Proverbs is book 20 of the 39 books of the Old Testament and belongs to the Wisdom & Poetry section. See how it fits with the rest in our guide to all 66 books of the Bible.
Quick facts
- Section
- Old Testament · Wisdom & Poetry
- Genre
- Wisdom literature: instruction and proverbial sayings
- Author (traditional)
- King Solomon, credited in 1:1, 10:1 and 25:1, together with Agur (chapter 30), King Lemuel (chapter 31) and unnamed ‘wise men.’
- Other views on authorship
- A collection of collections; many sayings may go back to Solomon's court, while others were gathered and edited later, partly by Hezekiah's scribes.
- Date (traditional)
- About 950 BC for Solomon's proverbs, with additions around 700 BC under Hezekiah.
- Other views on dating
- Material from the 10th century BC onward, with the final form often dated to the Persian period.
- Chapters
- 31
- Verses
- 915
- Reading time
- About 71 minutes (14,121 words in the BSB)
What is Proverbs about?
Proverbs is practical. Its aim, stated in the opening verses, is to give wisdom, discipline and good judgment to the young and to make the wise even wiser. Wisdom in this book is not mainly intellectual cleverness but skill in living: knowing how to speak, work, handle money, choose friends and treat others in a way that fits how God made the world.
Chapters 1–9 are longer speeches. A parent urges a son to listen, avoid violent gangs and seductive shortcuts, and pursue wisdom. Wisdom is personified as a woman calling in the streets and inviting people to her feast, while Folly calls from her doorway too. From chapter 10, the book shifts to short, mostly two-line sayings. Many contrast the wise and the foolish, the diligent and the lazy, the righteous and the wicked. Part of the section beginning at 22:17 closely resembles an Egyptian wisdom text, the Instruction of Amenemope, showing that Israel's sages engaged with the wisdom of their neighbours.
Proverbs ends with the sayings of Agur, the words of King Lemuel's mother, and a famous acrostic poem in praise of a capable woman whose strength, business sense and kindness flow from her reverence for God. Proverbs describe how life usually works, not ironclad promises; the books of Job and Ecclesiastes explore the exceptions.
Outline of Proverbs
| ChaptersCh. | Section |
|---|---|
| 1–9 | Lessons on wisdom A father's speeches to his son, and Lady Wisdom's call contrasted with Folly. |
| 10:1–22:16 | Proverbs of Solomon Hundreds of short sayings on character, speech, work, wealth and relationships. |
| 22:17–24:34 | Sayings of the wise Thirty sayings and further maxims, some echoing Egyptian wisdom. |
| 25–29 | Solomon's proverbs copied by Hezekiah's men More sayings, with vivid comparisons from nature and daily life. |
| 30 | The words of Agur Humble reflections and numerical sayings about the world's wonders. |
| 31 | King Lemuel and the capable woman A mother's advice to a king and an acrostic poem on a woman of strength. |
Key themes
- The fear of the Lord. Wisdom starts with reverence for God (1:7; 9:10). Practical skill in life is rooted in a right relationship with the Creator.
- Two ways. Proverbs constantly sets the path of wisdom against the path of folly. Choices, even small ones, shape a person's direction and character.
- The power of words. Speech can heal or wound, build or destroy. Proverbs praises honest, gentle and well-timed words and warns against gossip, flattery and lies.
- Work and wealth. Diligence is praised and laziness mocked, yet riches gained by injustice are condemned, and generosity to the poor is treated as lending to God.
- Trust beyond understanding. Human planning has its place, but God directs the outcome. The call to trust in the Lord with all your heart is among the best-known lines in the book.
Key people
- Solomon — Israel's king, famous for his wisdom, credited with most of the book.
- Agur son of Jakeh — A sage whose humble sayings fill chapter 30.
- King Lemuel — A king who records his mother's advice in chapter 31.
- Lady Wisdom — Wisdom personified as a woman who calls out to the simple.
- The capable woman — The ideal of strength and character praised in 31:10–31.
Key verses in Proverbs
Quoted from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB).
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
“Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.”
“A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.”
“Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”
How Proverbs fits the big story
Proverbs belongs to the Bible's wisdom books with Job, Psalms, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs. It shows that faith in God reaches into everyday life: the workplace, the household, the market and the conversation. Its picture of Wisdom present with God at creation (chapter 8) is echoed in the New Testament, where Christ is called the wisdom of God and the Word through whom all things were made. The letter of James is often called the Proverbs of the New Testament for its practical, punchy teaching.
How to read Proverbs
At 3 chapters a day you can read Proverbs in 11 days. Proverbs has 31 chapters, so many people read one chapter a day for a month. Pick one saying each day to remember and practise.