Lesson 1

Background of the Book of Proverbs

God inspired the writing of Proverbs partly as an antidote to the spiritual apostasy of His people Israel. Like all Scripture, the book of Proverbs arose out of an immediate, local setting, involving people and their relationships to each other and to God. An understanding of the setting and characteristics of this twentieth book of the Bible will greatly enhance our study of its text. This in turn will make it easier for us to apply Proverbs to our lives. Such is the scope of this opening lesson.

I. TITLE

The common title of the book is "Proverbs," from the opening phrase, "The proverbs of Solomon," in 1:1. The Hebrew word for "proverb," mashal, comes from a root meaning "to be like," or "to represent." This is appropriate, since most proverbs use comparison to teach their truths. (An example: "He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls," 25:28.) Proverbs are terse maxims about conduct and character, primarily in the spiritual, moral, and social realms. When brought together in an anthology such as the book of Proverbs, they are like "small pictures crowded together on the walls of a large gallery." Read the following verses where the word "proverb(s)" appears:

Numbers 21:27—first appearance of the word in the Bible

1 Samuel 10:12—first citation of a proverb

2 Peter 2:22—a New Testament citation of a biblical proverb

II. AUTHORSHIP

Most of the proverbs originated with Solomon son of David. (Read 1:1, 10:1, and 25:1, which are the opening verses of the three largest sections of the book.) Chapters 30 and 31 are assigned to Agur and Lemuel, respectively, whose identities are unknown. The section 22:17–24:34 is attributed to "the wise men" (22:17; cf. 24:23). Read 1 Kings 4:31 for a reference to such a class of men. If the wise men of Proverbs 22:17 lived before Solomon's time, Solomon may have been the one to assemble their writings and add them to his own. The proverbs of chapters 25-29 were written by Solomon and edited about two hundred years later by a committee appointed by King Hezekiah (c. 700 B.C.). Some think that this group, called 'men of Hezekiah" (25:1), may have included Isaiah and Micah, who were contemporaries of Hezekiah.

Solomon was a unique character in many ways. Consult a Bible dictionary for a sketch of his colorful career. From 1 Kings 3:12 and 4:29 we learn that his wisdom was a direct gift from God. This was in answer to Solomon's petition (1 Kings 3:59). Solomon was the author of 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs (1 Kings 4:32). Read 1 Kings 3:16-28; 4:29-34; and 10:1-9, noting other things said about him, such as his knowledge of natural science and his wealth.

Solomon is the author of three books of the Bible. One commentator has suggested the possibility of the books' being written at different stages of his career:

1. Song of Solomon—written when he was young, and in love

2. Proverbs—written when he was middle aged, when his intellectual powers were at their peak

3. Ecclesiastes—written in his old age, when he was disappointed and disillusioned with the carnality of much of his life.

III. DATE

As noted above, most of Proverbs was written by Solomon. This would date his work around 950-900 B.C. See Chart A. Hezekiah's collection was formed around 700 B.C. It is reasonable to conclude that the various groups of proverbs were brought together as one book around that date, namely 700 B.C.

Refer to Chart A again, and note how close Proverbs and Psalms are as to time of writing. David's psalms give us a vivid view of the worship by God's people before the kingdom's decline, and Solomon's proverbs reflect the zealous concern of believers for a righteous walk. The prophets came later, during the years of Israel's apostasy and idolatry, to call the people to a saving knowledge of God.

IV. PURPOSES

The proverbs are God's detailed instructions and exhortations to His people concerning their thought-and-deed life. Much of the book is addressed especially to young people (e.g., 1:4, 8). The proverbs are mainly about personal ethics, not as the sinner's way to God but as the believer's walk with God on this earth. But though the book is not intended to elaborate on the way of salvation, such key phrases as "the fear of the Lord"(l:7) tell basically how a sinner is brought into fellowship with God. The counsel of Proverbs is profitable for all people, saved and unsaved, but the unsaved cannot claim salvation by doing its good deeds. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9).

Read 1:2-4, and note the book's own statement of its purpose: to impart wisdom. This wisdom is not mere head knowledge but divinely enlightened understanding of what is good and what is evil (1 Kings 3:9), and an experiential knowledge of the Lord personally.

Solomon also wrote about the purpose of his proverbs in Ecclesiastes 12:9-14. Compare this passage with the phrase "instruction in righteousness" of 2 Timothy 3:16.

One cannot help but by impressed after reading Proverbs that God is so vitally interested in the smallest details of the daily walk of His children. This is our God, our Creator, our Saviour, and our Lord!

V. PLACE IN THE BIBLE

Although isolated proverbs appear in different books of the Bible, Proverbs is unique among the sixty-six books. In the English canon it is the third of the five poetical books. Chart B shows comparisons of its contents with that of other Old Testament books.

Kenneth Taylor has written this testimony about his experience when composing the paraphrases of Psalms, Proverbs, and the Prophets for The Living Bible:

PROVERBS COMPARED WITH OTHER OLD TESTAMENT BOOKS Chart B

books keynotes uses

Books of the Law revelation and guidance manual of history and legislation
Books of the Prophets authority message for today and tomorrow
Job questions and reasonings answers from God and men
Psalms worship handbook of devotion
Proverbs observation and reflection guide to practical living

Then something happened. For these marvelous portions of the Word of God have become my meat and drink! Now I ask sincerely how anyone can live without these precious messages of hope and trust. It's true that other parts of the Bible give the same assurance, warnings, and joy—but no others are quite like the Psalms; no others have such exciting, thoughtful wisdom as the Proverbs. No others contain the awesome...