From Yale Bible Study:
- The first nine chapters of Proverbs differ from the later chapters insofar as they are long, developed, discourses. It is generally assumed that these represent a later stage of the wisdom tradition than what we find in chapters 10-31, and that they come from the postexilic period. But this is an inference from the fact that they are longer units than what we find in the other chapters. We have no firm evidence of the date.
- One of the most intriguing features of Proverbs 1-9 is that Wisdom is personified as a female figure who speaks on her own behalf.
- The role of Wisdom in creation is addressed most explicitly in 8:22-31: “the Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago” (NRSV). The Hebrew word that is translated “created” is qanah, which normally has the meaning “purchase” or “acquire.” It is used with reference to human beings acquiring wisdom in 1:5, 4:7, and several other places.
Back-to-back bits of wisdom that completely contradict each other:
- Do not answer fools according to their folly, or you will be a fool yourself.
- Answer fools according to their folly, or they will be wise in their own eyes. (26:4–5)
From: Enns, Peter. How the Bible Actually Works: In Which I Explain How An Ancient, Ambiguous, and Diverse Book Leads Us to Wisdom Rather Than Answers—and Why That’s Great News (p. 29). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
Proverbs wasn’t written for twenty-first-century Western churchgoing suburbanites. Though the deep origins of the book remain a mystery, Proverbs was likely compiled for the purpose of training young upper-class Israelite men for a life of royal service. This is why the book is throughout addressed to sons (not daughters) and gives due weight to topics that would be most relevant for a ruling class—like wealth and justice (for example, Prov. 1:3; 2:8). This book was designed for an ancient ruling class, but here’s the twist. Centuries later, this book was eventually included in the Bible of Judaism (the Christian Old Testament).*
Long before Christianity came to be, Proverbs was already “democratized,” that is, transformed from a book for some to a book for everyone. In other words, the simple fact that Proverbs later came to be included in the for-everyone book we call the Bible speaks volumes—it means that those ancient Jews who made that decision saw in it value beyond the reason for which it was originally written. So, here’s my point. We do not share the ancient setting of the original audience of Proverbs. When we read it, we have to transpose it into another key if we hope to connect with it. In fact, the book’s very inclusion in the collection of for-everyone books is already a significant transposition. Otherwise this ancient book would forever remain an artifact from the past, a decaying monument to a long-ago time and a faraway place.
From: Enns, Peter. How the Bible Actually Works: In Which I Explain How An Ancient, Ambiguous, and Diverse Book Leads Us to Wisdom Rather Than Answers—and Why That’s Great News (pp. 36-37). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
