A Teaching Outline for the Book of Proverbs
“Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child.” So said King Solomon in one of the 3,000 proverbs he collected, composed, and compiled during his reign over Israel (cf. Prov. 22:15, 1 Kin. 4:32). He further warned that when children are left to themselves, trained up according to their own misguided way, their foolishness only solidifies with time (cf. Prov. 22:6). No man outgrows his own depravity; no fool matures out of his innate folly. Only a divine act can overcome fallen mankind’s ignorance and immorality. For that reason, God granted Solomon the wisdom needed to lead the Israelites out of spiritual darkness—much of which is recorded in the book of Proverbs (cf. 1 Kin. 3:4-15). For them, the way of wisdom was the way of life (cf. Prov. 1:33). And it still is for us today.
Far from being a random assembly of disparate sayings, Solomon skillfully ordered the sequence of his work into a number of intentional collections, or groups. Like links in a chain, each proverb contains its own strength, but also contributes to the strength of a greater discourse. Thus, every one of them can be understood as an independent thought, but not an isolated thought. In his wisdom, Solomon provided both the content and context for each of his proverbs.
In the first collection, Solomon extolled the greatness of divine wisdom. Addressing his son directly (cf. Prov. 1:8, 2:1, 3:1, et. al.), Solomon explained how wisdom would equip him to live a life glorifying to God (cf. Prov. 1:3), protected from evil (cf. Prov. 1:15-16), and safe from calamity (cf. Prov. 1:27). For that reason, it was vital for his son to obtain this wisdom early in life (cf. Prov. 4:4-5), guard this wisdom throughout his life (cf. Prov. 4:13), and give the entirety of his life—his “ear,” “sight,” “heart,” “body,” “mouth,” “speech,” “gaze,” and “feet” (cf. Prov. 4:20-27)—to the understanding and practice of this wisdom. Solomon made it clear that it wouldn’t be an easy task, and there would be dangers along the way that could easily destroy his son. Among them would especially be sexual dangers (cf. Prov. 5:1-23) and financial dangers (cf. Prov. 6:1-19). Stressing the peril of the former, Solomon dramatized an account of a young man who foolishly succumbed to the flattery of an adulteress, failing to recognize that such immorality would ultimately “cost him his life” (Prov. 7:23). “For many are the victims she has cast down, and numerous are all her slain. Her house is the way to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death” (Prov. 7:26-27). Instead of listening to the call of the woman of adultery, the son’s task would be to hear the call of the woman of wisdom (cf. Prov. 8:1-4).
In terms of everyday life, this would involve trusting in the Lord with all of his heart (cf. Prov. 3:5). Rather than leaning on his own understanding, Solomon’s son was told to depend on God’s Word for all of life. Moses instructed the Israelites to teach their children the commandments “when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up” (Deut. 6:6-7), and Solomon corresponded those words with assurance to his son that “when you walk about, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk to you” (Prov. 6:22). When the Word is taught at home, it protects abroad. The same principle applies to believers today, just as the Apostle Paul said to Timothy: “You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:14-15). Rather than doing what is right in our own eyes (relativism), mindlessly going along with the way things have always been done (traditionalism), doing whatever society is doing (culturalism), justifying decisions based on the expected outcomes (pragmatism), or waiting to feel a private “nudge” from God (mysticism), our lives—from cradle to grave—ought to be guided by Scripture alone (cf. 2 Tim. 3:16-17, 2 Pet. 1:3-4).
In the next collection, Solomon began providing godly counsel for everyday situations, using contrasts between the righteous and the wicked. Since “the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil” (1 Tim. 6:10) and “the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness” (Jas. 3:6), it’s no surprise that he devoted a great deal of wisdom to the topics of wealth and words—money and the mouth. Regarding finances, Solomon was clear to warn his son that although hard work indeed profits much, there is a danger in an abundance of wealth—particularly when it clouds one’s judgment. The righteous who show grace and mercy to others make an eternal investment (cf. Prov. 11:18), whereas the wicked who scheme for riches obtain something that will not profit them in the day of wrath (cf. Prov. 11:4)—ultimately doing themselves harm (cf. Prov. 11:17). “The generous man will be prosperous” (Prov. 11:25) was Solomon’s promise, whereas “he who trusts in his riches will fall” (Prov. 11:28) was his warning. Regarding speech, Solomon warned against slander (“he who spreads slander is a fool,” Prov. 10:18), gossip (“he who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets,” Prov. 11:13), impulsiveness (“there is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword,” Prov. 12:18), and deceit (“lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,” Prov. 12:22), among other sins. In this case, “the one who guards his mouth preserves his life” (Prov. 13:3) was his promise, whereas “an evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips” (Prov. 12:13) was his warning.
