Bible Commentaries
Proverbs 25

Verses 1-31

XXIV

OTHER PROVERBS OF SOLOMON AND THE APPENDICES

Proverbs 25:1-31:31.

The title of the section, Proverbs 25:1-29:27, is found in Proverbs 25:1: "These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out." Perowne says,

This title is interesting as affording a proof that revival of literary activity accompanied the revival of religion and of national prosperity which marked the reign of Hezekiah. Hezekiah himself was a poet of no mean order (Isaiah 38:9-12); and "the men of Hezekiah" were doubtless a body of scribes engaged under the direction of the king in literary labors. But beside this, this brief title is one of those "fragments of history," which, as Professor Sayce has shown, "have been illuminated by the progress of oriental research," and "the importance and true significance of which can now be realized for the first time." This title points, he thinks, to the existence of a royal library in Jerusalem, into which these proverbs, never before edited, were now gathered and "copied out" and similar to the libraries which are now known to have existed in the cities of Babylonia and Assyria. The vassalage of Judah to the king of Assyria in the reign of Ahaz had necessarily led to the introduction of Assyrian culture into Jerusalem. Ahaz himself had led the way. In the court of the palace he had erected a sundial, a copy of the gnomons which had been used for centuries in the civilized kingdoms of the Euphrates and the Tigris. But the erection of the sundial was not the only sign of Assyrian influence. The most striking feature of Assyrian and Babylonian culture was the libraries, where scribes were kept constantly employed, not only in writing and compiling new books, but in copying and re-editing older ones. The "men of Hezekiah" who "copied out" the proverbs of Solomon performed duties exactly similar to the royal scribes in Nineveh.

It would be a profitable exercise to note all the varieties of stanza, and to select a number of the most beautiful proverbs found in this section, and then compare Proverbs 25:7 with Luke 14:8-10 as an example of the New Testament elaboration of a proverb, but these matters must be left to the Bible student to be worked out for himself. The author recommends an earnest reading and careful study of this wonderful section of the proverbs of Solomon.

The collection of proverbs in Proverbs 30 is ascribed to a philosopher, or teacher, named Agur, the son of Jakeh, and is addressed by him to Ithiel and Ucal, presumably his scholars or disciples. The name Ithiel occurs again as that of a Benjamite in Nehemiah 11:7. Ucal as a proper name is not found elsewhere in the Old Testament. Horton says, Whoever Agur was, he had a certain marked individuality; he combined meditation on lofty questions of theology with a sound theory of practical life. He was able to give valuable admonitions about conduct. But his characteristic delight was to group together in quatrains visible illustrations of selected qualities or ideas.

The following is a brief analysis of Proverbs 30:

The chapter, which is highly interesting and in some respects unique, on which account it may have been selected out of other similar literature for publication as an Appendix to this book, consists of a Title, or note of authorship (Proverbs 30:1), followed by a prologue, in which in a spirit of deep abasement, which is the spirit of true wisdom, the author confesses his own utter ignorance in view of the great questions which offer themselves for solution. The study of nature makes it clear that there is a God; but who can tell Who and What He is (Proverbs 30:2-4)? Only by revelation can He be known; and in that revelation, held sacred from all admixture, man finds Him and is safe (Proverbs 30:5-6). To the God thus found and trusted the writer turns with a two-fold prayer that he may be in himself a real and true man; a prayer that in his earthly lot he may have the happy mean, removed from the temptations which belong to the extremes of poverty and riches (Proverbs 30:7-9). Then, after an isolated proverb of the familiar type (Proverbs 30:10), another peculiarity of this Collection, which may have been a further reason for its being appended to the Book of Proverbs, is introduced. A series of five "numerical proverbs," or "quatrains," as they have been called, groups of "four things," with a single proverb inserted between the second and third groups (Proverbs 30:17), brings the Collection to a close with the exception of one final proverb at the end of the chapter (Proverbs 30:32-33). – CAMBRIDGE BIBLE

It is very interesting to note in this chapter Agur’s prayer (Proverbs 30:7-9), the four insatiable things (Proverbs 30:15-16), the four inscrutable things (Proverbs 30:18-20), the four intolerable things (Proverbs 30:21-23), the four wise little things (Proverbs 30:24-28) and the four stately things (Proverbs 30:29-31), all of which have their lessons for us. There are several fine isolated proverbs here (Proverbs 30:10-11; Proverbs 30:14; Proverbs 30:17; Proverbs 30:32-33), each with its own lessons.

