Notes on Proverbs III

Originally posted Sept. 13, 2009

Notes on Proverbs III

Sayings of the Wise: Proverbs 22:19-29:27

“This section is more general but uses the same vocabulary of morality. In this part of the book are some special parallels with an Egyptian work titled The Wisdom of Amenemope. The correspondence, however, does not invalidate the claim that the author(s) of Proverbs gave distinctive treatment to this theme.” (Commentary note on 22:19-29:27, p. 995)

. Archaeological Study Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530: Zondervan, 2005. p. 995

More Proverbs of Solomon:

“The book o fProverbs returns here to the proverbs of Solomon, noting that these were “copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah.” Hezekiah’s reign, more than 200 years after Solomon’s, saw a great revival---which explains his interest in a compilation of Solomon’s proverbs. Many of the sayings in this section were intended to be read and interpreted as pairs, one shedding more light upon the other.” (Commentary note on 25:1, p. 1000)

Archaeological Study Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530: Zondervan, 2005. p. 1000

“The process of removing the dross from the silver is a picture of purification.” (Commentary note on 25:4, p. 1000)

Archaeological Study Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530: Zondervan, 2005. p. 1000

“Heaping burning coals upon a person’s head was a horrible punishment reserved for the wicked. Here, however, the picture could have bone of kindness; though painful, the consequence might have served to win the individual over. Alternatively, the practice may reflect an Egyptian expiation ritual in which a guilty person, as a sign of his repentance, carried a basin of glowing coals on his head. The meaning here, then would be that in returning good for evil----and so expressing kindness to an enemy---a person might motivate that adversary to repent or change.” (Commentary note on 25:22, p. 1001)

Archaeological Study Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530: Zondervan, 2005. p. 1001

“A city whose walls were broken down was considered defenseless and disgraced.” (Commentary note on 25:28, p. 1001)

Archaeological Study Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530: Zondervan, 2005. p. 1001