Of course, external actions are but a reflection of internal desires (cf. Luke 6:45, Matt. 15:19). Thus, Solomon ended his contrasts by evaluating the root cause of righteous and wicked behavior: the heart. Whereas the unbeliever would suggest that true fulfillment comes when you “follow your heart,” Solomon reminded his son that “there is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Prov. 14:12). The solution to a sinfully foolish heart? A saving knowledge of God that comes by way of prayer (cf. Prov. 15:29), listening to truth (cf. Prov. 15:30-31), submitting to correction (cf. Prov. 15:32), and fearing the Lord (cf. Prov. 15:33).
In his next collection (Proverbs 16:1-22:16), Solomon continued giving general counsel for righteous living, particularly for a king leading his people. He began the collection by warning that “it is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts, for a throne is established on righteousness” (Prov. 16:12), and he ended the collection by describing the ideal kingdom as one in which “loyalty and truth preserves the king, and he upholds his throne by righteousness” (Prov. 20:28). In explaining how a righteous kingdom functions, he walked through a number of issues, including the value of wisdom (cf. Prov. 16:16), the importance of consulting God for decisions (cf. Prov. 16:33), the need to uphold justice (cf. Prov. 17:15), the way to handle interpersonal disputes (cf. Prov. 18:17), the self-destructive ways of laziness and alcohol (cf. Prov. 19:24, 20:1), the harmful effects of uncontrolled speech (cf. Prov. 20:19-25), and the way to glorify God in financial matters (cf. Prov. 22:9). All of this was to be pursued with a recognition that God is sovereign over the affairs of man: “The Lord has made everything for its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil” (Prov. 16:4, cf. Prov. 16:9). In fact, even when a nation falls woefully short of these righteous standards, believers can take comfort in the fact that evil doesn’t frustrate God’s plans; it fulfills them (cf. John 19:11, Acts 2:23). He providentially governs all that occurs, which is why in the end “victory belongs to the Lord” (Prov. 21:31, cf. Eph. 1:11, Dan. 4:35, Isa. 14:26-27).
Proverbs 22:17 begins a unique thirty-proverb collection in which Solomon paralleled the wisdom of Egypt in order to demonstrate that his God-given wisdom was superior. Having engaged in much international diplomacy, including a marriage alliance with an Egyptian princess (cf. 1 Kings 3:1), Solomon was undoubtedly aware of ancient Egyptian wisdom literature. After all, he “pondered, searched out and arranged many proverbs” in the course of his reign (Ecc. 12:9). It’s no surprise, then, that his knowledge of an Egyptian document called the Instructions of Amenemope becomes apparent beginning in Proverbs 22:17. Amenemope was a grain tax collector for Pharaoh who lived roughly 200 years prior to Solomon and, as archaeologists have discovered, wrote a thirty-chapter anthology (dating from around 1186-1069 BC) representing some of Egypt’s finest wisdom. Thus, in preparing his own wisdom literature for the covenant people of Yahweh, Solomon paralleled a handful of phrases used by Amenemope, perfectly illustrating the greatness of God over and above Egyptian imposters. After all, the wisdom of the world is foolishness compared to God’s (cf. 1 Cor. 1:25).
