The Book of Proverbs

The Composition of the Book

Although a huge percentage of the book of Proverbs was attributed to Solomon, this perception has begun to change due to critical scholarship. However, the comparative wisdom writings from Mesopotamia and Egypt have undermined their notions (Rooker, 2011). Although William McKane claimed the book underwent historical changes through the development of ideas, there is no evidence of Israel’s religious evolution (Rooker, 2011). Therefore, the book's authorship can be attributed to Solomon’s association with the various titles in Proverbs and the loopholes in the criticism of this notion.

The Literary Form of the Book

The book of Proverbs also contains various elements of literature. The first is rhetorical devices, including taunt, allegory, simile, lament, alliteration, repetition, and assonance (Rooker, 2011). The first to ninth chapters contain lengthy discourses around certain themes, while the rest of the book is characterized by significant brevity. Seen in numerous sections in the book are the two-line proverbs called distich. Their communication instructions exhibit various types of parallelism, including synonymous, synthetic, antithetical, emblematic, comparative, and formal parallelism. The form of the first to the ninth Proverbs chapters differs from that of chapters 10 to 24 and 25 to 29, randomly arranged (Rooker, 2011). This disorderly arrangement serves a didactic purpose and demonstrates that reality and the truth do not easily adhere to human systematization.

The Purpose of the Book

The Book of Proverbs’ purpose is outlined through the infinitive verbs: to listen, to know, to receive, to discern, to understand, and to give in the introduction. Therefore, the book is an instruction manual that helps people live righteously (Rooker, 2011). The book gives worship and sacrifices little attention despite their importance in the Israel religion. However, the basic theological biblical wisdom conjectures are not different from those of the prophets and the law. This presupposition is the reverence and fear of God and the commitment to put God at the focal point of one’s life (Rooker, 2011). The commitment to God is, therefore, the relevant starting point in acquiring wisdom whose progress is determined by the fear of God because it fosters obedience.

The Outline and Contents

The book of Proverbs is divided into seven main sections:

·  Reflections on the ways of wisdom

· Proverbs of Solomon

·  Anonymous wise sayings

·  More anonymous wise sayings

·  More proverbs of Solomon

· Sayings of Lemuel

·Sayings of Agur

The first section introduces the book and repeatedly urges one to fear the Lord to acquire wisdom (Rooker, 2011). This section presents life as a structured universe of boundaries with a parental tone. In this section, wisdom is personified as an attractive woman, a tree of life, a craftsman, and a way. The second section is ordered randomly and continues the contrast between the wicked and the righteous, indicating the consequences of each. Parts of it focus on practical problems, while others have more of a religious overtone. The third section includes warnings and consequences and resembles the Amenemope texts (Rooker, 2011). The fourth section contains wisdom from Israelite sages such as Hezekiah’s men. The fifth section focuses on the king’s responsibility to fear God and obey Him. The first subsection contains rules on practical experience, while the second is more religious in tone. The sayings of Agur contain similar patterns to the Old Testament (Rooker, 2011). In contrast, the sayings of Lemuel address social issues, followed by a description of a virtuous woman. The last two sections of Proverbs also repeat the themes addressed earlier in the book. 

The Text of the Book

The Hebrew version of the book of Proverbs is in excellent condition, unlike the LXX of the book, which has undergone many corruptions. Some of the LXX’s sections are ordered differently than those in the MT and include extra material at the end of some collections. The LXX contains an excess of 130 lines compared to the MT, harmonizing with other wisdom books of Jewish origin (Rooker, 2011).

The Theology of the Book

One should read the book of Proverbs through a theological and hermeneutical grid focusing on the fear of the Lord to harmonize the book’s contents with the Old Testament. Because of the overlapping of law and wisdom literature, there is a strong connection between Proverbs and the Mosaic Law (Rooker, 2011). Except for the Sabbath law and forbidding idolatry, all the principles of the ten commandments are in the book of Proverbs. The book focuses on the impact of the covenant relationship on every Israelite before God. Proverbs also addresses retribution, where people are responsible for their actions which God will judge appropriately (Rooker, 2011). As such, faithfulness and covenant life represent godly life in Proverbs. Nonetheless, the guidelines in the book are flexible for every situation.

The New Testament and the Book

Wisdom literature is for all human beings in the universe, and one should perceive it as a feature of common grace. It also addresses everyday life’s spirituality (Rooker, 2011). Many of Proverbs’ axioms can be found in the New Testament and indicate a similar application in the Old Testament (Rooker, 2011). Finally, Jesus is associated with God’s wisdom, and Proverbs supply the contextual and theological background for this truth associated with the New Testament. 

References

Rooker, M. (2011) “The Book of Proverbs,” in The World and the Word. B&H Academic.