Old Testament Wisdom Literature
Proverbs
--Structure
I. Introduction 1:1-7
II. Instructions on Wisdom 1:8-9:18
III. First Collection of Solomonic Sayings 10:1-22:16
IV. “Sayings of the Wise” 22:17-24:22
V. Further “Sayings of the Wise” 24:23-34
VI. Second Solomonic Collection 25:1-29:27
VII. Sayings of Agur (& others) 30:1-33
VIII. Sayings of Lemuel 31:1-9
IX. The Excellent Wife 31:10-31
II.
Proverbs 1-9
--1:1-7—Introduction to Proverbs
--Genre—
--Hebrew (mashal--lv;m;)
--Generic Term—“Proverb”
--Similitude, short saying, instruction, poem, allegory or riddle.
--The student should recognize that proverbs are by nature a bit anecdotal. A mistake often made by biblical students, teachers, and preachers is transforming proverbs into laws. Proverbs are a guide, rather than a concrete promise. In fact, this issue led to the skepticism of Job and Ecclesiastes.
--Authorship
--“Proverbs of Solomon”
--Statement of Origin—Solomon, as well as those in his court, was probably the author of some proverbs.
--Statement of Collection—Solomon, & those in his court, collected proverbs from various sources, including local, Egyptian, and possibly Mesopotamian sources.
--Statement of Authority—
--Wisdom that originated with God (the gods) and was mediated by the king was the norm for the ANE. The authority of the divinely chosen king was important for wisdom literature.
--The Proverbs of Solomon are parallel to Laws of Moses & Psalms of David. This is as much a statement of authority as origin or authorship.
--Purpose
--Attaining practical wisdom—
--“Wisdom” here means to achieve the ability to live according to the God-given & God-ordained order.
--“Prudence” & “Discretion” suggest the ability to understand & live according to God’s expectations without losing control, i.e. caution.
--Teaching wisdom
--“Discipline” (=disciple), “understanding,” “learning,” and “guidance” suggest the process of learning. This purpose cannot be overemphasized. Wisdom literature is, at its basic foundation, educational.
--Understanding “proverbs,” “parables,” “saying,” and “riddles” was also a goal of the sages (v. 6). These are the basic forms/genres of wisdom literature, and obviously the sages wanted to help people understand the meaning contained in these forms.
--Living moral lives
--“Right,” “just,” and “fair” are terms that denote the type of lifestyle promoted throughout Israel’s history. This is the prophetic life. Failure to live lives of righteousness & justice eventually led to the downfall of the kingdoms of Israel & Judah.
--These terms are not abstract ideals; rather they represent concrete actions to be displayed in relationships, esp. with those who are helpless & needy.
--The terms mean to treat all people equally and fairly, without taking into account their position or wealth. In every situation, wisdom sought to teach people to do what was right, not what was expedient.
--Developing a strong foundation
--“Fear of the Lord” is the foundation for all knowledge & wisdom. An attitude of submission, worship, and obedience was necessary for anyone to attain wisdom for living a godly life.
--As Brown points out, the center of character is in his or her relation to God. And for Proverbs, that proper relationship is “fear,” submission, humility, reverence, and the “acknowledgement that all wisdom is divinely generated” (pp. 28-29).
--Audience
--“The simple”—
--The “simple” or “naïve” person who is easily led astray and confused by conflicting forces. This person needed the guidance of the sages to develop knowledge & prudence.
--“The youth”
--The “youth” was the young person who did not yet have experience of life and needed guidance in all areas of life. Much of wisdom literature is directed to the young as the people most in need of education & discipline.
--“The wise” and “the understanding”
--The mature person still was growing & learning. The sages knew that learning never ceased; rather it developed & grew as one gained experience.
--1:8-19—Instructions for leaving home
--1:8-9—Introduction
--Your parents’ teachings are like a garland & a necklace, i.e. your marks of health & prosperity, so do not neglect them. Always cling to what you have learned from your parents.
--1:10-16—Do Not Stray
--If you are tempted to stray from the path of wisdom (i.e. righteousness & prudence), do not give in to the tempters. They may tempt you with promises of easy riches, but there is a price. Upon venturing from a parents’ home into the world, such temptations are rampant, no less in modern society than in the ancient world.
--1:17-19—Self-destruction
--These evil men actually “lie in wait for” and “ambush” themselves. They think that they are taking from others to build their own prosperity, but the sage teaches that they are actually taking their own lives away by their actions. Thus they are to be avoided!