Just as the Instructions of Amenemope states, “Look to these thirty chapters; they inform, they educate,” Solomon began by saying, “Have I not written to you [thirty sayings] of counsels and knowledge…” (Prov. 22:20). Similarly, the Instructions of Amenemope notes that its purpose is for “knowing how to answer one who speaks, to reply to one who sends a message.” In teaching his own diplomats and government officials how to conduct themselves (cf. 1 Kin. 4:1-19), Solomon likewise said that his collection was “to make you know the certainty of the words of truth that you may correctly answer him who sent you” (Prov. 22:21). Divided into four sections that each begin with a call to hear his wisdom (cf. Prov. 22:17, 23:12, 23:26, 24:13), Solomon directed the counsel first and foremost toward his son regarding a wide variety of issues in life, such as anger (cf. Prov. 22:24-25), interacting with foreign leaders (cf. Prov. 23:1-3), associating with drunkards (cf. Prov. 23:20), and gloating in the downfall of enemies (cf. Prov. 24:17). Solomon reminded his son that he would give an account to God for how he treated others, especially the vulnerable in society (cf. Prov. 22:28, 23:10-11). Just as military strength is truly proven in wartime rather than peacetime, merely giving lip-service to the downcast wouldn’t be enough if it didn’t become action in their time of need: “If you are slack in the day of distress, your strength is limited” (Prov. 24:10). To that end, Solomon wanted his hearers to “fear the Lord” (Prov. 24:21), and thus provided this collection so that their “trust may be in the Lord” (Prov. 22:19).
Following a short section of additional sayings of the wise (cf. Prov. 24:23-34), the book turns to a collection of Solomon’s proverbs that were arranged and incorporated by the men of King Hezekiah, years after Solomon’s reign (cf. Prov. 25:1). These proverbs emphasize a number of down-to-earth principles to guide personal interaction. For example, recognizing that appearances can be deceiving, Solomon cautioned God’s people to fully investigate a matter before jumping to conclusions (cf. Prov. 25:7c-8). Surveying a wide range of relationships, Solomon explained how to think wisely about the king (cf. Prov. 25:6), neighbors (cf. Prov. 25:17), enemies (cf. Prov. 25:21), compromisers (cf. Prov. 25:26), fools (cf. Prov. 26:4-5), sluggards (cf. Prov. 26:13), meddlers (cf. Prov. 26:17), deceivers (cf. Prov. 26:25), and friends (cf. Prov. 27:6). A short poem on the importance of hard work then follows (cf. Prov. 27:23-27).
Finally, just as Moses’ giving of the Law ended with warnings to the people (cf. Lev. 26, Deut. 28), so too does Solomon’s giving of wisdom end with warnings to the leaders. For example, the Law of Moses contained a divine threat to those who turned from the covenant, in which God said, “I will set My face against you so that you shall be struck down before your enemies; and those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when no one is pursuing you” (Lev. 26:17). Likewise, the wisdom of Solomon reiterated the warning to those who would turn from godly counsel, saying, “The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are bold as a lion” (Prov. 28:1). In keeping kings and other leaders accountable, he gave this divine threat: if you forsake God’s Law, oppress the poor, reject wisdom, and don’t fear God, know that you will fall into your “own pit” (Prov. 28:10), have “many curses” (Prov. 28:27), set your “city aflame” (Prov. 29:8), and be brought “low” (Prov. 29:23). While on earth, men give an account to their kings, but in heaven, their kings will give an account to the King of kings.
Proverbs ends with collections drawing upon wisdom from two others: Agur and King Lemuel. Agur’s words give general—but nonetheless vital—wisdom for living. Though little is known about him, what’s clear is that Agur was a student of Scripture in Israel. Not only did he begin with an exemplary confession of his own need for God’s wisdom (cf. Prov. 30:2), but he quoted from King David in declaring the sufficiency of God’s Word (cf. Prov. 30:5-6, Psa. 18:30, 2 Sam. 22:31). To those today who would claim to “hear from God” outside of Scripture, Agur offers an important rebuke: “Do not add to His words or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar” (Prov. 30:6). Through a series of numeric-based proverbs, Agur commented on various aspects of life, including the treatment of the vulnerable, the danger of dishonoring parents, the way of blessing in God-honoring relationships, and the folly of opposing those in positions of authority and leadership.
