Proverbs 25:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied.

NIV: These are more proverbs of Solomon, compiled by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:

NASB: These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, transcribed.

CSB: These too are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of King Hezekiah of Judah, copied.

NLT: These are more proverbs of Solomon, collected by the advisers of King Hezekiah of Judah.

KJV: These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

NKJV: These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied:

King Hezekiah reigned about 250 years after Solomon (2 Kings 18:1), and he apparently had his scribes collect some of Solomon's additional wise sayings. These curated words make up chapters 25—29. This illustrates God's use of human efforts in preserving Scripture. Although King Hezekiah's scribes collected Solomon's proverbs, God orchestrated the project and guided Solomon, Hezekiah, and the scribes to include only what He wanted to place in the Scriptures.

Second Timothy 3:16 assures us that all Scripture was breathed out by God, and 2 Peter 1:20–21 reports "that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." As a result of the divine inspiration of the Scriptures, all Scripture, including the scribes' collection of the proverbs in Proverbs 25—29 are "profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16).

Proverbs 25:1–10 contains sage advice regarding kingship, both for the ruler and their subjects. Avoiding arrogance is also mentioned. It's better to be humble, then praised by others, instead of being dismissed for exaggeration. This extends also to disputes and lawsuits. Most disputes are best settled in private, when such is possible.

This chapter includes more statements from Solomon, copied by scribes of King Hezekiah many years later. The first section speaks about the risks of arrogance. The next gives comparisons which teach spiritual lessons. The last segment teaches about relationships, reputation, and self-control.

Chapter 25 begins to relate more wise statements from Solomon. Depending on where they are divided or combined, these amount to around one hundred portions of godly wisdom. These were compiled and added about 250 years after Solomon's reign by men under the direction of King Hezekiah. The phrasing used in verse 1 suggests these were copied from other records into the scrolls associated with the prior proverbs. This collection runs through the end of chapter 29.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.

Accessed 12/3/2024 12:11:07 PM