The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15

Bruce K. Waltke

• Publisher: Eerdmans
• Year: 2004
• Print ISBN: 9780802825452
• eBook ISBN: 9781467423748
• Subtopic: Biblical Criticism & Interpretation

Over twenty-five years in the making, this much-anticipated commentary promises to be the standard study of Proverbs for years to come. Written by eminent Old Testament scholar Bruce Waltke, this two-volume commentary is unquestionably the most comprehensive work on Proverbs available.
Grounded in the new literary criticism that has so strengthened biblical interpretation of late, Waltke's commentary on Proverbs demonstrates the profound, ongoing relevance of this Old Testament book for Christian faith and life. A thorough introduction addresses such issues as text and versions, structure, authorship, and theology. The detailed commentary itself explains and elucidates Proverbs as "theological literature." Waltke's highly readable style -- evident even in his original translation of the Hebrew text -- makes his scholarly work accessible to teachers, pastors, Bible students, and general readers alike.

Text and Commentary

I. COLLECTION I (1:1–9:18)

A. TITLE AND PREAMBLE (1:1–7)

1The proverbs of Solomon1 son of David, king of Israel:

2to know wisdom and instruction,

to understand words of insight;

3to accept instruction in prudent behavior,2

[to do]3 what is right, and just, and fair;4

4to give to the gullible shrewdness,

to the young, knowledge and discretion—

5let the wise hear5 and add to their learning,

and let the insightful acquire6 guidance7—

6to understand a proverb, namely,8 a parable,9

the sayings of the wise, namely, their riddles.10

7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,

but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

1. Title (1:1)

Syntactically connected with the book’s main title (1:1), the preamble states its aims for its addressees (1:2–6) and its epistemology (1:7). The title originally pertained to Collections I–IV (1:1–24:34), but the final editor employed it as the title for the final anthology, including Collections V–VII (25:1–31:31) (see pp. 36-37). Collections I–IV belong to a unified book as known from comparable ancient Near Eastern texts (see p. 32). The proverbs [see p. 55] of Solomon son of David (see pp. 31, 35) refers to most of the collections brought together in the final editor’s anthology (see p. 36). Moreover, according to 22:17 and 24:23 Solomon adopted and adapted sayings by other wise men. Solomon was the last king of all Israel (966–926 B.C.), and his court setting shines through many of his proverbs. This epithet shows that although the sage drew his inspiration for coining proverbs by observing and reflecting on nature and human behavior, he did so in the light of Israel’s worldview (see pp. 80-83).

Unlike analogous ancient Near Eastern titles, however, this title mentions no addressee such as Rehoboam. By contrast, ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature typically names the son or apprentice to whom the sage directed his instruction, with the special purpose of preparing him to succeed the sage in his high office among the ranks of court officials. Their instructions pertain to professional ethics. By omitting a specific addressee, Solomon and/or the final editor “democratizes” his work to shape the national character of Israel.11 Most of the proverbs pertain to the interests of all people, not just those of a prince (see p. 63).

2. Preamble (1:2–7)

a. Purpose and Addressees (1:2–6)

The preamble, which was written for parents and teachers who will use the book, articulates the book’s aim (vv. 2–6) and its addressees, namely, Israel’s educable youth (vv. 4–5). It also founds the book’s theology and epistemology on “the fear of the LORD” (v. 7). Since the preamble implicitly commends the work, it forms a janus (or transition) to the prologue (1:8–9:18) that motivates the audience to embrace the proverbs and sayings in the collections that follow. The catchword “listen” in v. 5 and v. 8 strengthens the connection between the preamble and the prologue.

