The Book of

PROVERBS

Chapters 15:30–31:31

Bruce K. Waltke

William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
Grand Rapids, Michigan / Cambridge, U.K.

Publisher’s Note

This commentary was planned and written as a single volume, but its length dictated the need to publish it in two volumes. The reader should note that the Introduction in the first volume covers the entire book of Proverbs; this second volume comprises only commentary on Proverbs 15:30–31:31.

For the reader’s convenience, each volume has its own table of contents, abbreviation list, and indexes.

© 2005 Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
All rights reserved

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
255 Jefferson Ave. S.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503 /
P.O. Box 163, Cambridge CB3 9PU U.K.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

The book of Proverbs: chapters 15–31 / Bruce K. Waltke.

p. cm. (The New international commentary on the Old Testament)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN-10: 0-8028-2776-4

1. Bible. O.T. Proverbs XV–XXXI—Commentaries.

I. Title. II. Series.

BS1465.53.W36 2004

223′.7077—dc22

2004050609

www.eerdmans.com

Dedicated to
Elaine,
my competent wife,
worthy of praise in the gate

CONTENTS

General Editor’s Preface

Author’s Preface

Abbreviations

COMMENTARY

B. Collection IIB: The Lord and His King (15:30–22:16)

1. Prologue: The Dance between Humanity, the Lord and His King (15:30–16:15)

a. Introduction (15:30–33)

b. The Lord’s Rule (16:1–9)

(1) The Lord’s Sovereignty and the Human’s Responsibility (16:1–4a)

(2) The Lord’s Morality and the Human’s Accountability (16:4b–7)

(3) Conclusion (16:8–9)

c. The Mediatorial King (16:10–15)

(1) The King’s Authority (16:10–11)

2. Good and Bad Speech (16:16–30)

a. Introduction (16:16–19)

b. The Good Speaker (16:20–24)

c. The Malevolent Speakers (16:25–30)

3. The Splendid Crown of Old Age through Righteousness (16:31–17:6)

4. A Collection of Proverbs on Fools (17:7–28)

a. Janus: Catalogue of Fools Expanded (17:7–9)

b. Fools and Their Punishment (17:10–15)

c. The Fool Versus the Friend (17:16–20)

d. The Fool, Injustice, and the Reserved Speech of the Wise (17:21–28)

5. The Speech of Fools Versus the Speech of the Wise (18:1–21)

a. The Fool’s Anti-social Speech Versus the Defense of the Righteous (18:1–11)

(1) The Fool’s Antisocial Nature, Speech, and Destiny (18:1–9)

(a) Introduction: The Fool’s Alienation from Society (18:1–3)

(b) Body: The Fool’s Perverse Speech (18:4–8)

(c) Conclusion: The Fool Plunders the Community (18:9)

(2) The Defense of the Righteous in the Lord (18:10–11)

b. Janus (18:12)

c. The Educated Person’s Behavior in Conflict and His Speech (18:13–21)

(1) Introduction: The Incorrigible Fool Versus the Teachable Wise (18:13–15)

(2) Teachings about Justice and Conflicts (18:16–19)

(3) Teachings about the Power of Speech (18:20–21)

6. Wealth and Wisdom in the Court and in the Home (18:22–19:22)

a. Poverty, Wealth, and Companions (18:22–19:7)

(1) Introduction (18:22)

(2) Wealth and Failed Companions (18:23–24)...