Like Agur, little is known about King Lemuel other than he, too, was a follower of Israel’s God, referring specifically to the covenant name Yahweh near the end of his collection (cf. Prov. 31:30). Based on wisdom learned from his mother, King Lemuel described both a godly king and a godly wife. First, he warned that a leader’s reign can quickly be undermined by multiplying wives (cf. Prov. 31:3), lacking a sober mind (cf. Prov. 31:5), or ignoring the vulnerable in his kingdom (cf. Prov. 31:9). Since kings were to be examples for their nation, all should have aspired to those standards. In a parallel principle, since pastors are to be examples in their local churches (cf. 1 Pet. 5:3), it’s no surprise that they have similar requirements, among which are being “the husband of one wife” (1 Tim. 3:2), not being addicted to wine” (Titus 1:7), and making sure to “help the weak” (Acts 20:35). Likewise, believers today should aspire to those pastoral standards, regardless of whether or not they intend to pursue positions of leadership.
Finally, using an acrostic poem (each verse beginning with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet), Lemuel described the life of a godly wife. This prototypical woman is trustworthy with her husband’s hard-earned money, is busy at home in a variety of endeavors, faithfully cares for her children and others, clothes herself in both outer beauty and inner holiness, and is ultimately praised for her faithful role as a helper to her husband. Far from contradicting the Apostle Paul’s instructions that wives are to be homemakers (cf. Titus 2:5), this portrayal complements it, by describing what it actually looks like when a woman makes her home the central priority of everyday life. When husbands and wives abandon their God-given roles in favor of worldly priorities, the result is often families that are broken, hurting, chaotic, and dysfunctional. On the other hand, the outcome of a homemaking wife (which necessarily implies a husband gone to work, cf. Prov. 31:11, 23) is that her children and husband bless her for facilitating harmony in the home (Prov. 31:28). It should be no surprise, then, that when a woman willfully abdicates her role in the home, Scripture issues a warning: the Word of God will be dishonored (cf. Titus 2:5). But when a woman joyfully abides by her role in the home, Scripture issues a promise: she will be honored (cf. Prov. 31:30).
Despite the tremendous wisdom found in these collections, the sad reality is that Solomon failed to live up to his own words, pursuing the very deceitful pleasures of sin that he warned about (cf. Ecc. 2:11). And his son Rehoboam followed suit when he became king: rather than being a wise man who “listens to counsel” (Prov. 12:15), he “forsook the counsel” (1 Kin. 12:8) of the “elders who had served his father Solomon while he was still alive” (1 Kin. 12:6). And the result was disastrous for the nation (cf. 1 Kin. 14:21-31).
Thus, while the book of Proverbs gives instructions for walking in wisdom, it also poses a predicament for those who are honest enough to admit that they haven’t: utter ruin is the result for all who have lived a life of folly. It’s for that reason that this book is not about how inherently decent people can continue living decently, or how innately moral people can go on living morally. Rather, Solomon’s words of wisdom were given chiefly “so that your trust may be in the Lord” (Prov. 22:19). In other words, these proverbs aren’t a guide for how to become citizens of the kingdom of God; they’re a guide for how to behave once you already are. To become a citizen first requires you to be born again and confess your own lack of wisdom (cf. John 3:3, Prov. 30:2-3). Only after you’ve seen your own sinful folly are you desperate enough to call out to the Lord Jesus Christ—the one in whom are hidden “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3).
Through the Gospel, which is the wisdom of God, even the most foolish among us can be forgiven, reconciled to our Creator, and granted citizenship in a righteous kingdom that will never end (cf. 1 Cor. 1:22-25, Phil. 3:20). That is indeed far better news than thinking you can earn God’s blessing through your own attempt at wise living (cf. Ecc. 2:12-17). As you teach through Solomon’s wisdom found in Proverbs, remind your hearers that “something greater than Solomon is here” (Matt. 12:42), and that trusting in Him alone for their salvation is the wisest thing they could ever do. The following outline is offered to help.
