Where it fits

Proverbs is the 20th book of the Bible, with 31 chapters. It is a collection put together over several centuries. Much of it is credited to Solomon (1:1; 10:1; 25:1), and other sections come from other wise men, from Agur (30), and from the mother of King Lemuel (31). Read straight through, it takes about an hour.

What it is and how to read it

Proverbs comes from a world that took wisdom seriously, and Israel's neighbors had wisdom writing too. But Proverbs makes a claim of its own. It begins by saying that fearing the LORD, meaning reverent trust, is where knowledge starts (1:7). Wisdom here isn't cleverness. It is the skill of living well in God's world: in relationships, work, money, speech, and character. The book is aimed especially at young people who need guidance, but it speaks to anyone.

Chapters 1 to 9 are longer speeches from a father to his son, urging him to pursue wisdom and avoid folly, and picturing Wisdom as a woman calling in the streets (1:20–33; 8; 9). Chapters 10 to 29 are mostly short, two-line sayings that cover everything from honest scales to quarrelsome spouses, from laziness to generosity, from gossip to a gentle answer. Chapter 30 gives the sayings of Agur, and chapter 31 closes with a mother's advice to her son the king and a famous poem about a woman of strength, an acrostic running through the Hebrew alphabet (31:10–31).

Three ideas to hold on to

1. Wisdom starts with trusting God. Trust him with all your heart and don't lean on your own understanding, and he will make your paths straight (3:5–6).
2. Words and character shape a life. A gentle answer turns away wrath (15:1), and the book returns again and again to speech, work, honesty, generosity, and self-control.
3. Wisdom calls, and so does folly. Wisdom calls out publicly and invites people to her table (8:1–5; 9:1–6). Folly does the same, so the reader has to choose (9:13–18).

Passages people ask about

• Proverbs 1:1–7. The purpose of the book.
• Proverbs 3:1–12. Trust, honor God with your wealth, and accept his discipline.
• Proverbs 8:22–31. Wisdom speaks of being with God at creation. Christians have long seen a picture of Christ here (Colossians 1:15–17; 1 Corinthians 1:24).
• Proverbs 22:6. “Train up a child.” See the misunderstanding below.
• Proverbs 26:4–5. Two proverbs back to back: don't answer a fool according to his folly, and answer a fool according to his folly. Wisdom includes knowing which applies.
• Proverbs 31:10–31. The woman of strength, a portrait of skill, generosity, and reverence for God, meant to be admired by everyone and not used as a checklist.

How it points to Jesus

The New Testament says Jesus is the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24, 30), and that in him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3). Proverbs 8 describes Wisdom as present with God at creation, and Christians have read it alongside John's description of the Word who was with God in the beginning (John 1:1–3). Jesus also taught like a wisdom teacher, with short sayings and parables, and said the wise build their house on rock (Matthew 7:24–25), an echo of the book's contrast between wise and foolish.

A common misunderstanding

Proverbs are often read as promises. “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (22:6) is a common example, and parents who have done their best and still watch their child wander can feel crushed. A proverb is a general truth about how life usually works, not a guarantee. The Bible itself shows this: Job and Ecclesiastes remind us that life sometimes doesn't follow the pattern. Proverbs gives the rule, and other books remind us of the exceptions.