This is a brief summary or overview of the book of Proverbs in the Old Testament. Widely attributed to King Davids son & heir Solomon, and regarded perhaps the most important of all the wisdom/poetry books in the Bible which include Psalms, Ecclesiates, Song of Songs and Job.
When Proverbs was written:
Around 900 B.C. During the reign of King Solomon.
Who:
Mostly ascribed to Solomon (Ch.1:1).
People & Places:
King Solomon; Agur; Lemuel;
Israel
Sound-Bites:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Ch.1:7)
“The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding.” (Ch.4:7)
For the lips of an adulteress drip honey And smoother than oil is her speech; (Ch.5:3)
A wise son makes a father glad, But a foolish son is a grief to his mother. (Ch.10:1)
He who mocks the poor taunts his Maker; He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished. (Ch.17:5)
The Messianic Link:
Messiah was established from the beginning (Ch.8:22-23)
He would be the Son of God (Ch.30:4)
He is typified in the writings about wisdom.
Proverbs Summary:
The agenda or theme of Proverbs is written out in the first chapter verses 1-6 and is basically a book primarily devoted to giving out wisdom and wise instruction to the reader.
Solomon was well known and respected for his wisdom in dealing with difficult matters, and kings, dignitaries and learned people would travel for miles to hear his sound advice.
Wisdom itself plays the biggest role throughout the book, as it is linked to knowing God, prosperity and long life. Wisdom itself is promoted right from the first chapter as beginning with ‘the fear of The Lord’ (Ch.1:7).
Notes & Quotes:
Proverbs is one of the books of the Bible that is ideally suited to reading a chapter or two per day, as it is not a book that follows long story lines.
The Wisdom of Solomon just pours out of every verse and chapter; and even though written some 3,000 years ago, still carries the same impact now as it did then.
There is a recurring theme throughout this book, and that is to ‘be smart.’ Trust in God and acquire wisdom from Him, so that you may “Live long and prosper” to coin a modern day phrase!