Stack Study: Proverbs & the Life of Solomon Lesson 1

A guide for reading and studying Proverbs via Substack | For Amanda

I always have a few women’s faces in my mind when I write.

It helps me hold onto my own voice as a writer and to remember the humanity of this whole experience using words to communicate via the Internet. This particular study is adapted from one I taught in the basement of my church building where I met my friend Amanda. She died this past year after a long battle with cancer and not a word of this version was touched without my thinking of her—her curiosity about the Bible, her gentleness, her humor that came out the more you got to know her, and her utter courage in the face of death.

My prayer in bringing this to Substack is that someone out there would have her same earnestness in coming to the text. That you might dig for treasure and open-handedly receive whatever goodness may be buried deep.

This is a guide more than anything. Work hard to develop your own Biblical literacy through trial and error. I will offer some of my own insights insomuch as they are helpful, but if you do nothing else, please ruminate on the text, wrestle with it and ask good questions. Then, if you would be so kind, send me a note about what it did for you.

“My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.” - Proverbs 2:1-5, NIV

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What, if anything, comes to mind when you think of the book of Proverbs?

This question deserves a moment of your time because its answer will likely reveal any preconceived notions that you’re bringing to the text—accurate, unhelpful, or nonexistent as they may be. Here are a few common ones gathered from groups of real women:

• Proverbs is little sayings about how to live wisely.

• Chapter 31 is known for being about the “Proverbs 31 Woman.”

• I memorized the verse “Trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…” when I was in Sunday school growing up.

In my own studies, I have found Proverbs to be an onion. What initially looks and smells obvious, is actually quite complex when you chop it. Layers upon layers offer up a strength of flavor and scent so potent they’ll make your eyes water. Proverbs is will surprise you with its intensity and delight you with its complexity.

It’s an old recipe with really trustworthy ingredients. Let’s eat…

Two Key Definitions: Proverb & Wisdom

Biblical scholars classify the book of Proverbs as Hebrew wisdom literature which simply means what we find in our English Bibles is a collection of wisdom used by Ancient Israel to teach the younger generations how best to live. This was most likely passed down orally between fathers and sons. Here are 2 words I want you to know going forward:

1. Mashal - This is the Hebrew word for “proverb” and it generally means a comparison or analogy. These were usually concise comparisons meant to convey a moral truth based on their similarities or differences. A modern example might be the phrase “no pain, no gain” or “the pen is mightier than the sword.”

2. Chokmah - This is the Hebrew word for “wisdom” which literally translated means “skill.” In our language when we think of wisdom, we typically equate it with mental activities, but in Hebrew it is tinged with practical application. Chokmah can be exercised in craftsmanship or construction. The word is even used to describe the installation of artwork during temple construction.

What’s the takeaway? In its original language and among its original speakers, the concept of wisdom in the Hebrew Proverbs was both intellectually considered and tangibly expressed.

A proverb is a concise, comparative, and contemplative saying meant to impart knowledge for practical wise living.

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The likely author of Proverbs—King Solomon

One of the things I find most helpful before focusing on a specific part of the Bible is making sure we understand where we are dropping into the narrative. Because the Bible is one cohesive story, but one that is not always laid out for us in chronological order, it can feel difficult to see the full picture and we risk losing rich details.

If you’d like to get the fullest picture of Proverbs, I recommend starting with a Sunday School refresher course on King Solomon and going as deeply as you have capacity. For this Stack Study, I’m simply going to suggest the passages and portions of his life that correspond with whatever aspects of Proverbs we’re exploring that week.

Skip this step if you feel so compelled by time and attention, but if there is a glimmer of curiosity, I say follow the rabbit hole all the way down.

Read 2 Samuel 7:11-17 - The Davidic Covenant

• Practice answering for yourself the first two questions we use in studying the text: What does it say? Why did it matter?

• Why does it still matter? This is God’s promise to David that someone from his line will always be on the throne. Scholars call this the Davidic Covenant and much like the Abrahamic Covenant, it foreshadows a coming kingdom. The Davidic Covenant will be fully realized in the birth and reign of Christ, but for our study today, we see that God tells David that his son will build the temple. This son is going to be Solomon.

Read 1 Kings 3:4-15 - Solomon asks for wisdom

• Practice answering for yourself the first two questions we use in studying the text: What does it say?

• Why did it matter? This one may be more difficult to answer, but think about why this transition of power may have mattered to the Israelites. It represented a shift from a time of war to a time of peace. A king has come onto the scene with both the familial credentials and the anointing of God to back him up. And he does a really really great thing: he asks for wisdom so that he can obey God and rule justly.

