Proverbs

The Book of Proverbs is a collection of wisdom statements about values, morals, right conduct, and the meaning of human life.

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

RESOURCES: SummaryOutline, Memorize, Sluggard, Tree of Life, Misogynism


 

SUMMARY

 

Title

The English word “Proverb” is a translation of the Hebrew word mashal.

Mashal is a verb that means “to be like; to be compared with.”

Each of the pithy sayings in much of the Book of Proverbs is a mashal. They make comparisons.

 

Author and Date

The book is comprised of eight major sections.

Each section was written by distinct author(s) in its own timeframe.

For details on each section, see our Outline below.

 

Purpose

The Book of Proverbs helps readers live wisely and skillfully.

In Proverbs chapter 1, we find seven goals:

  1. for gaining wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:2)
  2. for understanding words of insight (Proverbs 1:2)
  3. to teach prudent behavior (Proverbs 1:3)
  4. that we do what is right and just and fair (Proverbs 1:3)
  5. to teach knowledge and discretion (Proverbs 1:4)
  6. to add to our learning (Proverbs 1:5)
  7. provide guidance (Proverbs 1:5)

 


 

OUTLINE

 

Section 1. The Value of Wisdom

  • Author: Solomon
  • Timeframe: Solomon reigned from 971 to 931 BC

Proverbs 1:10-19. If sinners entice you, don’t consent

Proverbs 1:20-33. Wisdom calls aloud in the street

Proverbs 2:1-4. Search for wisdom

Proverbs 2:5-7. The LORD protects those who seek wisdom

Proverbs 2:8-11. Wisdom will enter into your heart

Proverbs 2:12-15. Wisdom will deliver you from evil men

Proverbs 2:16-22. Wisdom will deliver you from evil women

Proverbs 3:1-8. Trust in the LORD with all your heart

Proverbs 3:9-10. Honor the LORD with your money

Proverbs 3:11-12. Accept discipline

Proverbs 3:13-26. Happy is the person who finds wisdom

Proverbs 3:27-35. Act justly toward others

Proverbs 4:1-9. Solomon passes on teachings from his father David

Proverbs 4:10-19. Wisdom protects from trouble

 

Section 2. The Effect of Wisdom on Health

  • Author: Solomon
  • Timeframe: Solomon reigned from 971 to 931 BC

Proverbs 4:20-27. Wisdom brings health

Proverbs 5:1-14. Listen to wisdom and avoid being seduced

Proverbs 5:15-23. Keep your wife sexually fulfilled

Proverbs 6:1-5. Avoid foolish financial entanglements

Proverbs 6:6-11. Avoid being lazy

Proverbs 6:12-15. Avoid a malicious person

Proverbs 6:16-19. Seven things the LORD hates

Proverbs 6:20-35. Avoid adultery

Proverbs 7:1-5. Write Scripture on the tablet of your heart

Proverbs 7:6-27. Avoid the temptation of adultery

Proverbs 8:1-5. Wisdom calls out to us

Proverbs 8:6-12. Wisdom is better than silver and gold

Proverbs 8:13-36. Wisdom rewards those who seek her

Proverbs 9:1-12. The way of wisdom

Proverbs 9:13-18. The way of folly

 

Section 3. A Collection of 375 Proverbs of Solomon

  • Author: Solomon
  • Timeframe: Solomon reigned from 971 to 931 BC

Proverbs 10:1-32. A collection of Solomon’s proverbs

Proverbs 11:1-31. The collection of Solomon’s proverbs continues

Proverbs 12:1-28. The collection of Solomon’s proverbs continues

Proverbs 13:1-25. The collection of Solomon’s proverbs continues

Proverbs 14:1-35. The collection of Solomon’s proverbs continues

Proverbs 15:1-33. The collection of Solomon’s proverbs continues

Proverbs 16:1-33. The collection of Solomon’s proverbs continues

Proverbs 17:1-28. The collection of Solomon’s proverbs continues

Proverbs 18:1-24. The collection of Solomon’s proverbs continues

Proverbs 19:1-29. The collection of Solomon’s proverbs continues

Proverbs 20:1-30. The collection of Solomon’s proverbs continues

Proverbs 21:1-31. The collection of Solomon’s proverbs continues

Proverbs 22:1-16. The collection of Solomon’s proverbs concludes

 

The 30 Sayings of the Wise Men

  • Author: the wise men. In our day, their identity is unknown.
  • Timeframe: unknown

Proverbs 22:17-29. The 30 Sayings of the Wise Men begins

Proverbs 23:1-35. The 30 Sayings of the Wise Men continue

Proverbs 24:1-22. The 30 Sayings of the Wise Men conclude

Proverbs 24:23-34. Other Sayings of the Wise begin

 

Proverbs of Solomon Collected by Hezekiah’s Team

  • Author: Solomon
  • Compiler: Hezekiah’s team
  • Timeframe: Hezekiah reigned from 729 to 686 BC

