Proverbs | Knowable Word

Units of Thought in Poetry

February 10, 2023 By Peter Krol

The Bible’s poetry can seem so strange and foreign, until you realize how to follow their train of thought. Then you can see why so many of them are among the most moving and beautiful poems in the history of the world.

The trick is to learn to read them as poems and not simply as random collections of inspiring sentiments. Why is it encouraging to be assured that you will regularly traverse the valley of death (Ps 23:4)? Because you have a divine shepherd (Ps 23:1-4) who is a lavish host (Ps 23:5-6).

So how do we go about observing the structure of a biblical poem? How do we distinguish the stanzas or sections?

Photo by Trust “Tru” Katsande on Unsplash

Stanzas

The primary structuring device in a biblical poem is the stanza. A stanza is sort of like a paragraph in prose texts; it’s a collection of lines or sentences into a coherent unit of thought. So when seeking the structure of a poem, the first and primary goal is to divide the poem into stanzas.

Many modern Bible editions help immensely, since they put a blank space between stanzas for you. The main challenge is to figure out from the text whether your Bible’s editors are right.

For example, in Proverbs 3:13-35, every translation seems to have a different idea of where the thought-divisions occur. Though most treat Prov 3:13 as the start of a unit, the LEB includes verses 11-12 with the first stanza. There is some diversity as to whether to treat Prov 3:19-20 as its own unit or as part of what follows. Also, the ESV sees Prov 3:27 as the end of the stanza that begins with Prov 3:21, but nearly every other version considers Prov 3:27 as the start of a new stanza.

ESV	CSB	LEB	NET	NIV
13-18	13-18	11-18	13-26	13-18
19-20	19-20	19-35		19-20
21-27	21-26			21-26
28-35	27-35		27-35	27-30
				31
				32-35

Stanza divisions in Proverbs 3:13-35

How do we decide who is right? A few tools will help us make such a decision.

Refrains

The first and simplest structuring device in Hebrew poetry is the refrain. A refrain is a line or sentence that repeats at regular intervals to mark off units of thought.

Here are some examples of refrains:

“Restore us, O God, let your face shine that we may be saved” (Ps 80: 3, 7, 19) divides Psalm 80 into three stanzas.
“The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress” (Ps 46:7, 11) divides Psalm 46 into two stanzas.
“Why are you cast down… Hope in God” (Ps 42:5, 11; Ps 43:5) divides Psalm 42-43 into three stanzas.
“For all this his anger has not turned away” (Is 9:12, 17, 21; Is 10:4) divides Isaiah 9:8-10:4 into four stanzas.
“Yet you did not return to me” (Amos 4:6, 8, 9, 10, 11) divides Amos 4:6-12 into six stanzas.

Inclusio

An inclusio is a word or phrase that occurs at the beginning and end of a passage. It is similar to a refrain, except that it occurs specifically at beginning and end, like bookends on a library shelf.

Some psalms use an inclusio at the beginning and end of the entire poem (e.g. Psalms 8, 103, 113, 118). That encompassing inclusio may help us to grasp the poem’s main idea, but it doesn’t help us break the poem down into subdivided stanzas or units of thought.
Other times, an inclusio marks off a stanza or unit of thought for us. For example:
- “wisdom and instruction” repeated in Prov 1:2, 7—showing us that those verses all fit together as a unit of thought.
- “gazelle or young stag on the mountains” bookends the poetic stanza in Song 2:8-17.

Metaphor Shifts

Often, a poet shifts gears in his thought when he shifts from one overriding metaphor to another.

In Psalm 23, there is a shift from the larger metaphor of shepherd (Ps 23:1-4) to the metaphor of host (Ps 23:5-6).
In Psalm 71, the poet seeks refuge in God (Ps 71:1-6), proves that enemies aren’t so scary (Ps 71:7-15), remembers God’s work in the past (Ps 71:16-18), and employs the past to provide hope for the future (Ps 71:19-24). The shifts in these metaphorical phases of life outline the poem’s train of thought.
In Isaiah 5, the metaphor of the vineyard dominates Is 5:1-7. Then the threat of curse (Is 5:8-23) turns into the metaphor of fire (Is 5:24-25), before the chapter concludes with the metaphor of signal or alarm (Is 5:26-30).

