Proverbs - A Shorter Commentary

An abridged and revised version of Bruce Waltke’s magisterial two-volume NICOT commentary on the book of Proverbs 

Since 2004, Bruce Waltke’s magisterial two-volume NICOT commentary on the book of Proverbs has been recognized as a definitive exegesis of the Hebrew text, groundbreaking in its illuminating analysis that the authors and redactors of Proverbs had organized their material into discernible clusters and groupings. Waltke and Ivan De Silva here offer an abridged and revised version of the preeminent commentary, which is more accessible to students, pastors, and Bible readers in general. In place of a technical analysis of the Hebrew text, Waltke and De Silva interpret the translated text, while also including their own theological reflections and personal anecdotes where appropriate. A topical index is added to help expositors with a book that is difficult to preach or teach verse by verse. 

At its heart, this shorter commentary on Proverbs preserves the exegetical depth, erudition, and poetic insight of Waltke’s original and maintains the core conviction that the ancient wisdom of Proverbs holds profound, ongoing relevance for Christian faith and life today.

Table of Contents

Introduction
     1. Title
     2. Texts and Versions
     3. Structure
     4. Authorship
     5. Ancient Near Eastern Wisdom Literature
     6. Poetry
     7. The Wisdom Genre
     8. Theology
Collection 1: Preamble and Prologue (1:1–9:18)
Collection 2: Antithetic and Synthetic Proverbs (10:1–22:16)
Collection 3: The Thirty Sayings of the Wise (22:17–24:22)
Collection 4: Further Sayings of the Wise (24:23–34)
Collection 5: Proverbs of Solomon from Hezekiah’s Men (25:1–29:27)
Collection 6: The Sayings of Agur Son of Jakeh (30:1–33)
Collection 7: The Sayings of Lemuel (31:1–31)