Notes on Proverbs I

Repost from Myspace (including 1-4): Originally posted August 23, 2009

These are some notes I took while reading Proverbs, most of the information I got was from articles and commentary in the Archaeological Study Bible. You all should also know that I'm starting college on the 25th 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. CST, so I'm probably not going to be able to do a lot of impressive blogging; which I would like to do for that manner. Heck, at least I got some good reads in the summer (i.e. 1984, Milestones, The Little Red Book, and Beyond Good and Evil). Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this one though. ;)

Notes on Proverbs:

Not God’s promises, but general principles.

Prologue: Purpose and Theme (Proverbs 1:1-7) & Superiority of the Way of Wisdom (1:8-9:18)

Proverbs: instructive or didactic text typically written to a boy or young man. Text is straightforward, exhorting the reader to right behavior, concerns issues like personal morality, work ethics, career choice or peer respect.

Job-reflective text, addressed to more mature reader-a person who acknowledges that the world is not always as it should be. They lament societal ills and wrestle with complex issues.

Categories are not mutually exclusive. E.g. Ecclesiastes.

Good Principles:

Prudence: good judgment or good sense. Discernment.

Wisdom-moral virtue. Depicted as a righteous woman (wisdom in the Hebrew is a feminine noun) and is a personification of God’s attribute of Wisdom and ultimately stands for God Himself. Wisdom employs appeals and warnings in persuading “simple” youths to follow her ways. She is Supreme.

Knowledge-understanding or insight begins with the fear of the Lord.

Blameless-refers to those who are spiritually and morally upright. It doesn’t imply sinfulness.

Just and Faithful-2:8

Love-3:3-4, Discipline-3:11-12

Tithe-3:9-10

Don’t withhold good from those who deserve it-3:27-28

Don’t plan harm against your neighbor or bear false witness-3:29-30

Humility-3:34

Honor-3:35

Hold on to Instruction-4:13

Guard your heart-4:23

Keep on the path of righteousness-4:26-27

Remain faithful to your wife-5:15

Keep father’s commands and mother’s teaching-6:20

Truth-8:7

Craftsmanship-8:30 (Those skilled in craftsmanship were sometimes called “wise.” Here, however, the term refers to the skill demonstrated in creation).

Learning/Education-9:7-9

Bad principles:

In proverbs, simple=used to describe an individual who lacks judgment or who is easily persuaded, immature, inexperienced or naïve. The Hebrew word generally refers to someone lacking moral discretion and inclined to evil.

Folly (i.e. the strange, seductress, foolish woman)-represents false gods vying for Israel’s devotion, a harlot, personifies sin. Uses enticements to try to achieve the same goal as Wisdom. Young men is depicted as being enticed to Folly by men who exploited others and by women who sought sexual pleasure outside of marriage. Avoid at all costs.

Complacency-Proverbs 1:32

Waywardness-1:32, 2:16

Arrogance-3:7

Perversity of mouth-4:24

Bitterness-5:4 (gall)

Laziness-6:6-8

Pride/Haughtiness

Lying tongues

Shedding of innocent blood

Feet that are quick to rush into evil

Man who stirs up dissension among brothers

Lust/Adultery-6:29-35