Purpose of Proverbs

The book of Proverbs contains sayings and riddles featuring wisdom, applied knowledge that helps every person develop practical skills to live well in God's world.

Fear of the Lord

The journey to wisdom begins with fear of the Lord, a reverential and healthy respect of Him. Only then can we embrace a moral mindset.

Generational Insight

Ten speeches from a father and four poems from lady wisdom show us that Proverbs is God's own invitation to learn wisdom from previous generations.

The Good Life

Read hundreds of sayings that apply wisdom and fear of the Lord to every subject imaginable. They offer formulas for success but are not promises.

Godly Woman

A woman of noble character models someone who takes God's wisdom found in Proverbs and translates it into practical decisions for success in everyday life.

OT/NT: Old Testament (1)
 
SECTION: Poetry Books (2)
 
PLACEMENT: The Book of Proverbs is the 20th book of the Old Testament and the 20th book of the Holy Bible (3). It is the 3rd of 5 Poetry Books.
 
AUTHORS (a): Solomon (4) is the principal author of Proverbs. During his reign as king, the nation of Israel reached its pinnacle spiritually, politically, culturally, and economically. As Israel’s reputation soared, so did King Solomon’s. Foreign dignitaries from the far reaches of the known world traveled great distances to hear the wise monarch speak (1 Kings 4:34).
 
TIMELINE: Proverbs was written circa 950 BC. Solomon reigned as King (5) of the United Monarchy of Israel (6) from 970 BC-931 BC. See our Bible Timeline (7) for more info.
 
SUMMARY (a): Summarizing the Book of Proverbs is a bit difficult, for unlike many other books of Scripture, there is no particular plot or storyline found in its pages; likewise, there are no principal characters in the book. It is wisdom (8) that takes center stage—a grand, divine wisdom that transcends the whole of history, peoples, and cultures. Even a perfunctory reading of this magnificent treasury reveals the pithy sayings of the wise King Solomon are as relevant today as they were some three thousand years ago.
 
IMPLANTING PROVERBS INTO MY EVERY DAY LIFE (a): There is an undeniable practicality found in this book, for sound and sensible answers to all manner of complex difficulties are found within its thirty-one chapters. Certainly, Proverbs is the greatest "how-to" book ever written, and those who have the good sense to take Solomon’s lessons to heart will quickly discover godliness, prosperity, and contentment are theirs for the asking.
 
The recurring promise of the Book of Proverbs is that those who choose wisdom and follow God (9) will be blessed in numerous ways: with long life (9:11); prosperity (2:20-22); joy (3:13-18); and the goodness of God (12:21). Those who reject Him, on the other hand, suffer shame and death (3:35; 10:21). To reject God is to choose folly over wisdom and is to separate ourselves from God, His Word (10), His wisdom, and His blessings.
 
COMING UP: Next up is the Book of Ecclesiastes (11)!

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The narrative (a) offered herein has been published with permission (b) and no monetary gain is being sought. Footnotes within the narrative have been inserted by The Marion County Manna Project and re-direct to our webpages (unless otherwise noted) for additional spiritual insight and reflection.

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If you're seeking additional info about Christianity on a more personal level, consider visiting a Christian Church here in Marion County (12). Introduce yourself to members and ask to speak with someone to learn more about Jesus. Surrendering your life to Christ (13) (e) is the most rewarding, everlasting decision you'll ever make, and it's comforting to have someone guide you as you begin your new life as a child of the Most High! May God shower you with great favor in this endeavor!

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Footnotes, Page Credits and External Resources appear below. Consider printing and sharing the offered PDF narrative and other listed resources with family, friends and strangers alike for use in Bible Studies (14), Home/Church Faith Sharing Groups (15), Discipleship Encounters (16) and/or Personal Faith Enrichment!
 
Modifications are welcome at goodnews@marionmannaproject.com.
 

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FOOTNOTES:
  (1) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/old-testament
  (2) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/poetry-books
  (3) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/the-good-news
  (4) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/solomon
  (5) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/united-monarchy-kings
  (6) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/israel
  (7) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/bible-timeline
  (8) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/wisdom
  (9) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/God-of-the-bible
(10) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/the-word-of-the-lord
(11) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/ecclesiastes
(12) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/listing-by-city
(13) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/the-gracious-visitor
(14) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/bible-studies
(15) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/christian-education
(16) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/discipleship
 
PAGE CREDITS:
(a) Survey of the Book of Proverbs, Got Questions Ministries, accessed January 15, 2021, https://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Proverbs.html
 
(b) Copyright Policy, Got Questions Ministries, accessed January 11, 2020,
https://www.gotquestions.org/about.html
 
(c) Videos, Milestones, Blogs & Poster, BibleProject, accessed September 29, 2020,
https://www.bibleproject.com/terms/#use
 
(d) Bible Gateway, New International Version (NIV) Bible, accessed September 18, 2020, https://www.biblegateway.com/
 
EXTERNAL RESOURCES:
(e)  How Do I Convert to Christianity?, Got Questions Ministries, accessed January 12, 2020, https://www.gotquestions.org/convert-to-Christianity.html