The Book of Proverbs
The Book of Proverbs, the first in the order of the Scriptures of the three works ascribed to Solomon, although not the first in order of production is supposed by the Jews to have been written after the song of Solomon and previous to Ecclesiastes.
As universal in application as the Psalms, the Book of Proverbs can be said to have as its background virtually as wide a stretch of time in the history of the Hebrews. Together with the "song" as a distinctive mode of early literary expression, there developed the "mashal" - a word usually translated "proverb," or sometimes, "parable." It is intended to denote a distinctive way of expressing some memorable, or weighty thought. There are many specimens of these "mashal" throughout the historical and prophetic books of the Bible. The book of Proverbs gathers in one book several groups or collections of these proverbs.
The use of the mashal or proverb was developed by the Jews as a medium of moral or religious instruction. The book of Proverbs, presenting a selection or collection of them, could be described as a guide to a happy and successful life. Just as the Law was ascribed to Moses and the Psalms to David, so were the Proverbs traditionally credited to Solomon. In 1st Kings 4 verse 32, we are told that Solomon spake 3000 proverbs, and again, in Ecclesiastes 12 verse 9, that he set in order many proverbs. Of this large number, the greater part must have perished, as those recorded in this book amount to only between four and five hundred.
Many commentators have hesitated to assign the entire authorship of these to Solomon, claiming that the range of experience and knowledge compassed by them exceeds what any one man could gather in a life-time. But this is to forget the especial gift which Solomon was endowed. However, there are close resemblances between some of the proverbs and passages - for example, in the Book of Job - that would indicate that he was not the original author in all cases, but rather that he adopted some sayings that were current in his time, adding to them others out of the treasuries of his own wisdom and the results of his own observations under the Lord.
The Book may be divided into five parts: The first part, containing chapter 1 to 9, is in the nature of a homily or volume of advice to his son to follow after wisdom; the second part, containing chapter 10 to 24, is occupied with single proverbs and moral and religious precepts; the third part, from chapters 25 to 29, contains additional proverbs collected in the reign of Hezekiah king of Judah. The fourth and fifth parts, containing "the words of Agur," in chapter 30 and "The words of Lemuel," in chapter 31, give no real clue to their authorship over and above those names.
The Book or Proverbs, although it seems to inculcate a purely moral teaching, is yet undoubtedly entitled to the high place which it holds in the inspired scriptures. The frequent quotations made from it in the New Testament, and the references to it by our Lord and the Apostles, show that it was so regarded in their day.