Old Testament Bible Links

Poetry:
Proverbs

The Bare Facts -- Overviews and Outlines --
Bible Studies: Whole Book -- Part of Book --
Sermons -- Bibliographies

  

What sharpens iron?  Iron sharpens iron.  What is the beginning of wisdom?  The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.  Proverbs abounds with just such nuggets of wisdom.  In fact, Proverbs is classified with the larger group of works as wisdom literature.  These works include both canonical and non-canonical efforts.

A traditional devotional technique has a reader consuming one chapter of this book each day.  On the first of the month, they read chapter one.  On the second, chapter two, and so on.  This repetitive practice, coupled with the frequent repetition and re-emphasis found within the book, is supposed to embed wisdom into the mind of the reader.

Let us not forget, however, that wisdom by itself is not a path to salvation.  Solomon, the world's wisest man, still behaved very foolishly and sinfully, falling into idolatry.  The beginning of wisdom, after all, is not in knowing a collection of aphorisms.  The beginning of wisdom is the fear of God. 

Left: Papyrus containing a Greek commentary including Proverbs 22:20.

 

The Bare Facts

Who: The book of Proverbs is almost certainly a compilation of maxims by several hands.  We know that Solomon wrote some of these and that he probably collected others.  In chapters 30 and 31, we have the names of Agur and Lemuel mentioned.  The book was apparently collected by King Hezekiah's underlings.

Where: If Hekekiah's men were involved in the compilation, it is reasonable to place their work at Jerusalem.  The same can be said for Solomon's contributions.

When:  Solomon reigned from roughly 970 to 931 B.C.  It is reasonable to believe that he composed proverbs throughout his reign.  Hezekiah's reign spans from 716 to 687 B.C. at which time the book probably assumed its current content.

What:  Proverbs stands as a collection of wise sayings.  In most cases these sayings are only a sentence or two in length; however, some of them extend for longer passages, notably the "Noble Woman" passage in chapter 31.

Also Known As: Proverbs of Solomon (Jewish); Mishlê (Jewish); Parabolæ (Catholic)

Memorable Passages

   
   
   

Overviews and Outlines

An Introduction to the Book of Proverbs
An outlined introduction by David Malick.
An Argument of the Book of Proverbs
One of David Malick's rhetorical outlines.
Proverbs Overview
An introduction by Arend Remmers.
Background to the Book of Proverbs
An historical and literary background document.
Bible Basics
A very brief list of facts, but it includes a wav file pronouncing the book's title.
Easton Bible Dictionary: Proverbs
The article from M.G. Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary.
Catholic Encyclopedia: Proverbs
The appropriate entry from the public domain edition of this venerable reference work.
Columbia Encyclopedia: Proverbs
A brief article from the 2001 edition of this reference work.
Bible Explained
This is a commentary by an energetic fellow named Ted Wade.  He provides brief notes on each chapter and most verses for the entire Bible.
Luther Productions
A very brief overview including key verses.
The Blue Letter Bible
An excellent source for text, cross-references, concordance, language helps, commentaries, and more.
JPS Bible
The JPS 1917 Bible text and another Jewish version.  There are links that supposedly go to two Hebrew and one Aramaic text but they don't seem to work.
Jewish Encyclopedia
An article from the 1901-06 reference work.  Generally liberal in its critical presuppositions.

Bible Studies: Whole Book

Proverbs Bible Study
A study by Roger Hahn.  Most of the lessons deal with a certain area of focus of the Proverbs rather than simply marching through the chapters in order.
Poetry and Wisdom Literature: Proverbs
A study provided by the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
Wisdom Literature: Proverbs
A study by Bob Deffinbaugh from his 28-part From Creation to the Cross series.
The Way of the Wise: Studies in the Book of Proverbs
A 21-part study by Bob Deffinbaugh.
Love the Lord Bible Studies: Proverbs
A 49-lesson study with questions from an Arkansas-based ministry.  They seem orthodox enough, although the statement of faith makes me wonder if they're not into prosperity gospel teachings.
Commentary of St. Hippolytus
A portion of a ante-Nicene commentary.
Geneva Notes
In 1599, English Puritans, working in Geneva, published the first study Bible.  These are the notes from that edition.
Coffman's Commentary
A verse-by-verse commentary by Dr. James Burton Coffman, a leading Church of Christ scholar.
Matthew Henry's Commentary
The chapter-by-chapter 1712 commentary by the great English Puritan writer..
John Wesley Notes
Over his career, the founder of Methodism maintained notes on the entire Bible.
JFB Commentary
The comments of Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown from Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871).
Clarke's Commentary
The first chapter for this book from Adam Clarke's nineteenth-century commentary.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
The commentary of the 17th century Baptist theologian and preacher.
Scofield Reference Notes
The notes from the 1917 edition of the great study Bible.  From a dispensationalist viewpoint.
Old Testament Life and Literature
Gerald Larue's 1968 overview of the Old Testament is, oddly enough, hosted at an atheist website.  Larue's presuppositions are very liberal.  He dates Proverbs in the Hellenistic period.
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
A combination brief commentary and thorough cross-reference.  Developed by R.A. Torrey.
David Guzik's Commentaries on the Bible
David Guzik, a former senior pastor at Clavary Chapel Simi Valley in California, provides a verse-by-verse commentary. Currently Guzik directs the Calvary Chapel Bible College in Siegen, Germany.
The Jerome Bible Commentary
A commentary by a Catholic doctor, Jerome Dominguez, M.D.  Is English isn't perfect, but you have to admire his energy.  Although Catholic in orientation, this source has some good material for study.
Exploring the Word of God: Exploring Proverbs
A 9-part study from the Worldwide Church of God, a denomination with a checkered past but an exciting present.
Proverbs and the Christian
A set of Executable Outlines by Mark Copeland.

