The book of Proverbs.

The book of Proverbs was mainly written by Solomon, son of David, who reigned in Jerusalem

a thousand years BC. Some parts of the book were written by other authors. Thus one may con-

sider Solomon to be the main contributor to the book of Proverbs, just as David was the main

contributor to the book of Psalms.

  When Solomon, at the beginning of his reign, offered his prayers and burnt offerings (sacri-

fices that were burned) to God, God appeared to him at night and said: .Ask what I shall give

thee.. Solomon asked for only one thing from God: wisdom to lead God.s people. .And God

said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither

hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself

understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given

thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after

thee shall any arise like unto thee. (1 Kings, 3:11-14) And indeed Solomon became famous for

his wisdom, so that people came from distant countries to listen to him. Many of Solomon.s say-

ings were included in the book of Proverbs.

  In the Hebrew Bible, the book has the title Mishle Shlomo, the Seventy (Greek translation of

the Bible made  in  3rd  century BC)  call  it Paremia, and the Slavonic Bible calls it  Proverbs of

Solomon. The Fathers call it The Wisdom of All Virtue. The book of Proverbs is written in the

form of poetic parallelism.

  The book of Proverbs is full of practical teaching on how to wisely build one.s life on the

fear of God, truth, honesty, hard work and self-control. These instructions are very true and to the

point. They contain a lot of imagery, liveliness and intellectual acuity.

  The book of Proverbs has always been highly respected, and many sacred writers used it.

For example, “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble” (Prov. 3:34, James 4:6)

“And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” (Prov.

11:31, 1 Peter 4:18) “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou

art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he

receiveth” (Prov. 3:11-12, Heb. 12:5-6).

  The book of Proverbs stresses the importance of acquiring wisdom and the advantages of

wisdom over all the treasures in the world. 

.Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the

merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine

gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be

compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and

honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of

life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. (Prov. 3:13-

18).

Then the author of the Proverbs directs his thought upwards to God Who is the source of wis-

dom. Here is how the wisdom of God is depicted.

.The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from

everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought

forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled,

before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the

highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a

compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he strength-

ened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not

pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him, as

one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; Rejoicing in

the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men ... For whoso findeth

me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. (Prov. 8:22-31, 35, see also 1:20-33, 9:1-

11).

What is remarkable in this passage is that Wisdom is presented as a person, as if a divine being.

Such personification of Wisdom, puzzling to the Old Testament man, becomes clear in the light

of the New Testament teaching about the Son of God.our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is also called

the Word. He, according to St. John Theologian, created everything: “In the beginning was the

Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by him; and

without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1-4). And the Apostle Paul calls Je-

sus Christ “the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24).

  Thus the teaching of the book of Proverbs about the hypostasis of God.s Wisdom prepared

the ground among the Jewish people for the faith in the Only-begotten Son of God.