Book of Proverbs in Smiths Bible Dictionary
The title of this book in Hebrew is taken from its first
word, mashal, which originally meant "a comparison." It is
sometimes translated parable, sometimes proverb as here. The
superscriptions which are affixed to several portions of the
book, in chs. Pr 1:1; 10:1; 25:1 attribute the authorship of
those portions to Solomon the son of David, king of Israel.
With the exception of the last two chapters, which are
distinctly assigned to other author it is probable that the
statement of the superscriptions is in the main correct, and
that the majority of the proverbs contained in the book were
uttered or collected by Solomon. Speaking roughly, the book
consists of three main divisions, with two appendices:--
1. Chs. 1-9 form a connected didactic Wisdom is
praised and the youth exhorted to devote himself to her.
This portion is preceded by an introduction and title
describing the character and general aim of the book.
2. Chs. 10-24 with the title "The Proverbs of
Solomon," consist of three parts: Pr 10:1-22; Pr 10:16 a
collection of single proverbs and detached sentences out of
the region of moral teaching and worldly prudence; Pr 22:17-
24; Pr 22:21 a more connected didactic poem, with an
introduction, Pr 22:17-22 which contains precepts of
righteousness and prudence; Pr 24:23-34 with the inscription
"These also belong to the wise," a collection of unconnected
maxims, which serve as an appendix to the preceding. Then
follows the third division chs. 25-29, which, according to
the superscription, professes to be collection of Solomon's
proverbs, consisting of single sentences, which the men of
the court of Hezekiah copied out. The first appendix, ch.
30, "The words of Agur the son of Jakeh," is a collection of
partly proverbial and partly enigmatical sayings; the
second, ch. 31, is divided into two parts, "The words of
King Lemuel," vs. 1-6, and an alphabetical acrostic in
praise of a virtuous woman, which occupies the rest of the
chapter. Who was Agur and who was Jakeh, are questions which
have been often asked and never satisfactorily answered. All
that can be said of the first is that he was an unknown
Hebrew sage, the son of an equally unknown Jakeh, and that
he lived after the time of Hezekiah. Lemuel, like Agur, is
unknown. It is even uncertain whether he is to be regarded
as a real personage, or whether the name is merely
symbolical. The Proverbs are frequently quoted or alluded to
in the New Testament and the canonicity of the book thereby
confirmed. The following is a list of the principal
passages:-- Pr 1:16 compare Roma 3:10,15
Pr 3:7 compare Roma 12:16
Pr 3:11,12 compare Hebr 12:5,6, see also Reve 3:19
Pr 3:34 compare Jame 4:6
Pr 10:12 compare 1Pet 4:8
Pr 11:31 compare 1Pet 4:18
Pr 17:13 compare Roma 12:17; 1The 5:15; 1Pet 3:9
Pr 17:27 compare Jame 1:19
Pr 20:9 compare 1Joh 1:8
Pr 20:20 compare Matt 15:4; Mark 7:10
Pr 22:8 (LXX.), compare 2Cor 9:7
Pr 25:21,22 compare, Roma 12:20
Pr 26:11 compare, 2Pet 2:22
Pr 27:1 compare, Jame 4:13,14...
Link: https://bible-history.com/smiths/P/Proverbs,+Book+of/
