1. THE GATEWAY TO THE SAYINGS (1:1 – 9:18)
A. The prologue (1:1–7)
B. The choice between two calls (1:8–33)
i. Avoid the company of wrongdoers (1:8–19)
ii. Respond to the call of wisdom (1:20–33)
C. The value of character (2:1–22)
D. The rewards of wisdom (3:1–35)
E. A plea to embrace wisdom (4:1–27)
F. Adultery as folly (5:1–23)
G. Other examples of folly (6:1–19)
i. Financial folly (6:1–5)
ii. Laziness and hard work (6:6–11)
iii. Troublemakers (6:12–15)
iv. A numerical saying (6:16–19)
H. The danger of adultery (6:20–35)
I. The enticing words of the immoral woman (7:1–27)
J. A fuller picture of wisdom (8:1–36)
K. Two invitations (9:1–18)
2. THE SAYINGS OF SOLOMON (10:1 – 22:16)
A. The first half of Solomon’s sayings (10:1 – 15:33) (A mixture of clusters and individual proverbs [see the commentary])
B. The theological heart of the sayings (16:1–9)
C. The second half of Solomon’s sayings (16:10 – 22:16) (A mixture of clusters and individual proverbs [see the commentary])
3. THE SAYINGS OF THE WISE (22:17 – 24:34)
A. The thirty sayings of the wise (22:17 – 24:22)
i. Introduction (22:17–21)
ii. Key life choices (22:22 – 23:11)
iii. The temptations of youth (23:12–35)
iv. The destinies of the wise and the wicked (24:1–22)
B. More sayings of the wise (24:23–34)
i. The role of the judges in administering justice (24:23–25)
ii. Promoting community in speech and work (24:26–29)
iii. The folly of laziness (24:30–34)
4. MORE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON COMPILED DURING THE TIME OF HEZEKIAH (25:1 – 29:27)
A. Living wisely in public (25:1 – 27:27)
i. Living in the community and in the court (25:1–28)
ii. How to deal with a fool (26:1–12)
iii. The lazy person (26:13–16)
iv. The damage done by false words (26:17–28)
v. Relationships, good and bad (27:1–22)
vi. Advice to leaders (27:23–27)
B. The righteous and the wicked (28:1 – 29:27)
i. The wicked (28:1–12)
ii. The character of the righteous and the wicked (28:13–28)
iii. Wisdom in the midst of wickedness (29:1–15)
iv. Improper speech and attitudes (29:16–27)
5. THE SAYINGS OF AGUR AND LEMUEL (30:1 – 31:9)
A. The sayings of Agur (30:1–33)
i. Testimony and prayer (30:1–9)
ii. Proverbs and numerical sayings (30:10–33)
B. The sayings of King Lemuel (31:1–9)
i. The role of the king (31:1–3)
ii. A potential distraction (31:4–7)
iii. Do good for the poor (31:8–9)
6. EPILOGUE: THE WIFE OF NOBLE CHARACTER (31:10–31)
A. Her great value (31:10–12)
B. Her actions (31:13–27)
i. Her work at home (31:13–19)
ii. Her involvement in the community (31:20–27)
C. The praise she receives (31:28–31)