “To whom does Wisdom speak? To three classes of sinners: the simple ones, the scorners (scoffers, mockers, NIV), and the fools (Proverbs 1:22). The simple are naive people who believe anything (Proverbs 14:15) but examine nothing. They’re gullible and easily led astray. Scorners think they know everything (Proverbs 21:24) and laugh at the things that are really important. While the simple one has a blank look on his face, the scorner wears a sneer.

Fools are people who are ignorant of truth because they’re dull and stubborn. Their problem isn’t a low IQ or poor education; their problem is a lack of spiritual desire to seek and find God’s wisdom. Fools enjoy their foolishness but don’t know how foolish they are! The outlook of fools is purely materialistic and humanistic. They hate knowledge and have no interest in things eternal.” [Note: Wiersbe, p. 26. It is clear here that people have a choice about which way they will go.

Their lives are to a large measure the result of their choices. The fool is one by his own fault, not by fate (Proverbs 1:30-31). [Note: Kidner, p. 60. Wisdom laughs at the fool’s calamity (Proverbs 1:26), not because she is hard-hearted but because it is so absurd to choose folly (Proverbs 1:26).

“The figure of laughing reveals the absurdity of choosing a foolish way of life and being totally unprepared for disaster.” [Note: Ross, p. 910. Proverbs 1:32-33 contrast the ultimate destruction of the unresponsive with the peaceful condition of the responsive.