Grammar Shifts

Sometimes, the changes from stanza to stanza are evident through shifts in the grammar.

There could be shifts in subject, as in Psalm 24: God (1-2), God’s people (3-6), God together with his people (7-10).
There could be shifts in pronouns or audience, as in Psalm 29: speaking to heavenly beings (1-2), speaking about Yahweh’s voice (3-9), speaking about Yahweh’s enthronement (10-11).

Conclusion

To draw defensible conclusions regarding a poem’s main point, we must be able to identify the poem’s units of thought. Then we can show how each of those units builds a case and contributes to the main idea. The trick is that we can’t simply go with what “feels right.” We ought to have observable clues within the text that mark the divisions for us. Refrains, incusios, and shifts in metaphor may be among such observable evidence.

Back to Proverbs 3

So where does that leave us on the question of Proverbs 3:13-35? How do these tools help us identify the stanzas (see the chart above)?

Prov 3:13-18 has the inclusio of both “blessing” and the concept of finding or laying hold of wisdom. Prov 3:21-26 has an inclusio of “keeping” or being “kept.” That whole section of Prov 3:13-26 thus has a unified metaphor of finding and keeping wisdom. At the center of that section is a brief description of how Yahweh built wisdom right into the fabric of the universe at the moment of creation (Prov 3:19-20). This explains why it “works” that finding and keeping wisdom will result in great blessing.

Prov 3:27-28 has two prohibitions against “withholding good.” Prov 3:29-30 has two prohibitions against “planning evil.” The chapter ends (Prov 3:32-35) with a grammatical shift to four assurances (parallel to the four prohibitions) that Yahweh neither plans evil nor withholds good from the right people at the right time. In between those two four-verse chunks is a warning not to envy violent men (Prov 3:31)—those who constantly plan evil and withhold good from others when it suits them. So the entire section (Prov 3:27-35) sticks together under the larger metaphor of humanitarian dealings (love your neighbor as yourself).

So in the end, I agree with both the NET and the NIV (though the CSB is not far off). The NET is correct that there are two main units of thought. The NIV is correct that each of those main units has three subsections. We’d be greatly helped if there were a clear way to represent both the main stanzas and their subdivisions in the way our Bibles lay out the text.

Seeing Jesus in the Proverbs

August 10, 2022 By Peter Krol

Because the book of Proverbs is full of practical wisdom, it has been a popular favorite through the ages. Even unbelievers attempt to pilfer its riches for self-help advice in business, finance, and influence. But for those who trust Jesus’ words—that the entire Old Testament was about him (Luke 24:44-47)—Proverbs presents quite a challenge. What does this book teach us about the Lord Jesus?

Here is an article from Nicholas Batzig that provides much help. Batzig discusses numerous strategies by which we may draw legitimate connections between the revelation in Proverbs and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Here is a taste:

When I was in seminary I read through a chapter of Proverbs every day. At some point I realized that many of the Proverbs were couched in the same language as the Ten Commandments. In fact, one could argue that the Proverbs are a commentary on how the Ten Commandments work themselves out in the lives of God’s people and the world at large. If we understand the different uses of the Law in redemptive-history, we begin to understand the relationship between the Proverbs and the believer’s need for Christ. While the Proverbs will function exclusively in a pedagogical manner for unbelievers (i.e. driving them to Christ for forgiveness), they will also continue to do so in the life of the believer.

I believe Batzig is sometimes a little hasty in going to Christ, without first explaining how the original Old Covenant audience would have understood the book. For example, I would not agree that whenever Proverbs speaks of “the righteous person,” it is speaking always and only about the Messiah Jesus (since none of us can be truly righteous). Scholar Bruce Waltke has helpfully shown that the concept of “the righteous” in the Proverbs simply refers to one who is willing to disadvantage themselves in order to advantage others; it did not originally refer to forensic righteousness in the sense that Paul uses the term.

