About Proverbs
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom - all of life's complexity is navigated successfully when God is at the center of every decision and relationship.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."
Proverbs 3:5
Written
circa 950-700 BC
Author
Solomon and others
Genre
Wisdom / Poetry
Position
20th of 66 books - Wisdom Literature / Poetry
Authorship
Primarily by Solomon (chs. 1-29), with additional contributions from Agur son of Jakeh (ch. 30) and King Lemuel's mother (ch. 31). Solomon is credited with 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs (1 Kgs 4:32).
Historical Context
The wisdom tradition flourished especially during Solomon's reign (c. 971-931 BC) when international trade and diplomacy brought contact with Egypt and Mesopotamian wisdom schools. Later editors (Hezekiah's men, ch. 25:1) collected additional Solomonic proverbs around 700 BC.
Purpose
To pass down practical wisdom for daily life - covering work, family, speech, money, relationships, and character - all grounded in the foundational principle that wisdom begins with reverent trust in God.
Key Message
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom - all of life's complexity is navigated successfully when God is at the center of every decision and relationship.
Book Structure
Interesting Facts
Proverbs 31:10-31 - the famous description of a virtuous woman - is an acrostic poem in Hebrew, with each verse beginning with a successive letter of the alphabet.
The fear of the LORD appears 14 times in Proverbs - it is the book's organizing theological principle.
Wisdom in Proverbs 8 speaks in the first person about being present at creation - a passage rich with messianic overtones.
Proverbs is the most practical book in the Bible, addressing money, marriage, laziness, friendship, anger, and speech in concrete memorable ways.