Proverbs 25:1-28. Proverbs of Solomon collected by Hezekiah’s team

Proverbs 26:1-28. Proverbs of Solomon collected by Hezekiah’s team, continued

Proverbs 27:1-27. Proverbs of Solomon collected by Hezekiah’s team, continued

Proverbs 28:1-28. Proverbs of Solomon collected by Hezekiah’s team, continued

Proverbs 29:1-27. Proverbs of Solomon collected by Hezekiah’s team, concluded

 

The Words of Agur

  • Author: Agur
  • Timeframe: unknown in our day

Proverbs 30:1-33. The words of Agur

 

The Wise Words of King Lemuel’s Mother

  • Author: King Lemuel’s mother
  • Timeframe: unknown in our day

Proverbs 31:1-9. The wise words of king Lemuel’s mother

 

A Woman of God

  • Author: unknown. Possibly written by Abraham about his wife Sarah.
  • Timeframe: unknown in our day

Proverbs 31:10-31. A Woman of God

 


 

MEMORIZE

 

Proverbs 3:5. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.

Proverbs 3:6. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:9. Honor the LORD with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase:

Proverbs 3:10. so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

Proverbs 3:18. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.

Proverbs 3:25. Have no fear of sudden disaster or the ruin that overtakes the wicked, (NIV translation)

Proverbs 3:26. For the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared. (NIV translation)

Proverbs 4:12. When you walk, your step will not be impeded, and should you run, you will not stumble. (NAB translation)

Proverbs 6:6. Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;

Proverbs 6:16. There are six things which the LORD hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:

Proverbs 6:17. arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood;

Proverbs 6:18. a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,

Proverbs 6:19. a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.

Proverbs 7:2. Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. (NIV translation)

Proverbs 8:10. Receive my instruction rather than silver; knowledge rather than choice gold.

Proverbs 12:1. Whoever loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

Proverbs 12:15. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who is wise listens to counsel.

Proverbs 14:12. There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

Proverbs 15:22. Where there is no counsel, plans fail; but in a multitude of counselors they are established.

Proverbs 16:3. Commit your deeds to the LORD, and your plans shall succeed.

Proverbs 16:9. A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD directs his steps.

Proverbs 16:25. There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

Proverbs 17:5. Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker. He who is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.

Proverbs 17:17. A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 18:22. Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of the LORD.

Proverbs 19:11. A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense. (NIV translation)

Proverbs 21:2. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the hearts.

Proverbs 22:29. Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He won’t serve obscure men.

Proverbs 24:11. Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. (NIV translation)

Proverbs 25:11. A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. (NIV translation)

Proverbs 26:11. As a dog that returns to his vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.

Proverbs 26:14. As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed.

Proverbs 27:1. Don’t boast about tomorrow; for you don’t know what a day may bring.

Proverbs 27:17. As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (NIV translation)

Proverbs 28:1. The wicked flee when no one pursues; but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

Proverbs 29:18a. Without prophecy the people become demoralized. (NAB translation)

Proverbs 31:30. Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

 

Great verses to memorize from the entire Bible

 


 

SLUGGARD

 

To be called a sluggard is a great biblical insult. The Book of Proverbs often comments about the sluggardly person:

 

Proverbs 6:6. Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;

Proverbs 6:9. How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?

Proverbs 10:26. As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.

Proverbs 13:4. The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing, but the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied.

Proverbs 15:19. The way of the sluggard is like a thorn patch, but the path of the upright is a highway.

Proverbs 19:24. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

Proverbs 20:4. The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.

Proverbs 21:25. The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.

Proverbs 22:13. The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the streets!”

Proverbs 24:30. I went by the field of the sluggard, by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

Proverbs 26:14. As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed.

Proverbs 26:15. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. He is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.

Proverbs 26:16. The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion.

 


 

TREE OF LIFE

 

A life of godliness is fed by the tree of life:

 

Proverbs 3:18. She [wisdom] is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.

Proverbs 11:30. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life. He who is wise wins souls.

Proverbs 13:12. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when longing is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.

Proverbs 15:4. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but deceit in it crushes the spirit.

 


 

MISOGYNISM

 

The Book of Proverbs often reveals a deeply negative view of women. That probably reflects a misogynistic personality on the part of the men who wrote the book.

 

Proverbs 2:16. To deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words;

Proverbs 5:3. For the lips of an adulteress drip honey. Her mouth is smoother than oil,

Proverbs 6:24. to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.

Proverbs 7:5. that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.

Proverbs 7:10. Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.

Proverbs 7:21. With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.

Proverbs 11:22. Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout, is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.

Proverbs 19:13. A foolish son is the calamity of his father. A wife’s quarrels are a continual dripping.

Proverbs 21:9. It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than to share a house with a contentious woman.

Proverbs 21:19. It is better to dwell in a desert land, than with a contentious and fretful woman.

Proverbs 22:14. The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit. He who is under the LORD’s wrath will fall into it.

Proverbs 23:27. For a prostitute is a deep pit; and a wayward wife is a narrow well.

Proverbs 25:24. It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than to share a house with a contentious woman.

Proverbs 27:15. A continual dropping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike:

Proverbs 30:20. So is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats and wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’

 


PROVERBS

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

RESOURCES: SummaryOutline, Memorize, Sluggard, Tree of Life, Misogynism

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.