But with that said, Batzig’s strategies and examples remain very helpful for drawing helpful and legitimate connections to the person and work of Christ. If you wish to read Proverbs like a Christian, I highly commend the article.

Check it out!

Topical Index for Proverbs

July 8, 2022 By Peter Krol

I’ve written before about the best idea I’ve ever heard for studying Proverbs, which is to read the book once a month, tracking a single theme each month, and writing down verse references to proverbs that speak to that theme. A simple, spiral-bound notebook is all that’s required for such an exercise.

Long ago, I spent 4 years in Proverbs doing just this, and the result was the creation of one of the most useful tools for my Christian walk and ministry. The problem is that the decades have not been kind to my spiral-bound notebook. And it doesn’t help me when I’m away from home and still require its use.

So I’m deeply grateful to my generous friend Felicia Kreider, who recently digitized the notebook for me. She alphabetized the topics, entered all the data into an attractive Google doc, and created a hyperlinked table of contents for me. Now I can access it from any device any time I need it!

When I first disclosed to the general public the existence of this notebook of mine, I said I wouldn’t share it if you asked, since you’ll be better off if you create your own.

However… Felicia has made this into such a thing of beauty that I can’t resist showing it to you. I still believe you’ll be better off creating your own. But maybe you just need a little nudge to show you what glory awaits you with such an exercise. So I will show you my topical index.

Yet I can’t make it too easy for the entire world to access, so I’ve disabled the ability to copy, download, or print it. I’ve slapped on a full-blown copyright to reserve all rights. And I don’t plan to add it to our resources page, but will keep it buried here in the blog’s archives, so only faithful readers like you will see it.

Without further ado, here you go. Enjoy!

Will People Perish Without a Visionary Leader?

June 8, 2022 By Peter Krol

Where there is no vision, the people perish… (Prov 29:18, KJV)

Jared Wilson has some helpful thoughts on a commonly misappropriated verse.

Proverbs 29:18 may be one of the most misapplied verses in all the evangelical church today. Many a church leader has used it to spiritualize his strategies and blackmail followers into supporting his entrepreneurialism. Vision statements are cast. Mission statements are crafted to serve the vision. A list of values is composed to serve the mission. An array of programs is developed to serve the values. A stable of leaders is recruited to serve the programs. An army of volunteers is inspired to assist the leaders.

Would you be willing to take a closer look at what the verse really says? Check it out!

The First Commentator to Plead His Case

May 6, 2022 By Peter Krol

My fourth commandment for commentary usage is:

You shall not read only one commentary, but shall invite a plurality of voices into the conversation.

Is this because I think you have no limits on your time, or that you must become a professional researcher in order to study the Bible? No, it is simply because our Bible study is part of a conversation that has been going on for thousands of years. We were created to live and learn in community, and therefore, having a single influence on your study is counterproductive to your study.

Let me give two reasons.

The First to Plead His Case Seems Right, Until…

Consider Proverbs 18:17:

The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.

Unless you are among the most naturally skeptical of learners, if you read only one commentary on a passage, you will be inclined to presume the commentator you read is right. Especially if that commentator engages with other commentators and points out all the places where they are wrong. It is simply part of being a creature with limited knowledge that “the one who states his case first seems right.”

Nobody chooses to write a commentary—or gets a contract to write a commentary—because they believe they have all the wrong ideas about their subject matter. No, they write it because they believe they are right, and that they have something to add to the historic conversation that ought to be considered by others! So they are going to write with as much clarity and confidence as they can muster regarding their interpretive conclusions.

But if you read at least two commentaries, it will help you to recognize that there could be a variety of perspectives out there. And each of them could be argued cogently. And each of them is worth considering and discussing. In the process, it will help you to demystify the priesthood of experts that is so easy to presume.

