Everyday we make choices on the path of life. Proverbs are memorable capsules of wisdom, chiseled in words and polished through use by those who have traveled that path ahead of us. But the proverbs of the Bible make a greater claim than "a penny saved is a penny earned." They are woven into the web of divine revelation, rooted in the "fear of the Lord" that is the beginning of wisdom. While many proverbs speak to us directly, we can gain much greater insight by studying the book of Proverbs as a whole, understanding its relationship to ancient non-Israelite wisdom and listening to its conversation with the other great voices of wisdom in Scripture--Job and Ecclesiastes. In Tremper Longman III provides a welcome guide to reading and studying, understanding and savoring the Proverbs for all their wisdom. Most important for Christian readers, we gain insight into how Christ is the climax and embodiment of wisdom.
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"A brilliant blend of in-depth scholarship with an easy-to-understand conversational narrative. . . . An enjoyable read and a good guide for those who desire to explore the path of biblical wisdom." (Ted Hildebrandt, Gordon College)
"This handy volume will solve the riddle of the book of Proverbs for many. Longman's guidance for interpreting biblical proverbs in general is lucid and his clarification of special issues raised by Proverbs extremely helpful. A must-read for all who study and teach the book." (Daniel I. Block, D.Phil., Associate Dean, John R. Sampey Professor of Old Testament Interpretation, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary)
"This handy volume will solve the riddle of the book of Proverbs for many. Longman's guidance for interpreting biblical proverbs in general is lucid and his clarification of special issues raised by Proverbs extremely helpful. A must-read for all who study and teach the book." (Daniel I. Block, D.Phil., Associate Dean, John R. Sampey Professor of Old Testament Interpretation, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary)
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More About the Author
Tremper Longman III (PhD, Yale University) is the Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies and the chair of the Religious Studies department at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, where he lives with his wife, Alice. He is the Old Testament editor for the revised Expositor's Bible Commentary and has authored many articles and books on the Psalms and other Old Testament books.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
41 of 41 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
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!
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!
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By nafrica
Format:Paperback
Part II of Longman's little "How to Read" series, I think it is by far the best of the three (his Psalms intro is a close second). His exposition on the meaning of Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly was fantastic. His integration of other wisdom books was very helpful and militates against an isolated reading of Proverbs. And his interpretation that the woman in Proverbs 31 represents Jesus was genius. This book really motivates you to tackle Proverbs on your own and to really appreciate its artform. And you can't ask more from a intro book.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
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.
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.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must read!
This book is great for anyone interested in learning more about Proverbs! It's easy to read yet packed with depth.
Published 4 months ago by Suzanne Leahy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Understanding of the Wisdom Literature
I am reading this for a seminary class. The book gives a great overview of simply how to read the Proverbs. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Vicki Farina
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loved It!
Tremper has the ability to draw you in and explain simply concepts of Psalms. Would recommend to all who study the bible.
Published 4 months ago by Mary Rub
3.0 out of 5 stars
Fine for beginners
Ok for starters. If you need more depth you better think of going somewhere else, however as a begginer or as a refresher it is fine!
Published 5 months ago by b8oven9
4.0 out of 5 stars
Erudite but accessible
Longman successfully balances solid, reliable and contemporary biblical scholarship with accessibility for the intelligent but not necessarily learned reader of Proverbs. Read more
Published 7 months ago by DJ Konz
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very good book, highly recommend
I highly recommend this book, which was very easy to read and to understand. I'm taking a class online about Old Testament poetry, and this book has helped me a lot! Read more
Published 16 months ago by C. Hanna
3.0 out of 5 stars
A little difficult
There is some good information in this book but it seems a little pedantic for the lay reader. I purchased it to accompany a study I am leading on Proverbs hoping for more... Read more
Published on October 3, 2010 by M. Wright
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very helpful on "How to Read Proverbs"
The title of the book is accurate - as the author does an excellent job in showing us "How to Read Proverbs". Read more
Published on January 13, 2008 by Books and Woodworking
4.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable and well written
Aside from a little over-spiritualizing in the "Woman Wisdom or Folly" portion, I thought that the book was quite engaging and informative.
Published on November 26, 2007 by T. Barry
5.0 out of 5 stars
A precious book!
Positive:
- Easy to read
- Good structure
- Very helpful study questions and "for further reading" at the end of each chapter
- Good... Read more
- Easy to read
- Good structure
- Very helpful study questions and "for further reading" at the end of each chapter
- Good... Read more
Published on November 29, 2006 by A. Kioulachoglou
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 30
books:
See all 30 books this book cites
2
books
cite this book:
- Dictionary of Biblical Imagery by Leland Ryken on page 46, and Back Matter
- Wisdom in Ancient Israel by John Day on page 78, and Back Matter
- The Book of Proverbs (Cambridge Bible Commentaries on the Old Testament) by R. N. Whybray on page 130, and Back Matter
- The Idea of Biblical Poetry: Parallelism and Its History by James Kugel on page 46, and Back Matter
- Wisdom in Israel by Gerhard von Rad on page 21, and Back Matter
See all 30 books this book cites
- How Children Raise Parents: The Art of Listening to Your Family by Dan B. Allender in Front Matter
- How to Read Genesis (How to Read Series How to Read) by Tremper Longman III in Back Matter
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