“Your Word Is Truth”
Whose Proverbs Are They?
WHO wrote the proverbs found in the book of Proverbs? For some three thousand years the Bible’s testimony was generally accepted.
For example, at Proverbs 1:1 we read: “The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, the king of Israel.” Then again, at Proverbs 10:1, we find the heading, “Proverbs of Solomon.” And at Proverbs 25:1, it states: “These also are the proverbs of Solomon that the men of Hezekiah the king of Judah transcribed.” Further, Proverbs 30:1 names “Agur the son of Jakeh,” and Pr chapter 31 begins: “The words of Lemuel the king, the weighty message that his mother gave to him in correction.”
Thus the book of Proverbs might be said to have five ‘by-lines’ identifying its writers. The very fact that the last two chapters are attributed to others than Solomon and that Lemuel even credits his mother is highly persuasive testimony that the proverbs of chapters 1 through 29 were not credited to Solomon merely because of his famed wisdom as claimed by some. They doubtless were among the three thousand that he is said to have spoken. In addition to the Bible’s testimony there is that of tradition, which all along has credited him with these proverbs.—1 Ki. 4:29-34.
However, modern religious critics, by and large, push all such testimony and reasoning aside. Thus the New Catholic Encyclopedia (1967) claims that “since Solomon enjoyed the reputation of being a sage,” such books as Proverbs “came to be pseudonymously”—that is, falsely fictitiously—“attributed to him, although they were compilations of material originally anonymous.” And a leading Protestant work, The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible (1962), says that “it is doubtful that any of the proverbs goes back to Solomon’s time.”
Why do many modern religious authorities refuse to credit King Solomon with writing the proverbs found in chapters 1 through 29 of the book of Proverbs? Could it be that such have been deceived because of their lack of faith, because of their not wanting to believe? Their reasons are far from persuasive.—2 Cor. 4:4; 2 Thess. 3:2.
Harper’s Bible Dictionary (1957) critically argues that “the derogatory manner in which monarchs are spoken of does not represent the Solomonic era . . . but a later period. (Prov. 16:14; 19:12; 20:2; 25:3)” But do these texts actually downgrade monarchs? By no means! They merely underscore the fact that the king was to be held in awe. The strongest of the texts cited reads: “The frightfulness of a king is a growling like that of a maned young lion. Anyone drawing his fury against himself is sinning against his own soul.”—Prov. 20:2.
Yes, rather than derogating monarchs or kings such texts in fact exalt them, for kings were to be feared because of their power, even as it is wisdom to fear God. (Prov. 9:10) Bearing this out is Proverbs 24:21, which reads: “My son, fear Jehovah and the king.” Illustrating this principle was Jeroboam. He did elicit the king’s displeasure, in fact, that of none other than Solomon himself, and so had to flee for his life.—1 Ki. 11:26, 40.
Far from the book of Proverbs’ derogating monarchs it contains many texts that speak very favorably of them, such as: “Loving-kindness and trueness—they safeguard the king; and by loving-kindness he has sustained his throne.” “The one loving purity of heart—for the charm of his lips the king will be his companion.” (Prov. 20:28; 22:11) It might well be asked, Is it honest to cite such texts that speak of the rage of the king as examples to prove that the book of Proverbs could not have been written during Solomon’s time, and ignore texts that speak of his favor and loving-kindness, which texts are even more numerous?—Prov. 16:10; 20:8, 26; 29:4, 14.
Another argument used to try to prove a late date for the book of Proverbs is that it shows that ‘monogamy is the prevailing domestic background of that period.’ But does the mere fact that the Mosaic law tolerated polygamy mean that it was the prevailing domestic background in Solomon’s day? Not at all, if for no other than economic reasons.
The presence of Aramaic words in the book of Proverbs is another argument used to claim a late date for the book of Proverbs. But King Solomon may well have become familiar with Aramaic expressions by reason of his dealings with neighboring lands or by reason of his foreign wives. Besides, Aramaic was the native tongue of Syria, which was a part of his empire.
Still another argument used for attributing a late date to the book of Proverbs is the appearance of an alphabetic poem at Proverbs 31:10-31, which style, it is claimed, is “a relatively late Hebrew form.” But not so. A number of the psalms written by King David, the father of King Solomon, are acrostics, or alphabetical poems, such as Psalms 9, 10, 25, 34, 37, 145.
Modern critics also like to point to the parallels between some of the proverbs in the book of Proverbs and certain pagan proverbs. However, far more telling for Christian Bible students is the fact that quite a number of both direct and indirect quotations from the book of Proverbs appear in the Christian Greek Scriptures.a Also most noteworthy is the fact that the Creator is referred to as “God” only seven or eight times, but as “Jehovah” some seventy-five times, with instances of this in nearly every chapter. Certainly such counsel as “The name of Jehovah is a strong tower. Into it the righteous runs and is given protection,” is not of pagan origin.—Prov. 18:10.
Further, the importance that the book Proverbs attaches to the figurative heart might be said to be indicative of its divine origin. The heart, by the Hebrew word lebh, is mentioned more often in the Bible book of Proverbs than in any other with the exception of the book of Psalms, which is four times as long. Among the many striking expressions found in this book is “in want [need] of heart.” It is found eleven times, from Pr 6:32 to Pr 24:30 and nowhere else in the Bible. Yes, “more than all else that is to be guarded, safeguard your heart, for out of it are the sources of life.” (Prov. 4:23) The importance that this book attaches to the fear of Jehovah, mentioned some fifteen times, further argues for its divine authorship.
Truly, the testimony that the contents of the book of Proverbs are as the Bible presents them is weighty and compelling. There is no reason to doubt the book’s own testimony as to who its writers were.
[Footnotes]
a Prov. 1:16 at Rom. 3:15; Prov. 3:7 at Rom. 12:16; Prov. 3:11, 12 at Heb. 12:5, 6; Prov. 3:34 at Jas. 4:6; Prov. 10:12 at 1 Pet. 4:8; Prov. 11:31, LXX, at 1 Pet. 4:18; Prov. 25:21, 22 at Rom. 12:20 and Prov. 26:11 at 2 Pet. 2:22.