Saturday, November 30, 2019

The Thirty Sayings of the Wise (Proverbs 22:17-29;24)

Outline

  • Prologue: Purpose and Theme (1:1-7)
  • The Superiority of the Way of Wisdom (1:8;9:18)
    • Appeals and Warnings Confronting Youth (1:8-33)
      1. Enticements to secure happiness by violence (1:8-19)
      2. Warnings against rejecting wisdom (1:20-33)
    • Commendation of Wisdom (chs. 2-4)
      1. Benefits of accepting wisdom's instructions (ch. 2)
      2. Wisdom bestows well-being (3:1-20)
      3. Wisdom's instructions and benefits (3:21-35)
      4. Challenge to hold on to wisdom (ch. 4)
    • Warnings against Folly (chs. 5-7)
      1. Warning against adultery (ch. 5)
      2. Warning against perverse ways (6:1-19)
      3. Cost of committing adultery (6:20-35)
      4. Warning against the enticements of an adulteress (ch. 7)
    • Appeals Addressed to Youth (chs. 8-9)
      1. Wisdom's appeal (ch. 8)
      2. Invitations of wisdom and folly (ch. 9)
  • The Main Collection of Solomon's Proverbs (10:1;22:16)
  • The Thirty Sayings of the Wise (22:17;24:22)
  • Additional Sayings of the Wise (24:23-34)
  • Hezekiah's Collection of Solomon's Proverbs (chs. 25-29)
  • The Sayings of Agur (ch. 30)
  • The Sayings of King Lemuel (31:1-9)
  • Epilogue: The Ideal Wife (31:10-31)



Sayings of the Wise

17 Listen to the words of the wise;
    apply your heart to my instruction.
18 For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart
    and always ready on your lips.
19 I am teaching you today—yes, you—
    so you will trust in the Lord.
20 I have written thirty sayings[b] for you,
    filled with advice and knowledge.
21 In this way, you may know the truth
    and take an accurate report to those who sent you.
22 Don’t rob the poor just because you can,
    or exploit the needy in court.
23 For the Lord is their defender.
    He will ruin anyone who ruins them.
24 Don’t befriend angry people
    or associate with hot-tempered people,
25 or you will learn to be like them
    and endanger your soul.
26 Don’t agree to guarantee another person’s debt
    or put up security for someone else.
27 If you can’t pay it,
    even your bed will be snatched from under you.
28 Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers
    set up by previous generations.
29 Do you see any truly competent workers?
    They will serve kings
    rather than working for ordinary people.

Footnotes:

  1. 22:8 The Greek version includes an additional proverb: God blesses a man who gives cheerfully, / but his worthless deeds will come to an end. Compare 2 Cor 9:7.
  2. 22:20 Or excellent sayings; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.


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