Week 1

 

Day 1

Introducing Proverbs

Overview

Proverbs is commonly assumed to be divided into the following sections:

1. 1:1-1:7 Introduction
2. 1:8-9:18 Extended Discourse on Wisdom
3. 10:1-22:16 The Proverbs of Solomon
4. 22:17-24:22 Thirty Sayings of the Wise
5. 24:22-24:34 More Sayings of the Wise (an addendum)
6. 25:1-29:27 The Collection of Solomon’s Proverbs by King Hezekiah’s Scribes
7. 30:1-30:33 Agur’s Collection
8. 31:1-31:31 King Lemuel’s Collection

Author

The primary author of the book of Proverbs is King Solomon. If you do not know the story of Solomon, you can read highlights of his life in 1 Kings 3, 4:29-34, 10, and 11. In sum, Solomon, heir of King David, had the greatest portion of God’s wisdom ever given to a man (aside from Jesus). He was also the most materially wealthy man to ever live. Despite all of the wisdom and wealth God gave him, he turned from God’s ways by the end of his life, and his kingdom was taken from him prematurely.

Purpose & How to Read

1. Read Proverbs 1:1-6. Why was Proverbs written?
2. Read Proverbs 1:8. To whom is Solomon writing?
3. Read Proverbs 1:7 and 9:10. What is the origin of knowledge, wisdom, and insight? What is the origin of foolishness?
4. Read Proverbs 3:5-7. This is the attitude with which to read Proverbs (and all of God’s Word.) Asking God to help us not be wise in our own eyes prepares our hearts to receive truth through His understanding, without the tainted lens of our bents and assumptions.

 

Day 2

Proverbs 1

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7

1. What kinds of people is the wisdom of Proverbs written for? 
2. Look up the Hebrew word used in verse 2 for instruction (musar) and write the definition. How does this word lend to the purpose of Proverbs
3. If Proverbs is written for the purpose of wisdom, and fear of the Lord is its root, it must be important to fear God. What does it mean to “fear the Lord”? Why is it necessary to fear God for a right view of Him and ourselves?
4. In Wisdom’s call (vv 20-33), what is her general warning?
5. What could trap you into the complacency warned against in verse 32? How can you ensure that you listen to wisdom’s call?

 

Day 3

Proverbs 2

...yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:3-5

1. What conditions does Solomon give in verses 1-4? What are the benefits of meeting those conditions (vv 5-11)
2. Based on your answer to question 1, what does seeking wisdom look like practically?
3. What does wisdom protect from? (vv 12-19)
4. In verse 16, the “forbidden woman” and “adulteress” hold connotations of “foreign woman.” Why is this implication important for the time in which Proverbs was written? What is today’s equivalent?

 

Day 4 

Proverbs 3:1-12

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

1. These twelve verses can be divided into six sets of two verses each--the structure is intentional, like poetic couplets. What does each two-verse set include?
2. What words and phrases in this section contribute to a theme of worship?
3. What are some of the benefits of following God’s commandments, instruction, and understanding? How have you experienced these benefits? (Read also Psalm 19:7-11 for a similar sentiment written by David, Solomon’s father).
4. How is it tempting to “lean on your own understanding” and to “be wise in your own eyes”? How can you safeguard yourself against that temptation?
5. When have you seen the benefit and love in the Lord’s reproof?

 

Day 5

Proverbs 3:13-35

Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught. Proverbs 3:25

1. Verses 13-20 are a poem about Lady Wisdom. How is she described?
2. How did wisdom participate in God’s creation? 
3. When evil runs rampant, where do the wise find confidence?
4. Verses 27-30 warn the reader not to sin against fellow men. Verses 27-28 are sins of omission and verses 29-30 are sins of commission. List them in your own words.
5. What will the wise and humble receive from God in comparison with scorners and fools (vv 34-35)? How does this promise compare with the message our world proclaims?

Day 6

Proverbs 4

Let your eyes look directly forward, and let your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Proverbs 4:25-26

1. Solomon not only reminds his son to hear and pay attention, but also repeats warnings against forgetting or forsaking. Why are the latter inclusions important?
2. The word “sons” in verse 1 shifts focus from a singular son to a more general audience of sons, which makes the audience intergenerational. Why is the change important for us as modern readers?
3. What are the main lessons of the chapter?
4. Describe the life of the wicked (vv 14-17, 19).
5. What does the instruction in vv 23-27 look like practically? How can you exercise vigilance and a set gaze?