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Old Testament

Protestant, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi

Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox Tobit Judith 1 Maccabees 2 Maccabees Wisdom Ben Sira Baruch 2 Baruch 3 Baruch Letter of Jeremiah

Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox 1 Esdras 3 Maccabees Odes Psalm 151

Russian and Oriental Orthodox 2 Esdras

Oriental Orthodox Jubilees Enoch

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Books of Ketuvim

Psalms

Proverbs

Job

Song of Solomon

Ruth

Lamentations

Ecclesiastes

Esther

Daniel

Ezra

Nehemiah

Chronicles

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The Book of Proverbs is a book of the Tanakh/Old Testament. It is a collection of moral and philosophical maxims on a wide range of subjects presented in a poetic form. This book sets forth a philosophy of practical life, and is a compilation and adaptation of common sayings. It is clear that the author of the book gathered and recast many proverbs which sprang from human experience in preceding ages and were floating past him on the tide of time, and that he also elaborated many new ones from the material of his own experience. And it is very possible that the book of Proverbs developed somewhat over time, with latter editors adding sayings as they went along.

This book is usually divided into three parts:

1. ch. 1 – 9, which contain an exhibition of wisdom as the highest good.
2. ch. 10 – 24, a collection of "the proverbs of Solomon"
3. ch. 25 – 29, another collection of "proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied"

These are followed by three supplements

1. "The words of Agur" (ch. 30); and
2. "The words to king Lemuel" (ch. 31,1–9).
3. The praise of the good wife, Eishes Chayil (ch. 31,10–31)

The tradition ascribing some proverbs to Solomon, described as "without valid foundation" in the Jewish Encyclopedia, 1901-06, continued nevertheless to be uncritically accepted among many Christians, who aver that Solomon is said to have written three thousand proverbs, and those contained in this book may be a selection from these (1 Kings 4:32).

Jewish tradition attributes the entire book to "the men of Hezekiah", as attested by the word "too" in the verse, "these too are the proverbs of Solomon which" etc. (25:1). (Source: Babylonian Talmud, tractate Bava Bathra 15a).

In the New Testament there are thirty-five direct quotations from this book or allusions to it.

Quotes:

`I am Wisdom, I am better than jewels, Nothing you want can compare with me.(8:11)

External links

• Jewish translations:
  • Mishlei - Proverbs (Judaica Press) translation with Rashi's commentary at Chabad.org

• Christian translations:
  • Proverbs at The Great Books (New Revised Standard Version)
  • Proverbs at Bible Gateway (Various versions)

Related articles:

• Jewish Encyclopedia: Proverbs, with dates of compilation and manuscript traditions
• Proverbs from the Biblical Resource Database

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This entry incorporates text from the public domain Easton's Bible Dictionary, originally published in 1897.