In your own words and with the information we have up to this point, write a brief description of Solomon. “Solomon was…”

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Read Proverbs 1:1-7 - The Prologue to Proverbs

These are the proverbs of Solomon, the son of David appointed by God to build the temple. This is a collection of the words from his reign as king of Israel including advice of how to live a wise life. He calls out the young specifically and tells us that whoever listens will add to their learning. Notice the introduction of this key phrase: “the fear of the LORD.”

For this question, think about what weight the proverbs may carry to the listener knowing who Solomon is, put yourself in the shoes of a young Israelite who would know a few key things…

• Solomon was famous for his wisdom and wealth. During his reign, the nation of Israel thrived. A king from the infamous line of David, he possessed the impressive combination of both familial credentials and the legit ability to execute as evidenced by his expanding and flourishing kingdom. Simply put, his words held weight. As we will see later in the study, people traveled from far away regions just to hear him speak and test his wisdom and knowledge.

• This is Hebrew poetry. We aren’t reading a narrative or a letter. We’re reading poetry and this influences how we examine the text. Imagine trying to take literally the words of Shakespeare, Robert Frost, Walt Whitman, Shel Silverstein, or Sylvia Plath. We read their works and pull out themes. We look to their use of imagery and metaphors knowing full well these devices are used on purpose to reveal the depth of their work. The reading of Proverbs is going to be no different.

• “The fear of the LORD” is a familiar and frequently used phrase in Hebrew and one that can cause confusion for modern readers of the Bible. Israelites would have understood that this phrase does not mean to literally be afraid of God. Hebrew scholar Tim Mackie of the Bible Project gives a definition that frames this important phrase as this:

  • Knowing my place before God in the universe and living accordingly

  • Understanding that I am not the author of my own existence and I am not the author of what is good and not good.

Culturally, we often think of wisdom as something that comes from within and this is subtly, if not overtly, communicated to us everywhere. We’re told to “follow our heart” or “be true to yourself.” The characters our children love and follow are often on a quest for their own happiness. Even in my most recent cycling workout, I was met with messages about how I possessed everything I needed to be great, but this idea seems to be contrasted with the idea of Biblical wisdom. Recall that Solomon asked God for wisdom. It was not something that he produced from within himself, but rather something that was given to him by God as a gift.

If we pair this with the idea of that the wisdom actually starts with understanding our place in the universe before God, understanding that we are not the authors of what is good and not good, then we can see clearly that the “chokmah” of God is actually quite different than our culture’s definition of wisdom.

True wisdom ("chokmah”) is a gift that we receive from God and we desperately need it. We actually don’t possess all we need to be great, but we have direct access to the Author of great. If we want to live a flourishing life, one where we can discern what is good and right, just and prudent, then we must ask God to put His wisdom in us just like Solomon.

Paul carries this message forward in the New Testament when he speaks about the differences between worldly wisdom and the wisdom of God:

• “We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.” - 1 Corinthians 2:6-7, NIV

And James gives us the simple instruction that we saw played out in Solomon’s life:

• “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” - James 1:5, NIV

This is the framework of wisdom that we’ll use as we dig deeper into the life of Solomon and the words he spoke in the Proverbs. While they were written so many years ago, I believe they can still form and shape us.

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I’ll try my best to always leave you with some tools for ruminating on what you’ve read. This is the good kind of rumination—release yourself of any baggage related to that word, says the former therapist.

• Read Proverbs 1:1-7 in a few translations slowly over the course of a week. Try NRSV, CEB, or NLT if you need a place to start. Doing so positions you to see things afresh that may otherwise be overly familiar.

• Write a prayer asking God for wisdom. Model it after Solomon’s prayer or make it the simplest thing you’ve ever written.

• Talk to someone about what you are reading. This is akin to children practicing narration as they’re learning to read. Retell what you’re reading to a spouse, a friend over coffee, or even sweeter, with your kids. What a beautiful thing for our kids to see us trying to learn!

If you did You Have Done Great Things in real time last Fall, you know I rolled it out weekly, but I’ve resigned to go more slowly with this one. I hope it makes space for someone to take their time and for more to join in on the fly. That being said, would you consider sending this to a friend?

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Curious about a source for this material? I love that someone might ask this question because I would. It says we’re kindred spirits.🤎 E-mail me directly right now. I’m working on a Resource Page for WHTH to include all frequently consulted commentaries, texts, translations, and podcasts. This should be out within the month.