Listen to Wisdom (Proverbs 1:1-33)
Hear Its Purpose (Prov. 1:1-6)
Hear Its Prerequisite (Prov. 1:7)
Hear Its Protection (Prov. 1:8-19)
Hear Its Priority (Prov. 1:20-33)
Look for Wisdom (Proverbs 2:1-22)
The Search for Wisdom (Prov. 2:1-5)
The Source of Wisdom (Prov. 2:6-8)
The Safety with Wisdom (Prov. 2:9-22)
Lean on Wisdom (Proverbs 3:1-12)
Wisdom’s Promise (Prov. 3:1-4)
Wisdom’s Path: Trust in the Lord (Prov. 3:5-6)
Wisdom’s Path: Fear of the Lord (Prov. 3:7-8)
Wisdom’s Path: Honor for the Lord (Prov. 3:9-10)
Wisdom’s Path: Discipline from the Lord (Prov. 3:11-12)
Live with Wisdom (Proverbs 4:1-27)
Get Wisdom in Your Early Life (Prov. 4:1-9)
Guard Wisdom in Your Everyday Life (Prov. 4:10-19)
Give Wisdom Your Entire Life (Prov. 4:20-27)
Wisdom Against Sexual Dangers (Proverbs 5:1-23)
The Passing Pleasure of Sexual Sin (Prov. 5:1-6)
The Persistent Problems from Sexual Sin (Prov. 5:7-14)
The Perfect Plan against Sexual Sin (Prov. 5:15-23)
Wisdom Against Financial Dangers (Proverbs 6:1-19)
Slavery Comes Through Liabilities (Prov. 6:1-5)
Poverty Comes Through Laziness (Prov. 6:6-11)
Calamity Comes Through Lying (Prov. 6:12-19)
Wisdom Against Adultery (Proverbs 6:20-35)
The Commandment (Prov. 6:20-21)
The Commandment’s Reason (Prov. 6:22)
The Commandment’s Result (Prov. 6:23-24)
The Caution (Prov. 6:25)
The Caution’s Reason (Prov. 6:26-29)
The Caution’s Result (Prov. 6:30-35)
The Woman of Adultery Condemned (Proverbs 7:1-27)
The Protection (Prov. 7:1-5)
The Problem (Prov. 7:6-12)
The Ploys (Prov. 7:13-20)
The Peril (Prov. 7:21-23)
The Plea (Prov. 7:24-27)
The Woman of Wisdom Commended (Proverbs 8:1-36)
She Beckons to All (Prov. 8:1-11)
She Is Better Than All (Prov. 8:12-21)
She Is Before All (Prov. 8:22-31)
She Blesses All (Prov. 8:32-36)
The Woman of Folly Contrasted (Proverbs 9:1-18)
Wisdom’s Call (Prov. 9:1-6)
Wisdom’s Consequences (Prov. 9:7-12)
Folly’s Call (Prov. 9:13-17)
Folly’s Consequences (Prov. 9:18)
The Righteous vs. The Wicked: Blessings (Proverbs 10:1-32)
The Preparation for God’s Blessings (Prov. 10:1-5)
The Path Toward God’s Blessings (Prov. 10:6-23)
The Prolonging of God’s Blessings (Prov. 10:24-32)
The Righteous vs. The Wicked: Destruction (Proverbs 11:1-23)
Destroyed by Their Money (Prov. 11:1-8)
Destroyed by Their Mouth (Prov. 11:9-14)
Destroyed by Their Mindset (Prov. 11:15-23)
The Righteous vs. The Wicked: Recompense (Proverbs 11:24-31)
You Get What You Give (Prov. 11:24-26)
You Inherit What You Invest (Prov. 11:27-31)
The Righteous vs. The Wicked: Honor (Proverbs 12:1-12)
Embracing Honorable Language (Prov. 12:1-8)
Enjoying Honorable Labor (Prov. 12:9-12)
The Righteous vs. The Wicked: Lifestyle (Proverbs 12:13-13:4)
Disaster We Should Avoid (Prov. 12:13-14)
Discernment We Should Model (Prov. 12:15-16)
Deceit We Should Condemn (Prov. 12:17-22)
Diligence We Should Pursue (Prov. 12:23-13:4)
The Righteous vs. The Wicked: Honesty (Proverbs 13:5-21)
An Honest Living (Prov. 13:5-12)
