How to Read Proverbs (How to Read Series)

Tremper Longman has provided a very readable and useful snapshot into the book of Proverbs. There are no overly academic descriptions here; Dr. Longman successfully promotes sound exegetical ideas into very simple-sounding English. But don't let the simplicity fool you; there is a lot of important information here that will save you a lot of pain in the future if you heed the author's advice. If you are reading this I'm assuming you have an interest in studying the book of Proverbs, so I won't try to convince you of the value of Proverbs.Dr. Longman gives the reader plenty of background information in three informative sections. The first section deals with background on the nature of the proverb; what it is and what it is not. Knowing the historical setting is stressed. Exegetical principles are established by looking for patterns such as parallelism, and numerical parallelism, imagery and others. The second section deals with the context of wisdom in the Bible; how the comments in Proverbs relate to other Bible books such as Job and Ecclesiastes. On this topic, Tremper Longman may be one of the best because he has written extensively on the Hebrew wisdom literature, and his Biblical and historical insights are quite valuable. The final section is a list of a few special studies in proverbs, such as the topic of money and marriage. Although not exhaustive, they are insightful and help the reader to see how to put the ideas of the previous sections into practice.The author deals with practical issues such as "Are proverbs always true?" This chapter is worth the price of the book, because in my experience Christians tend to take proverbs as always true when in fact they are reflections on life that are generally true. Why some proverbs seem to contradict each other is also discussed very well. Dr. Longman treats with integrity and thoughtfulness the topic of is Jesus/Yeshua referred to as the "wisdom" in Proverbs 8. And the comparison of proverbs to other forms of ancient literature was a real treat.In short, this is a great first-stop shopping book that I recommend prior to a study of Proverbs. The book is not overly Jewish, but you will gain some insight into ancient Jewish culture from this study of wisdom literature. Advanced scholarly types might not find the book as useful, but Longman's explanations are pretty thoughtful and would be very useful for teaching purposes. I think regardless of training, you will still find some helpful insights. The book could also be the topic of a Bible study, since there are a series of group-discussion questions at the end of each chapter. There are also lots of suggestions for further reading, and a list of useful commentaries. A delightful book overall that will enhance your walk with God!

For a brief, nontechnical introduction to Proverbs, and wisdom literature in general, you will want this book. Longman discusses Proverbs in three sections: 1) General overview of Proverbs and wisdom; 2) How Proverbs fits into the overall theme of ancient wisdom (this includes the other wisdom books in the Bible and wisdom in other parts of the ancient world); and 3) Themes in Proverbs (money, love & marriage, wise and foolish words).This book is not a verse by verse study of Proverbs. For that you will want a commentary, such as that by Dave Bland or Bruce Waltke (see my reviews). Instead, this book is an introduction to Proverbs and the nature of wisdom literature.Chapter one is entitled "Why Read Proverbs?" Below are comments from that chapter:"Wisdom is the skill of living." (P.14)"Wisdom entails the ability to avoid problems, and the skill to handle them when they present themselves. Wisdom also includes the ability to interpret other people's speech and writing in order to react correctly to what they are saying to us." (Pp.14-15)Proverbs is more about E.Q. (emotional quotient) than I.Q. (intelligent quotient). Proverbs uses stories of animals (Prov. 24-28). "These animals don't have a high I.Q., but the verses plainly describe a skill in living that is remarkable.""People who have a high I.Q. know many facts; they can solve difficult mathematical equations. Their ability to reason and use logic is superior to others'. People with emotional intelligence have other abilities, including `self-control, zeal and persistence and the ability to motivate oneself ... to control impulse and delay gratification; to regulate one's moods and keep distress from swamping the ability to think...'" (Longman quotes from Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence). Biblical wisdom is closer to EQ than IQ. (P.15-16)"Wisdom is a skill, a `knowing how': it is not raw intellect, a `knowing that.'" "Why read Proverbs, then? To gain wisdom, which is an ability to navigate life." (P.16)You'll appreciate the insights Longman's book will give you to get a handle on wisdom in general and Proverbs in particular. I recommend it.

Longman successfully balances solid, reliable and contemporary biblical scholarship with accessibility for the intelligent but not necessarily learned reader of Proverbs. His speciality in Old Testament Wisdom Literature shows in this volume which, in placing Proverbs in that setting, also includes helpful overviews of Job and Ecclesiastes. Particularly helpful is Longman's location of the biblical proverbs within the Ancient Near Eastern context (where proverbial wisdom was somewhat commonplace) highlighting the distinctive theological themes and authority of the biblical material. Also, his rejoinder to read individual proverbs within the context of the whole book, the first nine chapters of which in its present form act as theme- and scene-setting for the proverbs which follow, is a fundamental but often unrecognised point - even by many students and pastors who have studied hermeneutical principles. And just as elementary - but critical - is his stress on not treating individual proverbs as divine promises. They are designed for pithiness and punchiness - to be committed to memory - not as comprehensively applicable divine guarantees; generally, however, the wisdom they seek to capture proves itself true most of the time.The proverbial material could readily be organised in different ways to the seven key themes he chooses - there are many ways to slice the proverbial pie! - but he himself admits that and doesn't press his own schema beyond its limits.Lay readers, undergraduates and even graduates can benefit from this introduction to a book - and genre of historical literature - which is often misunderstood.

Bible students and Christians in particular will know the importance of 2 Timothy 2:15 when it says, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”. The Book of Proverbs is a particularly difficult book to apply as it would be naïve of the reader to take every phrase or saying and use it as an absolute word from the Lord and apply it to a personal situation. It is vital to distinguish between principle and application.This book is part of a ‘How to…’ series and is an excellent piece of work in crafting out an approach to achieving a well-balanced understanding of Proverbs. A more haphazard approach will only confuse and mislead the reader in the journey of life. The book is primarily addressed to young men (particularly chapters 1-9) but there are also warnings and cautions to young women. The author also draws similarities from the wisdom literature of the ancient Near East in broadening out his research albeit noting the crucial differences with the biblical text. There is also some explicit language around sexual relationships which the book clearly describes and I think is helpful in developing what the original authors were portraying to ancient audiences. The final part of the book discusses money matters, loving the right woman and wise words, foolish words. A great read to build a fuller appreciation of a book we neglect at our peril.

I enjoy the author and especially this series. It's not a commentary it gives insight into the genre and how to use Proverbs. Very helpful, well worth the money.

Mir gefällt dieses Buch wirklich sehr. Herr Longman III ist bekannt für seine Alttestamentlichen Exegesen. Dieses Buch ist auch für jemanden, der sich vorwiegend in deutschsprachiger Literatur bewegt, leicht zu lesen und sehr verständlich. Der Aufbau ist stimmig. Das Buch bietet eine gute Einführung in das Lesen und Lernen aus dem biblischen Buch der Sprüche.