--2:1-22—Instructions on finding wisdom
--2:1-11 is a call to find wisdom. Wisdom is to be sought after diligently.
--Wisdom & understanding will enable the person to live a life of “justice,” “righteousness,” and “fairness.” Remember that these were part of the moral life, the development of which is one of the basic purposes of wisdom literature.
--Note that even though God gives wisdom & understanding, the reader is not told to seek after or call for God, but for wisdom.
--Thus God is in essence represented by wisdom & understanding. If God is indeed immanent in the Wisdom Literature, he is in personified wisdom.
--I believe rather that the worldview of the sages said that knowing & experiencing God was accomplished not by calling upon Him to reveal Himself but by living the life of wisdom. This life was the basis of finding God. It truly is a humanistic lifestyle & worldview, i.e. based upon human action.
--2:12-22 is the goal of attaining this wisdom & understanding. You attain such wisdom so that you can avoid two types of people & live among a third:
--“Wicked men”—They will lead a person to ruin. They take a person away from the path of wisdom and onto a dark, evil path marked by evil and wrong.
--“The adulterous woman”—She will seduce a person & bring ruin to him. She leads a man down the path of death & destruction. No hope exists for the man who follows that path.
--“Good men”—The righteous and blameless will live in the land & prosper. Therefore, these are the ones to follow & live among. These live on the path of wisdom.
--7:1-27—Warning against the Evil Woman
--7:1-5—Introduction
--This is a call to cling to wisdom & understanding. “Apple of your eye” suggests the most important thing. Thus, wisdom is to be the very foundation of life, the treasure of life.
--“Sister” and “kinsman” probably suggest more intimacy than the English suggests. It may very well have the connotation “make wisdom your lover.” Wisdom should be desired above everything else. Seek it! Love it! Cling to it!
--7:6-23—An example of failure
--A young man was seduced by an adulteress (perhaps “strange” or “evil” woman). As he walked down the road, she approached & seduced him. Perhaps there is a lesson here about prudence as well, be cautious about where you are. Avoid places where evil may be prone to occur.
--He was trapped like an animal. The ox, bird, or deer never sees the danger until it is too late. The same was true of this young man. Death & destruction was upon him before he knew it, and like the ox he was destroyed.
--7:24-27—A final plea
--Avoid this temptress, for she has destroyed many, even whole armies (which could be the emphasis of “mighty throngs.”)
--NOTE the Ugaritic: “Anath plunges knee-deep in the blood of knights/hip deep in the gore of heroes.”
--Only one answer exists to this evil woman: wisdom & understanding. Only by gaining wisdom can a young person hope to avoid the death & destruction that she brings. This is a powerful motivation for seeking wisdom.
--Apply this to our world!
--The way to avoid gang warfare, teen pregnancy, and corruption at every level is to seek the wisdom and understanding that comes from God alone. Modern learning & psychology will only take us so far. The answer lies in God, and particularly through the indwelling wisdom given by the Holy Spirit. Let’s seek His wisdom & understanding & help other seek it as well.
--8:1-36—Some portions of her speech
--8:10-11—Wisdom calls for people to choose her over all other things, even the greatest riches. Nothing that a man can desire is as important as her.
--8:12—Wisdom claims to possess what men truly need to live: prudence, knowledge, and discretion. As we have seen, these are the foundations of wisdom literature & are basic to humanity’s life in the world.
--8:20—Wisdom states that her way is the way of righteousness & justice. Once again these are two of the basic virtues which the Book of Proverbs seeks to bestow on its readers.
--8:22-31—Wisdom claims to have been the 1st creation. What does this mean?
--That she was created 1st & then assisted in the creation process. This is eerily like the description of Jesus, “firstborn over all creation” (Col. 1:15) or that Jesus was the “Word” who was present & working in creation (John 1). I have a problem with this.
--That she actually is Jesus (1 Cor. 1:24), the 2nd person of the Trinity. By this interpretation, Jesus is represented by Lady Wisdom in the Wisdom Literature. I have a problem with this as well.
--That wisdom was the basis for all creation, i.e. before the earth or humanity was created. Thus we see the worldview that wisdom is the basic order of all creation, and as such we must seek after wisdom in all things. This, for me, is the meaning of the personification of wisdom.
--8:35-36—Whoever finds her finds life & favor, whoever does not finds danger & death. This is a continuing motif in the Book of Proverbs. Rejecting wisdom, or failing to find her & live according to her virtues, carries its own punishment, destruction & death. God does not punish the wicked per se, rather they punish themselves by their choices!