Proverbs 31:1-9 has King Lemuel for its author. This is just another name for Solomon. Taking the chapter as a whole, the following is a good, brief analysis:

1. Salutation (Proverbs 31:1)

2. Maternal admonitions (Proverbs 31:2-9).

3. Characteristics of a worthy woman (Proverbs 31:10-31).

From the salutation we learn that King Lemuel was the author of Proverbs 31:1-9 which is the oracle taught him by his mother. This is a fine example of maternal influence. There can be no finer compliment to a good mother than the effect of her life and teaching finding expression in the conduct and writings of her children.

The maternal admonitions in Proverbs 31:2-9 are expressions of the desire of a true mother’s heart for her children. The warning here concerning strong drink with its results in the lives of kings and princes might be good advice for kings, princes, governors, and others in high positions today. It will be noted that the admonition here relative to strong drink is immediately connected with the admonition concerning women and it does not require an extensive observation now to see the pertinency of these warnings. These are twin evils and wherever you find one of them you find the other also. It is not to be understood that there is sanction here of strong drink as a beverage, but rather the medicinal use of it as in the case of Paul’s advice to Timothy to take a little wine for the stomach’s sake. It may also be noted here that righteous judgment is unjoined and this, too, is always in danger at the hands of those who indulge in strong drink.

The passage, Proverbs 31:10-31, is an acrostic, or alphabetical poem, and a gem of literature. This passage is the picture of a worthy woman. In the Cambridge Bible we have this fine comment:

The picture here drawn of woman in her proper sphere of home, as a wife and a mother and the mistress of a household, stands out in bright relief against the dark sketches of woman degraded by impurity, or marred, by imperfections, which are to be found in earlier chapters of this Book (Proverbs 2:16-20; Proverbs 5:1-23; Proverbs 5:7; Proverbs 22:14; Proverbs 23:27-28, and Proverbs 11:22; Proverbs 19:13; Proverbs 21:19 Corruptio optimi pessima. We have here woman occupying and adorning her rightful place, elevated by anticipation to the high estate to which the Gospel of Christ has restored her. It is an expansion of the earlier proverbs: "Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor of the Lord" (Proverbs 18:22). The ideal here set forth for the woman is fine and represents her at her best and most influential business, viz: that of making a home.

QUESTIONS

1. What is the title of the section, Proverbs 25:1-29:28, and of what is it a proof?

2. What are the varieties of stanza found in this section?

3. What kinds of parallelism are found in this passage?

4. Give ten of the most beautiful proverbs found in this section, showing their application.

5. What proverbs in this section are elaborated in a New Testament parable?

6. Who were Agur, Ithiel, and Ucal and what may be remarked especially of Agur?

7. Give a brief analysis of Proverbs 30.

8. What is Agur’s prayer?

9. What are the four insatiable things according to Agur?

10. What are the four inscrutable things?

11. What are the four intolerable things?

12. What are the four wise little things?

13. What are the four stately things?

14. Who was King Lemuel?

15. Give a brief analysis of Proverbs 31.

16. What do we learn from the salutation?

17. What are the maternal admonitions in Proverbs 31:2-9 and what do you think of them?

18. What can you say of the passage, Proverbs 31:10-31?

19. According to this passage what is the picture here of a worthy woman?

20. What do you think of the ideal here set forth for the woman?