Lesson 4 of 6
In Progress

Introductory Issues in Proverbs

Revised by Diane Jacobson (02/24)

Every proverb is written in some form of Hebrew poetry.  How a proverb conveys meaning through poetry is central to reading the book (see Bible in the World – Proverbs).  Within the book, one finds a great variety of proverbial forms.  The major forms are the following:

The Saying (e.g., Proverbs 10:15; 11:24) is the basic form.  A saying registers an observation that invites further reflection.

A Didactic Saying (e.g., Proverbs 14:31) is very specifically aimed at teaching a direction.

Short sayings in the form of antithetic parallelism

These dominate chapters 10—30 of the book. For clear examples, note the sayings in 10:4, 5, 7; 11:1, 12, 13, 14, 15. These sayings can be taken one at a time, read, reflected on, or discussed.

An Admonition (e.g., 16:3) gives direct advice, even a command.

The same point might be made by an indirect saying (16:9)

“Better x than y” statements

Some of these forms were likely invented just for sheer aesthetic delight, much as one might enjoy composing limericks or rhymes. Examples in Proverbs include: 15:16-17; 16:8, 19; 17:1, 12; 21:19; 22:1; 25:7, 24; 27:5; 27:10b; see also Ecclesiastes 4:6, 13; 7:2, 3, 5, 8; Sirach 40:18-27. The genre might also serve a pedagogical purpose: one can imagine a teacher asking, “What is better than a house full of feasting with strife?” and a pupil answering, “A dry morsel with quiet.” “And what does this mean?” the ancient or modern teacher might continue, setting the scene for a discussion of family life.

The “Happy is…” (“Blessed is”) Proverb

A number of proverbs (3:13; 8:32, 34; 14:21; 16:20; 20:7; 28:14; 29:18) declare that “Happy is the one who” or “those who“ …. do or think or act in a certain way.  Significantly, the word translated “happy” might also be translated “blessed” as in the beatitudes in Matthew.  This observation invites us to read the Beatitudes as wisdom rather than law. Notably, the Book of Psalms also begins with just such a proverbial, poetic insight in Psalm 1.

Instruction or imperative speeches

These speeches in chapters 1-9 and 22:17-24:22 are dominated by the imperative mood. Crucial to the interpretation of each of these pieces is the identification of the subunits within each chapter. For example: chapter 1 consists of 1:1-7, 8-19 and 20-33; one’s own sense of style or a good study Bible will be helpful in this task. The use of the imperative mood means that the material was designed to be used for providing advice or instruction to an individual or a group. While chapters 1-9 were formerly considered to be the latest material in the book, recent scholarship contests that view.

Numerical sayings in the form x, x+1

These were also probably composed for aesthetic delight; see 6:16-19; 30:15b-16; 18-19; 21-23; 24-28; 29-31. Once again the form lends itself to teaching, with the teacher asking: “Name three or four things that are small but wise” (30:24-28). Or “Name three or four things that evoke wonder” (30:18-19). Discussions would easily follow.

Similes/ Similitudes

These proverbs (Proverbs 10:23, 26; 11:22; 25:3, 11-14, 18-20, 25-26, 28, and others) often use unexpected similes to invite deep reflection.  They are rather like riddles. A tip for interpreting similes (comparisons using “like” or “as”, though the actual words “like” and “as” frequently do not actually occur in the Hebrew).  Begin by concentrating on the “like” half of the saying (“Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout” Proverbs 11:22; what is the point of picturing a gold ring in a swine’s snout?) and then moving on to the comparison (in both cases there is a waste of beauty). These sayings could also point to a pedagogical setting, with the teacher asking, “Why are these two alike?” Thus, “Why is a word fitly spoken like a beautiful piece of jewelry?” and an answer, “Using just the right word at just the right time is an experience of truth and beauty.”

Extended descriptions inviting contemplation

Two passages toward the end of Proverbs invite the reader into contemplation in ways very similar to Gospel Parables. The first is Proverbs 23:29-35.  Through riddle-like questions, instruction, and description, the reader is invited to consider the deep problem of excessive drinking.  It is one of the earliest accurate descriptions of alcoholic addiction.

The second passage, Proverbs 24:30-34, speaks of idleness leading to poverty.  Written autobiographically, the reader is invited to listen to a personal story that leads to acute observation. The writer uses the device of reporting a real or imagined first-person observation and then drawing a conclusion from it. “A funny thing happened to me on the way to this meeting….” Notice that the “punch line” in verses 33-34 must have been a saying that circulated independently; it occurs in another setting in 6:10-11. See also Psalm 37:25, 35-36 and Sirach 51:13-30 for further first-person materials.

Alphabetical acrostic poem

This literary genre appears in the Hebrew text in 31:10-31. The alphabetical acrostic was beloved by biblical writers (see Psalms 9-10; 25; 34; 37; 111; 112; 145; and especially 119), probably as a memory-aiding device, but perhaps also as a sign of importance, perfection, or a sign of order. Testimony to the effectiveness of the alphabetical acrostic is the fact that most people of my generation can sing or recite from memory the words to “The Alphabet Love Song,” “‘A,’ you’re adorable, ‘B,’ you’re so beautiful…,” which was a hit in the late 1940s (words and original music by Buddy Kaye, Fred Wise, and Sidney Lippman; copyright © 1948, Music of the Times Publishing Corporation). Scholars continue to find new hidden or obvious acrostics in biblical literature.