--Proverbs & Amen-em-opet
--“Thirty Sayings”—
--Amen-em-opet has 30 sayings, or better 30 chapters of sayings. These divisions are fairly clear in the text, as the English is also divided.
--Proverbs contains a reference to “30 sayings” in 22:20. The Hebrew text is confused & difficult, and attempts to discern 30 distinct sayings in Proverbs 22:17-24:34 have proven difficult, even though many have tried. However, the reference to “30” is probably correct. The difficulty arose when the work was adapted into a clearly Israelite work without 30 actual sayings. The later scribes did not know what to do with the “30.”
--An almost identical introduction—The call to hear the “sayings” in the introductions of the two works is very similar. In fact, they are practically identical on several points.
--Several parallels in sayings contained in the two works.
--These three pieces of evidence suggests dependence of the Book of Proverbs upon Amen-em-opet. Amen-em-opet was probably written in the 12th or 11th century BC, well before the time of Solomon and Israel’s royal court. Probably, the sages of Solomon, or Solomon himself, modeled a section of sayings on this existing wisdom book.
--Selected Sayings
--22:22-23—A warning against oppressing the poor.
--This is paralleled in Amenhopet. This is also a common concern among Israel’s prophets. Just as we see in the modern world, the poor & needy are too weak to defend themselves and are often exploited by the rich & powerful. Thus warning against such oppression is common.
--A difference between Amenhopet & Proverbs is that in the OT, Yahweh is the defender of the poor. As in the OT prophets, in Proverbs Yahweh takes up the case of the defenseless, esp. the orphan, widow, alien, and poor.
--23:10-11—A warning against moving boundary stones
--This, too, is a warning found in Amenhopet & the OT prophets. Moving boundaries was common among the wealthy, because they had the power necessary to uphold their claims to ownership. The prophets, as well as the sages, warned against this action by the wealthy.
--Once again, Yahweh is pictured as their “Defender,” who will take up their case. We see God active in the world as the judge who will act if the ways of wisdom are not followed!
--23:29-35—A warning against drunkenness
--Wine abused “bites like a snake” and “poisons like a viper.” Like a snake, wine sneaks up on a person. It does not announce the dangers it holds; rather it hides. Its dangers, however, are just as deadly.
--Wine makes the mind unclear & judgment clouded. Being drunk is like being on a ship’s mast during a storm. You are tossed about & do not know where you are. You cannot find where you came from or where you are going. You certainly cannot make wise decisions.
--Wine is never satisfied. It leads the drunken person to want more. He will deny the problem & then go for more. Isn’t this exactly what we see in alcoholics? This is not a new problem. It is an ancient problem, the solution for which has still not been found. (Actually I know the answer, refuse to drink altogether, which removes the possibility of going down the path of drunkenness.)
--24:11-12—A warning against ignoring a brother’s problem
--The wise person must rescue the perishing. Remember that the one going to death & destruction is doing so because of a lack of wisdom & understanding. Therefore, the wise person must rescue that person & help them onto the path of wisdom.
--We are held accountable for actions & lack of actions! “He who weighs your heart” and “guards your life” will see your actions, i.e God! Yahweh himself holds the wise & understanding person accountable for protecting the brother who is falling.
--Are we our brother’s keeper? Yes, we are. Cain’s age-old question still comes up today and it still important. The sage answered the question, “Yes, you are responsible for your brother.” Should we not do the same?
IV. Proverbs 30-31
--Sayings of Agur—30:1-33
--Agur is unknown outside of this text
--30:7-9—A numerical saying
--He asks for two things:
--Do not make me poor!
--Do not make rich!
--Why?
--Poverty might lead him to be a thief, which is not allowed in the virtues of wisdom, or the laws of Israel for that matter.
--Wealth might lead him to pride & lack of trust in the Lord. In other words, he might cease to fear God if he had more than he needed.
--30:24-28—A numerical saying
--We can learn from these “wise” (amazing!) animals:
--Great things can be accomplished by diligence. This is the lesson of the ants. They are weak. Only by working long, hard, and wisely during times of prosperity can they accomplish their own survival during the winter. We need to make preparations for difficult times that may come. This is wise!
--The weak can protect themselves through wisdom. The coneys (rock badgers) are not strong, but they protect themselves in the rocks. They are difficult to find & to kill because they know where to hide. This is wise! We must protect ourselves from the foolish and the evil ones.
--Cooperation can accomplish great things. Even without a king, the locusts manage to move forward & devour great fields of grain. They do this by moving together in cooperation. We need to work in cooperation with others.
