Where Did the Book of Proverbs Come From?
The book of Proverbs begins with the notice “The Proverbs of Solomon, Son of David, King of Israel.” This does not mean, however, that Solomon authored every word of the book. In I Kings 4:32 we learn that Solomon “spoke three thousand proverbs.” Undoubtedly he composed a substantial number of these proverbs himself. First Kings 4:34 mentions that kings of surrounding nations sent delegations to hear Solomon’s wisdom. On the other hand, an exchange of wisdom must have developed between Solomon and those who came to learn from him. The book of Proverbs reflects this interchange. Approximately three hundred proverbs are labeled “Proverbs of Solomon” in Proverbs 10:1—22:16. Perhaps this section formed the nucleus of the collection. Some years later, King Hezekiah’s scribes added about 130 additional Solomonic proverbs, found in Proverbs 25:1—29:27. “Sayings of the Wise” appear in Proverbs 22:17—24:22, followed by “Further Sayings of the Wise” in Proverbs 24:23-34. Then come “Sayings of Ag