Demystifying the Presumed Priesthood of Experts

I am deeply grateful for those God has raised up in the church, who are experts in various topics. I’ve been in churches that had medical and legal experts, who counseled church members or leaders on particular medical or legal matters. I’ve been in churches with construction experts, who can take care of building and property maintenance and improvement with tremendous skill. My church sent an agricultural expert overseas to assist the preaching of the gospel with strong agricultural education in a third world country.

So I have no philosophical concern with the existence or use of experts. However, sometimes we can get ourselves stuck in a presumption that the experts are always right. In our Bible study, that means we confer upon Bible experts a mystical status of priestly knowledge unavailable to the masses. If the expert says something, it must be true. And reading only one commentary may reinforce that presumption, since what you read will most likely sound credible and persuasive (see Prov 18:17 again).

But there is a reason medical patients are often encouraged to get a second opinion. There is a reason businesses often have not a single lawyer but a legal team. There is a reason a corporation or government launching a major project invites multiple bids from a plurality of contractors. And there is a reason why nearly any group of experts in the same field will find many matters within their field about which to violently disagree (just peruse a scholastic journal from any field to witness a wealth of in-house debate). That reason is the self-evident fact that a variety of experts will have a variety of perspectives which lead them to a variety of conclusions and suggest a variety of methods or applications.

We ought to take this thinking with us into our personal Bible study and commentary reading. A second opinion is usually more valuable than the first opinion, regardless of which opinion you end up agreeing with. Either you will be rescued from hastily jumping on the first commentator’s train, or you will find even greater confidence and grounds for sticking with that first one. And the variety of strengths and weaknesses of the various commentators will result in your final conclusions being wiser, more nuanced, and more robust.

Test Everything

In conclusion, this sort of sifting, evaluating, and refusing to believe the first opinion (automatically), is what the Apostle Paul wants the Thessalonian churches to do.

Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thess 5:20-22)

There is a sense in which commentaries are one form of New Testament prophecy, in that they proclaim the word of God. We ought to test them, every one. Hang on to whatever is good, helpful, and true in them. Reject whatever is false, misleading, or evil in them.

But you’ll limit your ability to do that unless you consult a second, third, or fourth opinion on a matter. And, as commentator Tremper Longman III says: “Sometimes the reader will be right and the commentaries will be wrong.”

Does Proverbs Over-Promise?

August 18, 2021 By Peter Krol

Jim Davis has a brief but wonderful piece on this crucial question: “Does the Book of Proverbs Over-Promise?” Proverbs appears to offer extensive assurance of health and wealth, which some have taken almost as an assurance that we can manipulate God. In response, many others make the error of claiming that proverbs offer not promises but only probabilities.

Davis navigates this unfortunate state of affairs with a level-headed approach to the text.

To say the Proverbs are probabilities (rather than promises) is not false. It’s partially true. The sober, the cool-tempered, and the diligent will usually experience health and wealth more than the drunkard, the hot-tempered, and the lazy.
But only seeing the Proverbs as probabilities for wise decision-making minimizes what God wants for his people. He’s calling us closer to him. The conditions to these statements are that we trust in the Lord (3:5), fear the Lord (3:7), and honor the Lord (3:9). If they were merely probabilities for right living, why link them in any way to our relationship with God?

I’ve reflected on this very question myself on a few occasions. And Davis’s piece is worth your time as you consider it further.

Check it out!

The Best Idea for Studying Proverbs

January 8, 2021 By Peter Krol

When I was in college, I attended a conference where the speaker taught the book of Proverbs. He explained the basics of Hebrew poetry. He had us comparing verses, considering metaphors, and thinking hard. He stimulated us and challenged us to pursue the Lord of wisdom, for life, from this book.

I was so inspired by the teaching on this book that I spent the following summer memorizing the first nine chapters. I have sought to rehearse those chapters once per week ever since (almost 25 years!), in hopes of keeping the wisdom of God before my eyes and the fear of the Lord within my heart.