--The weak & insignificant can make to the highest places. The lizard has no protection, even against a child, but can still be found in the palace of kings. We, too, need to not underestimate our potential.
--Sayings of Lemuel—31:1-9
--He is unknown outside of this text.
--This is an oracle taught to Lemuel by his mother.
--Poem of the Excellent Wife—31:10-31
--This poem may or may not be a part of the “Sayings of Lemuel.” No division is present, but this may just be an independent poem in praise of the “excellent wife” or “wife of noble character.”
--This poem is an acrostic poem. Each line begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Acrostic poetry was probably used for both its aesthetic and mnemonic properties.
--Characteristics:
--She supports her husband. She does not tear him down; rather she brings him praise in the gate.
--She handles the family finances wisely. She chooses good fabric for clothing. She makes wise investments & deals.
--She works hard in & out of the home. She cares for the needs of her husband & children. They never go without the things they need & are never cold or hungry.
--She cares for the needy.
--She speaks with wisdom. Thus, she must have understanding, knowledge, justice, righteousness, equity, & prudence as basic characteristics of her life.
--She “fears the Lord,” & therefore she is to be praised. Charm & beauty are deceitful and fleeting, but “fear of the Lord” is quality that will last & produce good fruit, i.e wisdom!
A. ANE Parallels (for translations, see Pritchard, ANET)
1. --“Instructions of Ptah-hotep”
--Egyptian vizier (servant of pharaoh) in the 5th dynasty, thus dated to approximately 25th century BC.
--Notable themes/teachings:
--“The strength of justice is that it lasts” (95).
--Listen to the petitioner (265-275). This was, of course, a major theme for a vizier, since a part of his duty was to hear petitioners, i.e. those who had a concern, need, or accusation.
--Giving the petitioner all that he wants is not necessary, instead hearing him is more important. The vizier/judge should hear all of his words. Let him speak and much of the problem will be satisfied. Is this not true? If an angry or frustrated person is allowed to speak his concern, the problem often solves itself with little further effort.
--Do not rebuff all that he says. He seems to be saying that the judge should give the petitioner part of his request, & he will be satisfied, as well as the witnesses in your court.
--Table propriety (120). Also seen in Proverbs, the teaching of manners and public, social propriety was obviously a responsibility of the sage.
--Reliable messengers (140+). This was a major concern in antiquity (even near antiquity), where physical messengers were necessary for everything. There was no way to preserve the message, & large amounts of time were necessary to correct a false message.
--Do not be greedy or covetous (315).
--Importance of hearing the father’s instruction (565+). The major role of the sages was instruction, and in the family this role fell primarily to the father. So calling upon the son to heed his father’s teaching was common.
2. Words of Ahiqar
--Ahiqar was an official under Sennacherib & Esarhaddon, kings of Assyria in the early 7th century. The extant copy of the book was probably written in the 6th or 5th century.
--Note these themes:
--Do not withhold the rod from a son. He is worse off without the rod (6:80ff). This is also a theme that appears several times in Proverbs.
--Warnings about restraint in speech (7:96). This was a common theme in wisdom literature. Proverbs contains many such warnings (see below).
3. “Counsels of Wisdom”
--Akkadian instruction from the Kassite period (1500-1200 BC). [Clifford takes this date from Lambert, Babylonian Wisdom Literature.]
--Note the themes:
--Moderation in speech (26-27, 127-129, 131-135). This is a common theme.
--Do not loiter, i.e. be lazy (31ff). This is also a theme seen in the Book of Proverbs.
--Treat your enemy well (41-44). This is a theme seen in Proverbs, as well as the New Testament, see below.
--Avoid the prostitute (72). This is a common theme in Proverbs.
--1. Man’s Life Under God
--God’s Oversight (& Omniscience)
--16:4 The LORD has made
everything for its own purpose, Even the wicked for the day of evil.
--Even the wicked are in God’s purposes for the universe. They are destined for disaster, which is God’s plan.
--Man’s plans & God’s purposes (16:3, 16:9, 19:21, 21:30, 21:31)
163 Commit your
works to the LORD, And your plans will be established.
169 The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD
directs his steps.
1921 Many are the plans in a man's heart, But the
counsel of the LORD, it will stand.
2130 There is no wisdom and no understanding, And
no counsel against the LORD.
2131 The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But victory belongs to the LORD.
--Here is the immanence of Yahweh in the wisdom literature. He directs man’s steps, plans his ways, and brings victory. Ultimately, God’s plans determine the course of the world. No one can thwart those plans.
