Proverbs

COLLECTION OF MORAL AND RELIGIOUS MAXIMS containing instruction concerning right living. Also brief discourses on Wisdom, Justice, Temperance, Industry, Purity, etc. In these pithy sayings a sharp contrast is drawn between Wisdom and Folly, Righteousness and Sin.

AUTHORS. Solomon is generally credited with the authorship of a large portion of the Proverbs. It is quite probable that all were not original with him. In chapters 30 and 31 are found the words of Agur and Lemuel.

CHIEF PURPOSE, To give Moral Instruction, especially to young People.

KEY VERSE

 Pr 1:4

KEY THOUGHT, "The fear of the Lord," which occurs fourteen times.

SYNOPSIS.

(1) Fatherly counsels and warnings, with exhortations concerning the attainment of wisdom, chs. 1-7

 Pr 1:1 - 7:1

(2) Wisdom's call, chs. 8,9

 Pr 8:1 - 9:1

(3) Proverbs of Solomon;--contrasts between Good and Evil, Wisdom and Folly, chs. 10-20

 Pr 10:1 - 20:1

(4) Proverbial maxims and counsels, chs. 21-24

 Pr 21:1 - 24:1

(5) Proverbs of Solomon copied by men of King Hezekiah, chs. 25-29

 Pr 25:1 - 29:1

(6) The words of Agur, the oracle, ch. 30

 Pr 30:1

(7) The words of King Lemuel;--a mother's advice

 Pr 31:1-9

The description of an Ideal wife

 Pr 31:10-31

CHOICE SELECTIONS

Wisdom, the Call of,

 Pr 1:20-23

the Source of

 Pr 2:6 8:1-36

the Preciousness of

 Pr 3:13-26

the Principal thing

 Pr 4:5-13

the Richest Treasure

 Pr 8:11-36

the Feast of

 Pr 9:1-6

SUBJECTS SPECIALLY DISCUSSED

Anger

 Pr 14:17,29 15:18 16:32 19:11

Benevolence

 Pr 3:9,10 11:24-26 14:21 19:17 22:9

Children, correction of

 Pr 13:24 19:18 22:6,15 23:13,14

Enticers

 Pr 4:14 9:13 16:29

Fear of God

 Pr 1:7 3:7 9:10 10:27 14:26,27 15:16,33 16:6 19:23 23:17 24:21

Fools

Slanderous

 Pr 10:18

Short-lived

 Pr 10:21

Mischief-makers

 Pr 10:23

Self-righteous

 Pr 12:15

Irritable

 Pr 12:16

Mock at sin

 Pr 14:9

Talk nonsense

 Pr 15:2

Insensible

 Pr 17:10

Dangerous

 Pr 17:12

Visionary

 Pr 17:24

Meddlesome

 Pr 20:3

Despise Wisdom

 Pr 23:9

Stupid

 Pr 27:22

Self-confident

 Pr 14:16 28:26

Garrulous

 Pr 29:11

Friendship

 Pr 17:17 18:24 19:4 27:10,17

Indolence

 Pr 6:6-11 10:4,5 12:27 13:4 15:19 18:9 19:15,24 20:4,13 22:13

 Pr 24:30-34 26:13-16

Knowledge Divine

 Pr 15:11 21:2 24:12

Oppression

 Pr 14:31 22:22 28:16

Pride

 6:17 11:2 13:10 15:25 16:18,19 18:12 21:4,24 29:23 30:13

Prudence

 Pr 12:23 13:16 14:8,15,18 15:5 16:21 18:15 27:12

Scorners

 Pr 3:34 9:7 14:6 19:25 24:9

Strife

 3:30 10:12 15:18 16:28 17:1,14,19 18:6,19 20:3 22:10 25:8 30:33

Temperance

 20:1 21:17 23:1-3,20 23:29-35 25:16 31:4-7

The Tongue

 Pr 4:24 10:11-32 12:6,18,22 13:3 14:3 15:1-7,23 16:13,23,27 17:4

 Pr 18:7,21 19:1 20:19 21:23 26:28 30:32

Unjust Gain

 Pr 10:2 13:11 21:6 28:8

Wealth

 Pr 10:2,15 11:4,28 13:7,11 15:6 16:8 18:11 19:4 27:24 28:6,22

Women, evil

 Pr 2:16-19 5:3-14,20,23 6:24-35 7:5-27 9:13-18

Women, good

 Pr 5:18,19 31:10-31

SPIRITUAL LESSON

Solomon was a GUIDE-POST, rather than an example. He pointed the way to Wisdom, but in the latter part of his life he did not walk in it; hence his son, Rehoboam, followed his EXAMPLE, rather than his COUNSELS, and became a foolish and evil ruler.

(Outline from Thompson’s Chain Reference Bible)

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