An Honest Friend (Prov. 13:13-21)
The Righteous vs. The Wicked: Uprightness (Proverbs 13:22-14:9)
Uprightness Abounding at Home (Prov. 13:22-14:4)
Uprightness Absent Abroad (Prov. 14:5-9)
The Righteous vs. The Wicked: The Heart’s Diagnosis (Proverbs 14:10-35)
The Caution Regarding the Heart (Prov. 14:10-14)
The Conduct Revealing the Heart (Prov. 14:15-25)
The Consequences Repaying the Heart (Prov. 14:26-35)
The Righteous vs. The Wicked: The Heart’s Duties (Proverbs 15:1-33)
A Heart That Spreads Knowledge (Prov. 15:1-7)
A Heart That Pursues Knowledge (Prov. 15:8-12)
A Heart That Enjoys Knowledge (Prov. 15:13-25)
A Heart That Ponders Knowledge (Prov. 15:26-28)
A Heart That Acquires Knowledge (Prov. 15:29-33)
The Sovereignty of God (Proverbs 16:1-15)
God’s Sovereignty Over Plans (Prov. 16:1-9)
God’s Sovereignty Over Kings (Prov. 16:10-15)
The Wisdom of God (Proverbs 16:16-24)
The Significance of God’s Wisdom (Prov. 16:16-20)
The Sweetness of God’s Wisdom (Prov. 16:21-24)
The Ways of Man (Proverbs 16:25-33)
The Way of a Godless Man (Prov. 16:25)
The Way of a Working Man (Prov. 16:26)
The Way of a Worthless Man (Prov. 16:27)
The Way of a Perverse Man (Prov. 16:28)
The Way of a Violent Man (Prov. 16:29)
The Way of a Scheming Man (Prov. 16:30)
The Way of a Gray-Haired Man (Prov. 16:31)
The Way of a Patient Man (Prov. 16:32)
The Way of a Godly Man (Prov. 16:33)
The Priorities of Man (Proverbs 17:1-26)
More Without Morality (Prov. 17:1-6)
Speech Without Sense (Prov. 17:7-10)
Rebellion Without Remorse (Prov. 17:11-15)
Wealth Without Wisdom (Prov. 17:16-20)
Rearing Without Rejoicing (Prov. 17:21-26)
The Spirit of Man (Proverbs 17:27-18:15)
The Mouth of a Cool Spirit (Prov. 17:27-28)
The Mouth of a Quarrelsome Spirit (Prov. 18:1-9)
The Mind of a Haughty Spirit (Prov. 18:10-14)
The Mind of a Prudent Spirit (Prov. 18:15)
Godly Relationships (Proverbs 18:16-19:7)
Fixing Broken Relationships (Prov. 18:16-21)
Finding Beneficial Relationship (Prov. 18:22-24)
Fleeing Bad Relationships (Prov. 19:1-7)
Godly Lives (Proverbs 19:8-23)
Obtaining Wisdom for Public Life (Prov. 19:8-12)
Obtaining Wisdom for Private Life (Prov. 19:13-15)
Obeying Wisdom for a Principled Life (Prov. 19:16-22)
Obeying Wisdom for a Peaceful Life (Prov. 19:23)
Illustrations of Self-Ruin (Proverbs 19:24-20:2)
Ruined by His Own Laziness (Prov. 19:24-25)
Ruined by His Own Shamefulness (Prov. 19:26-27)
Ruined by His Own Deceitfulness (Prov. 19:28-29)
Ruined by His Own Drunkenness (Prov. 20:1)
Ruined by His Own Foolishness (Prov. 20:2)
Importance of Self-Examination (Proverbs 20:3-11)
The Foolish Seek Quarrels (Prov. 20:3)
The Famished Avoid Work (Prov. 20:4)
The Fraudulent Conceal Schemes (Prov. 20:5)
The Fake Feign Loyalty (Prov. 20:6)
The Faithful Enjoy Blessings (Prov. 20:7)
The Faithless Suffer Judgment (Prov. 20:8-11)
The Effects of Our Priorities (Proverbs 20:12-18)
Work Rather than Sleep (Prov. 20:12-13)
Honesty Rather than Wealth (Prov. 20:14-15)