--This is very near to prophetic theology, but the rest of the wisdom corpus does not share this theme of God’s direct role in man’s affairs, but presents God as more transcendent.
--Faith (14:26; 18:10)
1426 In the fear
of the LORD there is strong confidence, And his children will have refuge.
18 10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe.
--Morality (& rewards & retribution)
--28:13 He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.
--29:26 Many seek the ruler's favor, But justice for man comes from the LORD.
--Rewards (10:3, 13:25, 14:11, 14:14, 26:27, 28:18, 28:25)
10
3
The LORD will not allow the righteous to hunger,
But He will thrust aside
the craving of the wicked.
13 25 The righteous has enough to satisfy his
appetite, But the stomach of the wicked is in want.
14 11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.
14 14 The
backslider in heart will have his fill of his own ways,
But
a good man will be satisfied with his.
26 27 He who digs a pit will fall into it, And he
who rolls a stone, it will come back on him.
28 18 He who
walks blamelessly will be delivered, But he who is crooked will fall all at
once.
28 25 An arrogant man stirs up strife, But he who
trusts in the LORD will prosper.
--This is basic wisdom, as well as Deuteronomic, theology: The righteous prosper & the wicked suffer, like falling into one’s own pit.
--We know, of course, that this is not always true, which caused the skepticism of Job and Qoheleth.
--Punishment (20:17, 21:7, 22:8)
2017 Bread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man,
But afterward his
mouth will be filled with gravel.
21 7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away,
Because they refuse to act with justice.
22 8 He who sows iniquity will reap vanity, And
the rod of his fury will perish.
--Here is a common OT principle: sin carries its own punishment. The wicked will reap judgment & vanity. Their actions will not go unpunished.
--2. Proverbs on the Human Condition
--Happiness (15:13, 15:16, 15:17)
15 13 A joyful
heart makes a cheerful face, But when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.
1516 Better is a little with the fear of the
LORD, Than great treasure and turmoil with it.
1517 Better
is a dish of vegetables where love is, Than a fattened ox and hatred with it.
--Love & fear of the Lord bring more happiness than great wealth. Sadness breaks the spirit & brings turmoil.
--Life & Plans
--11:7 When a wicked man dies, his expectation will
perish,
And the hope of strong men perishes.
--25:25 Like cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a distant land.
--Path of life—14:12, 16:25
14
12
There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way
of death.
16 25 There is a way which seems right to a
man, But its end is the way of death.
--20:29 The glory of young men is their strength, And the honor of old men is their gray hair.
--Poverty & Wealth
--10:4 Poor is he who
works with a negligent hand,
But the hand of the
diligent makes rich.
--The obvious teaching here is that diligence & hard work produces wealth. Is that true? Not always, cf. below.
--19:1, 19:22, 21:6, 22:1, 28:6
191Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity Than
he who is perverse in speech and is a fool.
19 22 What is desirable in a man is his kindness,
And it is better to be a poor man than a liar.
21 6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
Is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death.
22 1 A good
name is to be more desired than great riches, Favor is better than silver and
gold.
28 6 Better is the poor who walks in his
integrity, Than he who is crooked though he be rich.
--The presupposition of these verses seemingly contradicts those above. If wisdom & righteousness brings wealth, then one cannot be a righteous man of integrity and still be poor. However, these verses explicitly state that you can. How?
--Perhaps the problem is simply reality, that is not always as it seems. Wicked men sometimes do win, and the righteous are overthrown & suffer.
--This problem at the basic philosophical & theological level helps to explain the skepticism of Job & Qoheleth.
--10:15, 18:11
10
15
The rich man's wealth is his fortress, The ruin of the poor is their
poverty.
18 11 A rich man's wealth is his strong city, And
like a high wall in his own imagination.
--27:7 A sated man loathes honey, But to a famished man any bitter thing is sweet.
--After eating and being filled, a person will even hate honey. But for a hungry man, even bitter food will taste sweet.
--The same thought is found in Ahiqar 12:188.
--3. Proverbs on Wisdom
--Wisdom & Folly
--14:1 The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
--Advice, Wisdom, & Folly (12:1, 12:15, 14:15, 14:16, 17:10, 28:26)
12
1 Whoever loves discipline loves
knowledge, But he who hates reproof is stupid.
12 15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.
14 15 The naive believes everything, But the
prudent man considers his steps.
14 16 A wise man is cautious and turns away from
evil, But a fool is arrogant and careless.
17 10 A rebuke goes deeper into one who has
understanding Than a hundred blows into a fool.
28 26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But he who walks wisely will be delivered.