Apart from v. 5, each verse of vv. 2–6 begins with “[in order] to” (l^e). This unique series of infinitival phrases binds the preamble to the title. A verb such as “were collected” is elided—i.e., the full thought is, “The proverbs of Solomon … were collected to know wisdom….” Verse 2 uniquely introduces each of its versets with this construction to serve as a summary statement of the two inseparable sides of its purpose, namely, to know the substance of “wisdom” (v. 2a) and to understand its expression (v. 2b). According to Kayatz, in the theological system of Heliopolis the creator god, Re, is characterized by sja, “knowledge,” and by hû, “expression.”1 The repetition of “to understand” in v. 6 suggests that “proverbs” and “sayings” in that verse unpack “words” in v. 2b and that synonyms such as “discretion” in vv. 3–5 unpack “wisdom” in v. 2a. Poetic features, such as catchwords, connecting vv. 3–5 to v. 2a and to one another validate this assumption. “Instruction” is the last word of v. 2a and the second word of v. 3a. Verses 3–4 are linked by the merism “to accept” by the student (v. 3) and “to give” by the teacher, and vv. 4 and 5 by the book’s two addressees, the “gullible” (v. 4) and the “wise” (v. 5). Verses 2 and 4 are linked by “know[ledge]” (daʿat, vv. 2a, 4b), and vv. 3 and 5 by the root lqḥ (“to accept”/“learning”). A rainbow of co-referential terms for wisdom unites the whole of vv. 2–5. Finally, the inclusio of “wisdom” and “wise” in vv. 2a and 5a and of “insight” and “insightful” in vv. 2b and 5b moves the unit from the substance of wisdom to the person who incarnates it.

(1) Summary of Purpose: Substance and Expression of Wisdom (1:2)

To know (lādaʿat) means “to become conscious of, become aware of, observe, perceive, realize, experience.”2 The pedagogy for “knowing” in 2:1–4 shows that the personal internalization or experiencing of wisdom is in view here. Wisdom (ḥokmâ; see p. 76) cannot be possessed without instruction (mûsār, lit. “chastening lesson”) to correct a moral fault. The authoritative instructors may be parents and/or sages (1:8) as well as God and experience (3:12; 24:32). Mûsār connotes an authority to whom the disciple must submit himself (i.e., have “humility,” ʿ^anāwâ, 15:33) to quell his innate waywardness (cf. 22:15); thus it entails shaping character.3 It is directly associated with tôkaḥat (“reproof,” i.e., “the need to set things right”) and tôrâ (“teaching,” 1:8). W. E. Lane observes that its root ysr (“to chastise”) always presupposes an educational purpose and is never used to refer to the correction of animals or to the divine discipline of foreign nations.4 Since its aim is the edification of the individual, it is co-relative with “wisdom” (ḥokmâ, 1:2, 7), “knowledge” (dāʿat, 8:10), “insight” (bînâ, 1:2; 4:1; 23:23), and “counsel” (ʿēṣâ, 19:20). Moreover, since the education in view here is within the framework of true Israel’s worldview, it is used with “truth” (ʾemet, 23:23), “the fear of the LORD” (yirʾat YHWH, 1:7). With verbs of hearing or observing it is acquired through verbal rebuke. The insightful also attain mûsār through keen observation of and cogent reflection on the suffering of others (19:25; 24:32; cf. Deut. 11:2; Ezek. 5:15). Mûsār learned in these ways prevents acts of folly. To prevent the repetition of folly, mûsār is learned with “the rod,” the symbol of corporal punishment, in which case it may be glossed by “discipline” (13:24; 22:15; 23:13, 14; 29:15). Shupak says, “The Hebrew noun mûsār and the verb yāsar, like [their Egyptian equivalents], have the double meaning of ‘instruct-reprove’ and ‘chastise-beat.’ ”5 The responsibility to respond to instruction lies squarely on the child’s shoulders; he must listen to it (1:8), accept it (1:3; 19:20; 23:23), love it (12:1), prize it more highly than money (4:7; 23:23), and not let go of it (4:13). Once accepted, discipline springs from the power of internalized wisdom, not from sporadic “New Year’s resolutions.” It is a matter of inward spirit, not of a coerced will and servile compliance.

Wisdom and instruction cannot be gained unless the hearer is able to understand (l^ehābîn) the sage’s words. Bîn in the Hiphil with an indirect object means “to explicate,” but with a direct object, as here, it ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• General Editor’s Preface
• Author’s Preface
• Abbreviations
• INTRODUCTION
• TEXT AND COMMENTARY
• Notes
• I. Subjects
• II. Authors
• III. Scripture References
• IV. Selected Hebrew Words and Phrases