Caution Rather than Risk (Prov. 20:16)
Hunger Rather than Deceit (Prov. 20:17)
Guidance Rather than Failure (Prov. 20:18)
The Effects of Our Speech (Proverbs 20:19-27)
Speech That Slanders Others (Prov. 20:19)
Speech That Shames Parents (Prov. 20:20-21)
Speech That Spites Enemies (Prov. 20:22-23)
Speech That Swears Rashly (Prov. 20:24-25)
Speech That Shows Intentions (Prov. 20:26-27)
A Nation of Righteousness (Proverbs 20:28-21:31)
The Enforcer of Righteousness (Prov. 20:28-21:1)
The Evidence of Righteousness (Prov. 21:2-9)
The Expectation of Righteousness (Prov. 21:10-19)
The Enjoyment of Righteousness (Prov. 21:20-23)
The Enemies of Righteousness (Prov. 21:24-29)
The Establishment of Righteousness (Prov. 21:30-31)
Glorifying God with Finances (Proverbs 22:1-16)
The Attitude We Should Have (Prov. 22:1-2)
The Approach We Should Take (Prov. 22:3-6)
The Actions We Should Discern (Prov. 22:7-9)
The Accountability We Should Expect (Prov. 22:10-12)
The Antagonists We Should Warn (Prov. 22:13-16)
Thirty Sayings of the Wise, Part 1 (Proverbs 22:17-23:11)
Summons to Hear (Prov. 22:17)
Saying 1: Faith (Prov. 22:18-21)
Saying 2: Oppression (Prov. 22:22-23)
Saying 3: Anger (Prov. 22:24-25)
Saying 4: Debt (Prov. 22:26-27)
Saying 5: Property (Prov. 22:28)
Saying 6: Skill (Prov. 22:29)
Saying 7: Caution (Prov. 23:1-3)
Saying 8: Wealth (Prov. 23:4-5)
Saying 9: Discernment (Prov. 23:6-8)
Saying 10: Futility (Prov. 23:9)
Saying 11: Exploitation (Prov. 23:10-11)
Thirty Sayings of the Wise, Part 2 (Proverbs 23:12-25)
Summons to Hear (Prov. 23:12)
Saying 12: Discipline (Prov. 23:13-14)
Saying 13: Legacy (Prov. 23:15-16)
Saying 14: Envy (Prov. 23:17-18)
Saying 15: Self-Indulgence (Prov. 23:19-21)
Saying 16: Submission (Prov. 23:22-23)
Saying 17: Honor (Prov. 23:24-25)
Thirty Sayings of the Wise, Part 3 (Proverbs 23:26-24:12)
Summons to Hear (Prov. 23:26)
Saying 18: Adultery (Prov. 23:27-28)
Saying 19: Alcohol (Prov. 23:29-35)
Saying 20: Jealousy (Prov. 24:1-2)
Saying 21: Wisdom (Prov. 24:3-4)
Saying 22: Counsel (Prov. 24:5-6)
Saying 23: Fools (Prov. 24:7)
Saying 24: Scheming (Prov. 24:8-9)
Saying 25: Care (Prov. 24:10-12)
Thirty Sayings of the Wise, Part 4 (Proverbs 24:13-22)
Summons to Hear (Prov. 24:13)
Saying 26: Hope (Prov. 24:14)
Saying 27: Victory (Prov. 24:15-16)
Saying 28: Gloating (Prov. 24:17-18)
Saying 29: Peace (Prov. 24:19-20)
Saying 30: Fear (Prov. 24:21-22)
More Sayings of the Wise (Proverbs 24:23-34)
Saying 1: Justice (Prov. 24:23-25)
Saying 2: Honesty (Prov. 24:26)
Saying 3: Prudence (Prov. 24:27)
Saying 4: Restraint (Prov. 24:28-29)
Saying 5: Ambition (Prov. 24:30-34)
Transcribed Proverbs: The Behavior for Godly Relationships (Proverbs 25:1-28)
Appreciating the Glory of the King (Prov. 25:1-7b)
Advancing the Good of the Neighbor (Prov. 25:7c-17)
Accepting the Grief of the Antagonist (Prov. 25:18-24)
Avoiding the Guilt of the Compromiser (Prov. 25:25-28)
Transcribed Proverbs: The Battle for Godly Relationships (Proverbs 26:1-28)