--The wise, prudent person accepts discipline & instruction, is cautious, and turns from evil.
--The foolish, naïve person hates reproof, thinks too highly of himself, is arrogant & careless, and ignores rebuke.
--26:11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit Is a fool who repeats his folly.
--27:3 A stone is heavy and the sand weighty,
But the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.
--Discipline & Instruction
--Ignoring Counsel (13:13, 15:32)
13
13
The one who despises the word will be in debt to it,
But the one
who fears the commandment will be rewarded.
15 32 He who neglects discipline despises himself,
But he who listens to
reproof acquires understanding.
--Listening to counsel brings understanding & pleases God. To ignore wise counsel is actually to hate oneself, i.e. if a person desires wisdom & success, he/she must listen to wise counsel.
--13:14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, To turn aside from the snares of death.
--19:20 Listen to counsel and accept discipline, That you may be wise the rest of your days.
--22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
--27:17 Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.
4. Proverbs on Character
--Character & Actions (12:26, 17:19, 19:16, 20:11, 21:8, 21:26, 28:4, 29:7)
12 26 The righteous
is a guide to his neighbor, But the way of the wicked leads them astray.
17 19 He who loves transgression loves strife; He
who raises his door seeks destruction.
19 16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who is careless of his ways will die.
20 11 It is by his deeds that a lad distinguishes
himself If his conduct is pure and right.
21 8 The way of a guilty man is crooked, But as
for the pure, his conduct is upright.
21 26 All day long (the sluggard) is craving, While
the righteous gives and does not hold back.
28 4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
But those who keep the law strive with them
29
7 The righteous is concerned for
the rights of the poor, The wicked does not understand such concern
--Note the characteristics of righteous character:
--Guide to his neighbor
--“Keeps his soul,” i.e. “guards his soul.”
--He is distinguished.
--Marked by good, upright conduct, i.e. obedient to the Laws of God.
--Generous.
--Strives with the wicked.
--Concerned for the poor.
--Note the characteristics of unrighteous character:
--Leads neighbor astray
--Loves sin
--Loves strife
--Greedy
--Praises the wicked.
--Root of Righteous (12:3, 12:12)
12 3 A man will not be established by wickedness,
But the root of the righteous will not be moved
12
12 The wicked
desires the booty of evil men, But the root of the righteous yields fruit.
--“Mouth of the Wicked” (10:6, 10:11)
10 6 Blessings are
on the head of the righteous, But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
10 11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of
life, But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
--Character & Company (13:20)-- 20 He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm.
--Compassion toward the poor (14:31, 17:5, 19:17)
14 31 He who
oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, But he who is gracious to the needy
honors Him.
17 5 He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker; He
who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.
19 17 He who is gracious to a poor man lends to
the LORD, And He will repay him for his good deed.
--The Lord protects the cause of the poor & needy.
--Honesty & Dishonesty (11:1, 16:11, 20:10, 20:23)
11 1 A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, But a just weight is His delight.
16 11 A just balance and scales belong to the
LORD; All the weights of the bag are His concern.
20 10 Differing weights and differing measures,
Both of them are abominable to the LORD.
20 23 Differing weights are an abomination to the LORD, And a false scale is not good.
--The call for honest weights & measures appears elsewhere in the OT (Dt. 25:13-15; Mic. 6:10-11), suggesting that it was a problem in their society.
--Truth & Falsehood (12:22, 14:5)
12 22 Lying lips
are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal
faithfully are His delight.
14 5 A faithful witness will not lie, But a false
witness speaks lies.
--Hypocrisy (26:23)—Like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross Are burning (LXX “smooth”) lips and a wicked heart.
--The fool covers his evil heart with smooth words like glaze covers the roughness of the pottery, i.e. he tries to look righteous when he is not, cf. Jesus’ saying about the “white-washed tomb” and the dirty cup (Mt. 23:25-28).
5. Proverbs on Behavior
--Diligence
--10:26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy one to those who send him.
--15:19 The way of the sluggard is as a hedge of thorns, But the path of the upright is a highway.
--18:9 He also who is slack in his work Is brother to him who destroys.
--The sluggard--22:13, 26:13—
13 The sluggard
says, "There is a lion outside; I shall be slain in the streets!"
13 The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road! A lion is in the open square!"
--The sluggard will make up ridiculous excuses for doing nothing, even saying that there is a lion in the street that will kill him if he goes out.
--Speech
--Restraint (10:19, 11:12, 13:3, 18:2, 18:13, 21:23)
10 19 When there
are many words, transgression is unavoidable,
But he who restrains
his lips is wise.