And in addition to motivating me to memorize Proverbs, the speaker offered one of the best, most practical pieces of advice I’ve ever heard for studying this book. He encouraged us to get a cheap spiral-bound notebook and read the entire book of Proverbs once per month (only a chapter a day). Each time through the book, pick one topic, write the topic at the top of the page, and write down all of verses from Proverbs that address that topic. Each month gets a separate page for a separate topic.

That’s it. It doesn’t require a huge investment of time or brain power. It requires only an intent to notice things. And the result is that you get your own usable, topical index of Proverbs for future reference.

I followed this advice for about 4 years, developing my own index of almost 50 topics addressed in the book of Proverbs. And I have returned to that notebook countless times since. It is a common occurrence for me to speak with a friend or child about something or other, when I remember some proverbs that speak to the matter. Only, who can ever remember all the references for the scattershot text of Proverbs? Sure, maybe I can remember “Proverbs 22:6” or “18:24” or “somewhere in chapter 30.” But, with the exception of the first 9 chapters, I will never be able to locate a particular proverb from memory, even if I could quote the words.

So I keep my notebook handy. Being homemade, it had much deeper effect on me than a concordance or search engine ever will. Perhaps at some point I will digitize it for ease of use. But don’t ask me to share it with you; I won’t. You’ll be better off if you create your own.

Thank you, Dr. Putnam. “You can dress Miss Piggy up, but you can’t take her out” (Prov 11:22).

Applying Proverbs to the Right Situation

March 18, 2020 By Peter Krol

A common piece of conventional wisdom is that “proverbs aren’t promises.” That is, that they are only true sometimes. Though well-intentioned, such principles are often misleading and unhelpful.

Tremper Longman has a more helpful way to fulfill the good intentions of such advice. He says of proverbs: “They are not true in every situation.” He then gives a number of examples showing how you can easily go wrong if you try to apply a proverb to the wrong situation.

So proverbs are not simply “sometimes true.” They are true in the situation intended by the proverb. And they are not true in other situations.

This is far more helpful and pastoral than causing people to question the validity of proverbs, as though they are simply rules of thumb, but you can’t really trust them. Longman’s examples are worth considering.

Check it out!

The Differences Between Law and Wisdom

September 25, 2019 By Peter Krol

The relationship between law and wisdom is a tricky topic that requires careful thought. Too many fall into oversimplification, as though law has to do with right or wrong, and wisdom has to do with the gray areas of life. Or as though law communicates universals and wisdom (especially Proverbs) offers only probabilities.

So robust thinking, that makes sense in plain language, is hard to find.

Here is an excellent post at Beautiful Christian Life that offers you just that—robust thinking in plain language.

Though I don’t have any strenuous disagreements, I would prefer to give less weight to theological frameworks in shaping the presentation of what the law is. But the author’s presentation of wisdom is terrific.

Check it out!

Summer Bible Camp Teaching Plan in Proverbs

July 26, 2019 By Peter Krol

This week, I’m serving as chaplain at a pretty terrific Christian summer camp. We’ve got girls from grades 3 through 11 learning about the great outdoors and our Father in heaven who made it all. Last year, I served a week of boys’ camp, where I taught the same material (though with very different application!).

sinisterbluebox (2009), Creative Commons

I have found that Proverbs is a fantastic book to teach to children and teenagers. It is clear. It stimulates. It provokes thoughtful questions. It gets intensely practical. And it easily sets us up to exalt Jesus as our Wisdom from God.

In case you might find it helpful, here is my teaching plan. It covers a broad range of pertinent topics for children and youth, while also enabling me to teach some basic Bible study skills. Each day, we just open up the text, read it, and talk about it. No expensive children’s curriculum required! For further explanation of these texts, see my blog series on Proverbs.