Bible Studies: Part of Book

Proverbs 1-9: A Commentary
A brief article in which Michael V. Fox explains his approach to Proverbs in the 2000 Anchor Bible Commentary.
Proverbs (ch. 1-9)
A lengthy commentary by William Kelly.
Morning and Evening (1:33)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Get Wisdom (4:1-13)
A 1981 sermon by John Piper.
The Claims of Wisdom in Proverbs 8:1-36
An article from Kerux by William C. Davis.
The Son of God in Proverbs 8
A Christological study by L.M. Grant
Lectionary Notes (8:1-4,22-31)
A brief set of notes by Ralph Klein.
Beside the Lord (8:22,29-31)
An article, first published in Christian Century, by Joseph M. Mcshane.
Lectionary Notes (9:1-6)
A brief set of notes by Ralph Klein.
Wisdom and Folly (9:1-6,13-18)
An article from Kerux by Steven M. Baugh.
The Structure and Significance of Proverbs 9:7-12
An article from JETS by Rick W. Byargeon
Proverbs (ch. 10-19)
A lengthy commentary by William Kelly covering the next 10 chapters.
Morning and Evening (11:25)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Wise as Serpents (12:18)
A Richard L. Strauss study dealing with wisdom.
A Plea for the Godly (12:26)
A sermon by Thomas Watson.
The Wise Woman (14:1)
A blog-style article, with responses, from Wittenberg Gate.
Wise as Serpents (15:2)
A Richard L. Strauss study dealing with wisdom.
Morning and Evening (15:33)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Resting in God's Sovereignty (16:1-4)
A study by Hampton Keathley, III.
Morning and Evening (16:20)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Wise as Serpents (16:23)
A Richard L. Strauss study dealing with wisdom.
Sweet as Honey (16:24)
A study by Richard L. Strauss on kind words.
Morning and Evening (16:33)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Morning and Evening (18:12)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
A Matter of Life and Death (18:21)
A study by Richard L. Strauss on gossip and the tongue.
Against Occasional Hearing (19:27)
A 19th century sermon by John Anderson.
The Lips of Knowledge are a Precious Jewel (20:15)
A 1980 sermon by John Piper.
On the Education of Children (22:6)
A sermon by John Wesley.
Morning and Evening (24:33,34)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Wisdom's Closing Message (ch. 25-31)
Commentary by L.M. Grant
Lectionary Notes (25:6-7)
A brief set of notes by Ralph Klein.
Morning and Evening (27:23)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Morning and Evening (30:8)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Morning and Evening (30:26)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Engaging Biblical Women (31)
An article from Biblical Interpretation by Lillian Klein.
A Woman Who Fears the Lord is to be Praised (31:30)
A 1981 sermon by John Piper.

Topical

The Teaching of Proverbs on Work
A topical study by Greg Herrick.  Much more of an outline than a fully rendered piece.
The Proverbs and the Idea of "Money"
A topical study by Greg Herrick.  Much more of an outline than a fully rendered piece.

Sermons

Proverbs: That Men May Know Wisdom
The appropriate sermon from Ray C. Stedman's Adventuring through the Bible series.
C.H. Spurgeon
A listing of sermons, some of which are available online, by the great British Baptist.
Sermon Outlines
Links to sermon outlines from SermonLinks.

Books and Bibliographies

The Doctrine of the "Two Ways" in Proverbs
An article from JETS by Daniel P. Bricker.
Can the Book of Proverbs be a player in 'Biblical Theology'
An article from Biblical Theology Bulletin by Roland Murphy
The Sceptics of the Old Testament: Job-Koheleth-Agur
An 1895 book by Emile Jospeh Dillon.  Interesting for its historical context but little more.
Selected Bibliography of the Book of Proverbs
A brief list of sources by David Malick.
Two-Age Bibliography
A list of recommended sources, mostly scholarly in nature, provided by a website devoted to the "Redemptive Historical" school of theology.
Annotated Bibliography
A very large but somewhat dated annotated bibliography.  I'm not entirely sure of its origin.
Oxford Bibliography
A brief list of sources from the Theology School at Oxford University.