Theme - The use of sententious sayings, noted for brevity and detachment, which spring out of the wit and insight of the common people is typical of all Orientals. The collection of Proverbs, however, which forms a part of the Hebrew canon of the Scriptures, is different in the fact that they are thoroughly religious and consist in the application of divine wisdom to the peculiar needs and conditions of the people of the age in which they were written.

The theology of the Proverbs is monotheism; the ethics and righteousness exalted and demanded fit perfectly into the Mosaic law and into the lofty teachings of the prophets and psalmists. Nowhere is there the slightest taint of irreverence, atheism, or even of skepticism; belief in Jehovah, faith in his revealed religion, with confidence in his wise and just dealings with mankind, are everywhere urged. The book is wholly free of philosophy, in the Greek sense, and is completely devoid of speculation and theory.

Outline - While the book is not a unity and does not lend itself to analysis, it may be considered in six parts: I. Counsels to Sons (1-7) II. The Praise of Wisdom (8-9) III. The Folly of Sin Exposed (10-19) IV. General Warnings and Instructions (20-29) V. Proverbs of Agur (30) VI. The Proverbs of King Lemuel (31)