Day 1: What is wisdom? Proverbs 1:1-7.
- The first study explains the fundamental principle that wisdom is simply a journey in the right direction. It is not a location or a state of maturity. It is all about whether you are moving from where you are in the right direction.
- I had time for a second study on Day 1, where I gave examples of wisdom (very small, but extremely wise creatures) from Proverbs 30:24-28. In this study, I clarified that the journey of wisdom is a journey away from trusting in myself—a truth hinted at in Prov 1:7 but fleshed out here. May we be like lizards, and always be found in our King’s palace!
Day 2: What is the path of wisdom? Proverbs 2:1-11, 20-22.
- The journey of wisdom doesn’t just go wherever you want it to go. This path takes us toward the Lord and away from ourselves. Climax in John 14:6: Jesus is the path we must take to get to God.
Day 3: Obstacle to wisdom #1: More stuff. Proverbs 2:12-15, 1:10-19.
- There is nothing wrong with having or acquiring stuff (money, possessions, etc.). But when we live for it, when our desire for more stuff becomes the focus of our lives, we move in the wrong direction. Wanting more stuff causes me to trust in or please myself instead of the Lord. This is folly.
- Climax: Jesus was rich, but became poor so we could become rich in him (2 Cor 8:9).
Day 4: Obstacle to wisdom #2: More pleasure. Proverbs 5:1-6, 2:16-19.
- Though I broaden the application to all pleasure (food, sports, friends, reading, etc.), I make sure also to touch down on the chief pleasure Solomon has in mind: sexual pleasure. Children need to hear about this, even at a young age! And, as with the previous day’s teaching, I clarify that pleasure in itself is not bad. What matters is whether the pleasure makes me more enamored with the Lord (wisdom) or more enamored with myself (folly).
- Climax: Jesus doesn’t use people for his own pleasure. He loved the Church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by his word (Eph 5:25-26).
Day 5: Hard work. Proverbs 6:6-11.
- Look at the ant! She is self-motivated (Prov 6:7) and seasonally productive (Prov 6:8). She can teach us the wisdom of asking ourselves some hard questions (Prov 6:9), beginning with small choices (Prov 6:10), and remembering the consequences of foolishness (Prov 6:11).
- Climax: Jesus is still working on our behalf, just as his Father is working (John 5:17).
Day 6: Steady progress. Proverbs 26:11, 4:10-19.
- Closing vision for walking in wisdom, step by step, for the rest of your life. When you leave here, please don’t be like dogs licking up your own vomit (returning to your folly). The path of wisdom is like the sunrise, shining brighter and brighter until the full day. It doesn’t matter how far you are down that path. It doesn’t matter how you compare in maturity to anyone else. It matters only that you move toward the Sunrise from on high, one step at a time.
- Climax: Luke 2:51-52. Even Jesus “increased in wisdom.” He knows what it’s like to walk this path. Our hope is not even in our ability to stay on this path, but in the one who walked this path before us and calls us to follow him on it.

I picked the topic of hard work for Day 5, only because I was particularly excited about that topic when I first put this plan together. But it could easily be replaced with wise speech, money matters, friendship, thought life, truthfulness, or any other of the myriad topics of applied wisdom from Proverbs 10-31. Or, if you have only a 5-day program (such as a weekday VBS), you could drop my Day 5, and the rest would hang together just fine.

Through frequent repetition, during teaching times, of the following Q&A, which adds a new piece each day, I’ve seen the children solidly internalize the framework.

What treasure are we hunting for this week (Prov 25:2)?
- Wisdom.
What is wisdom?
- A journey in the right direction.
What is the right direction toward?
- God.
What does it move you away from?
- Myself.
What is the path you must take for this journey?
- Jesus.
What is the first thing that will turn you away from God and back toward yourself?
- More stuff.
What is the second thing?
- More pleasure.
What is the main thing that will make you wise—it’s more important than anything you’ve ever learned, and it’s more powerful than anything you’ve ever done or had done to you?
- Taking just one step toward God by trusting Jesus. Then another step. Then another.

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