11 12 He who despises his neighbor lacks sense,
But a man of understanding keeps silent.
13 3 The one
who guards his mouth preserves his life;
the one who opens wide
his lips comes to ruin.
18 2 A fool does not delight in understanding,
But only in revealing his own mind.
18 13 He who gives an answer before he hears, It is folly and shame to him.
21 23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue,
Guards his soul from troubles.
--The wise person must “guard” his speech in order to: avoid transgression, find understanding, preserve life, and keep away from shame.
--“Guarding” speech includes limiting speech, keeping silent, & not answering without hearing 1st.
--These are similar to ANE parallels Ahiqar 7:96 & Counsels 26-27.
--Gossip & Slander (11:13, 20:19)
1113 He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets,
but he who is trustworthy conceals a matter
2019 He who
goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with a
gossip.
--These words against the gossip & slanderer are echoed in Ahiqar 9:141.
--27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
--27:2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.
--20:25 It is a snare for a man to say rashly, "It is holy!" And after the vows to make inquiry.
--False Witness (19:5, 19:9)
19
5
A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who tells lies will not
escape.
19 9 A false witness will not go unpunished, And
he who tells lies will perish.
--Quarrels (17:14) The beginning of strife is like letting out
water,
So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.
--Enemies
--24:17-18, 25:21-22, cf. Counsels 41-44, Matt. 5:38-45.
24 17-18 Do
not rejoice when your enemy falls,
And do not let your
heart be glad when he stumbles;
Lest the LORD see it
and be displeased, And He turn away His anger from him.
25 21-22 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to
eat;
And if he is thirsty,
give him water to drink;
For you will heap
burning coals on his head, And the LORD will reward you.
--This is an
interesting account of caring for enemies rather than despising them &
desiring their destruction. In fact, one should meet the needs of the enemy. By
that he “heaps burning coals” on his heads. This suggests either (1) leaving
vengeance to someone else or (2) Humiliation for the enemy by being helped by
his enemy. The exact meaning is debated.
--Note the parallels in Counsels 41-44, Matthew 5:38-45, & Romans 12:20. Jesus, of course, carries this another step, saying one should “love” an enemy.
--27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.
--Family
--“The rod” (13:24, 22:15, 29:15)
13
24
He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines
him diligently.
22 15
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
The rod of discipline
will remove it far from him.
29 15 The rod and reproof give wisdom,
But a child who gets
his own way brings shame to his mother.
--Sons & parents (15:20, 17:21, 17:25)
15
20
A wise son makes a father glad, But a foolish man despises his mother.
17 21 He who begets a fool does so to his
sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy.
17 25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, And
bitterness to her who bore him.
--20:20— He who curses his father or his mother, His lamp will go out in time of darkness.
--In both cases, the lack of respect & despising of a parent brings darkness. This would suggest that the light of wisdom had gone from the child! This is paralleled in Ahiqar 9:140.
--Women & Discretion
(11:22) As
a ring of gold in a swine's snout,
So is a
beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
--A woman’s dignity is found in being virtuous, showing restraint, and being a righteous wife. Wasting a woman’s beauty on sexual promiscuity is like placing an expensive gold ring in the nose of a pig.
--Contentious Wife (21:9, 21:19, 25:24, 27:15-16)
21
9
It is better to live in a corner of a roof, Than in a house shared with
a contentious woman.
21
19 It is better
to live in a desert land, Than with a contentious and vexing woman.
25 24 It is better to live in a corner of the roof
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
27 15-16 A constant dripping on a day of steady rain
And a contentious woman are alike;
He who would restrain her
restrains the wind, And grasps oil with his right hand.
--The contentious, angry, or nagging wife is worse than most anything else life can offer, not only because she nags but because she cannot be restrained.
--Civil Government
--14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people.
--A nation is exalted by righteousness, i.e. its principles & citizens represent the righteous life of wisdom.
--If a nation does not see the disgrace of sin, what does that say of the nation? That they are utterly unrighteous.
--Note that in wisdom this is a universal proverb, but in OT historical traditions, these type of expectations & promises are for the nation of Israel as God’s chosen. This points to the universal nature of wisdom literature.
--Leadership & Counsel (11:14, 29:12, 29:18)
1114 Where there is no guidance, the people fall, But in
abundance of counselors there is victory.
29 12 If a ruler pays attention to falsehood, All
his ministers become wicked.
29 18 Where there is no vision, the people are
unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law.