Answering the Grandiosity of the Fool (Prov. 26:1-12)
Addressing the Gluttony of the Sluggard (Prov. 26:13-16)
Admonishing the Gossip of the Meddler (Prov. 26:17-22)
Anticipating the Guile of the Deceiver (Prov. 26:23-28)
Transcribed Proverbs: The Foundation of Friendship (Proverbs 27:1-22)
Character of Humility (Prov. 27:1-2)
Commitment to Restraint (Prov. 27:3-4)
Correction in Love (Prov. 27:5-6)
Contentment with Possessions (Prov. 27:7-8)
Counsel from Others (Prov. 27:9-10)
Caution amid Risk (Prov. 27:11-13)
Companionship with Kindness (Prov. 27:14-17)
Consistency in Service (Prov. 27:18-19)
Control of Desires (Prov. 27:20)
Composure in Praise (Prov. 27:21)
Consideration of Rebuke (Prov. 27:22)
Transcribed Proverbs: Wealth through Work (Proverbs 27:23-27)
The Requirement for Hard Work (Prov. 27:23)
The Reason for Hard Work (Prov. 27:24)
The Reward for Hard Work (Prov. 27:25-27)
Transcribed Proverbs: When Rulers Forsake the Law (Proverbs 28:1-10)
The Result of a Lawless Ruler (Prov. 28:1-3)
The Reign of a Lawless Ruler (Prov. 28:4-6)
The Ruin of a Lawless Ruler (Prov. 28:7-10)
Transcribed Proverbs: When Rulers Oppress the Poor (Proverbs 28:11-28)
The Pride of an Oppressive Ruler (Prov. 28:11-14)
The Priorities of an Oppressive Ruler (Prov. 28:15-18)
The Pursuits of an Oppressive Ruler (Prov. 28:19-24)
The Perishing of an Oppressive Ruler (Prov. 28:25-28)
Transcribed Proverbs: When Rulers Reject Wisdom (Proverbs 29:1-16)
The Leadership of a Foolish Ruler (Prov. 29:1-4)
The Lawlessness of a Foolish Ruler (Prov. 29:5-12)
The Legacy of a Foolish Ruler (Prov. 29:13-16)
Transcribed Proverbs: When Rulers Don’t Fear God (Proverbs 29:17-27)
The Disorder of a Godless Ruler (Prov. 29:17-21)
The Disposition of a Godless Ruler (Prov. 29:22-24)
The Disdain of a Godless Ruler (Prov. 29:25-27)
The Words of Agur (Proverbs 30:1-33)
One Confession: Ignorance (Prov. 30:1-6)
Two Requests: Honesty and Contentment (Prov. 30:7-9)
One That Slanders the Vulnerable (Prov. 30:10)
Four That Scorn the Vulnerable (Prov. 30:11-14)
Four That Consume the Source of Life (Prov. 30:15-16)
One That Condemns His Source of Life (Prov. 30:17)
Four That Are Wonderful in Their Setting (Prov. 30:18-19)
Four That Are Woeful in Their Setting (Prov. 30:20-23)
Four That Are Portrayed as Wise (Prov. 30:24-28)
Four That Are Portrayed as Strong (Prov. 30:29-31)
One That Portrays Himself as Wise and Strong (Prov. 30:32-33)
The Words of King Lemuel: A Godly King (Proverbs 31:1-9)
He Avoids Immorality with Women (Prov. 31:1-3)
He Avoids Intoxication from Wine (Prov. 31:4-7)
He Avoids Indifference toward the Weak (Prov. 31:8-9)
The Words of King Lemuel: A Godly Wife (Proverbs 31:10-31)
She Is Blameless with Finances (Prov. 31:10-12)
She Is Busy at Home (Prov. 31:13-18)
She Is Benevolent toward Others (Prov. 31:19-21)
She Is Beautiful Inside and Out (Prov. 31:22-27)
She Is Blessed for Her Godliness (Prov. 31:28-31)