--These proverbs point to the need for wise leadership, characterized by:
1. Wise counsel—the leader that ignores good counsel is a fool &
2. Vision or Revelation—This is the need to see what God desires, almost in the sense of prophecy. In fact, this Hebrew term is related to the Hebrew “seer” that is often used to refer to prophets.
--Leadership &
Stability (28:2) By the transgression of a land
many are its princes,
But by a man of understanding and knowledge, so it endures.
--Leadership & Righteousness (16:10, 16:12, 16:13, 20:28)
16
10
A divine decision is in the lips of the king; His mouth should not err
in judgment
16 12 It is an abomination
for kings to commit wickedness,
For a
throne is established on righteousness.
1613 Righteous lips are the
delight of kings, And he who speaks right is loved.
20 28 Loyalty and truth preserve the king, And he
upholds his throne by righteousness.
--Righteousness, justice, and loyalty (Hebrew chesed) is expected, even assumed, or kings. These are the very things that allowed the king to reach the throne.
--Leadership &
Wisdom (25:2) It is the glory of God to conceal
a matter,
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
--This points out the divinely ordained role of the king as revealer of wisdom from God, which presents itself throughout the ANE.
--Justice (17:15, 17:23, 17:26, 18:5)
17
15
He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous,
Both of them alike are
an abomination to the LORD.
17 23 A wicked man receives a bribe from the bosom
To pervert the ways of justice.
17 26 It is also not good to fine the righteous, Nor
to strike the noble for their uprightness.
18 5 To show partiality to the wicked is not
good, Nor to thrust aside the righteous in judgment.
--Justice demands impartiality, which of course will always justify the righteous. Bribes are unacceptable, a theme common in ANE.
--Miscellaneous
--25:19 Like a bad tooth and an unsteady foot is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.
--28:27 He who gives to the poor will never want,
But he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.
--Hatred & Anger (10:12, 14:17, 14:29, 19:11, 29:22)
10
12
Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions.
14 17 A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, And a
man of evil devices is hated.
14 29 He who is slow to anger has great
understanding, But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.
19 11 A man's discretion makes him slow to anger,
And it is his glory to overlook a transgression.
29 22 An angry man stirs up strife, And a
hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.
--Hatred, which produces anger (in my mind anyway), produces strife, folly, evil, & transgression.
--Control of anger (patience?) produces mercy, understanding, and discretion.
--Pride (11:2, 16:18, 18:12, 29:23)
11
2
When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom.
16 18 Pride goes before destruction, And a
haughty spirit before stumbling.
18 12 Before destruction the heart of man is
haughty, But humility goes before honor.
29 23 A man's pride will bring him low, But a
humble spirit will obtain honor.
--Pride brings dishonor, destruction, stumbling, & humiliation.
--Humility brings wisdom & honor.
--Friendship (17:17, 18:24)
17
17
A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.
18 24 A man of many friends comes to
ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
--Both a friend & a brother are helpful in time of trouble. They support & love the person in a time of adversity. (This is, of course, reading “friend” and “brother” as synonymous rather than antithetical in 17:17. The latter is possible, pointing out the need for a good friend.)
--Anxiety(12:25) Anxiety in the heart of a man weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad.
--27:20— Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, Nor are the eyes of man ever satisfied.
--Like death is never satisfied so are man’s eyes never satisfied. This speaks to several topics: greed, lust, pride, drink, women, etc.
C. Abominations to the Lord—These are things that God hates.
PR 3:32 For the crooked man is an abomination to
the LORD; But He is intimate with the upright.
PR 6:16 There are six things which the LORD hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
PR 8:7 "For my mouth will utter truth; And wickedness
is an abomination to my lips.
PR 11:1 A False balance is an abomination to the
LORD, But a just weight is His delight.
PR 11:20 The perverse in heart are an abomination
to the LORD, But the blameless in their walk are His delight.
PR 12:22 Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD,
But those who deal faithfully are His delight.
PR 13:19 Desire realized is sweet to the soul, But
it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil.
PR 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an
abomination to the LORD, But the prayer of the upright is His delight.
PR 15:9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to
the LORD, But He loves him who pursues righteousness.
PR 15:26 Evil plans are an abomination to the LORD,
But pleasant words are pure.
PR 16:5 Everyone who is proud in heart is an
abomination to the LORD; Assuredly, he will not be unpunished.
PR 16:12 It is an abomination for kings to commit
wickedness, For a throne is established on righteousness.
PR 17:15 He who justifies the wicked, and he who
condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.
PR 20:10 Differing weights and differing measures,
Both of them are abominable to the LORD.