The Book of Proverbs

Proverbs is one biblical book that is better to take in small doses, rather than read straight through. That being said, there have been some good scholarship on the composition and redaction of the book of Proverbs that suggests it was not compiled haphazardly. For this you can see Overland’s commentary, as well as Whybray’s The Composition of the Book of Proverbs (JSOT Press, 1994) or Van Leeuwen’s Context and Meaning in Proverbs 25-27 (Society of Biblical Literature, 1988) and his commentary in the New Interpreter’s Bible series.

When we turn to commentaries on the book of Proverbs there are many different options. Preeminent among the more scholarly commentaries is Michael V. Fox‘s two volumes in the Yale Anchor series. Murphy is a top scholar on the wisdom literature of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. His three works on Proverbs are all worth consulting, though his WBC is perhaps the best of his work.

I would be remiss to not mention the excellent — and very detailed — commentary by one of my former professors, Bruce Waltke. Other more academic commentaries are Wright‘s volume, which is invaluable for a historical perspective, as well as Loader‘s two volumes.

For pastoral use, I highly recommend Longman, Overland, and Purdue. While Hubbard is a good popular commentary, and I have been impressed with Farmer and Koptak. Finally, the new replacement volume in the Tyndale series by Wilson is excellent, and you can never go too wrong with Kidner.

AuthorTitleSeriesYearTags
Aitken, Kenneth T.Proverbs Daily Study Bible 2006S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Anders, Max E.Proverbs Holman OT Commentary2005S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Atkinson, David J.The Message of Proverbs (Rev. ed.)Bible Speaks Today2023S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Bellis, Alice OgdenProverbsWisdom Commentary Series2018S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Clifford, Richard J.ProverbsOT Library1999S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Davis, Ellen F.Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs Westminster Bible Companion2000S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-orientedFarmer, Kathleen A.Proverbs & Ecclesiastes: Who Knows What is Good?International Theological Commentary1991S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-orientedS = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-orientedFox, Michael V.Proverbs 1–9Anchor Yale Bible2000S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-orientedS = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-orientedFox, Michael V.Proverbs 10–31 Anchor Yale Bible2009S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Garrett, Duane A.Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of SolomonNew American Commentary 1993S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-orientedGoldingay, JohnProverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs for EveryoneOT for Everyone2014S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-orientedGoldingay, JohnProverbsCommentaries for Christian Formation2023S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Hayes, Katherine M.ProverbsNew Collegeville Bible Commentary2012S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Horne, Milton P.Proverbs – Ecclesiastes Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary2003S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Hubbard, David AllanProverbsThe Preacher’s Commentary 2002S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Kidner, DerekProverbsTyndale OT Commentaries1981S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Koptak, Paul E.ProverbsNIV Application Commentary2003S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Loader, James AlfredProverbs, Volume 1: Chapters 1–9Historical Commentary on the OT2014S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Loader, James AlfredProverbs, Volume 2: Chapters 10–15Historical Commentary on the OT2022S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Longman III, TremperProverbsBaker Commentary on the OT2006S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Lucas, Ernest C.ProverbsTwo Horizons OT Commentary 2016S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
McKane, WilliamProverbs OT Library1980S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Murphy, Roland E.Wisdom LiteratureForms of the OT Literature1981S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-orientedMurphy, Roland E.ProverbsWord Biblical Commentary1998S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
O’Dowd, Ryan P.ProverbsStory of God Bible Commentary2017S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-orientedOverland, PaulProverbsApollos OT Commentary2022S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Perdue, Leo G.ProverbsInterpretation2000S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Schipper, Bernd UlrichProverbs 1: 1–15Hermeneia2019S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Scott, R. B. Y.Proverbs, EcclesiastesAnchor Yale Bible1985S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Toy, Crawford H.ProverbsInternational Critical Commentary1899S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Treier, Daniel J.Proverbs and Ecclesiastes Brazos Theological Commentary2011S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Van Leeuwen, RaymondProverbs New Interpreter’s Bible1997S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-orientedWaltke, Bruce K.Proverbs: Chapters 1–15New International Commentary on the OT2004S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-orientedWaltke, Bruce K.Proverbs: Chapters 15–31New International Commentary on the OT2005S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Waltke, Bruce K.; De Silva, Ivan D. V.Proverbs: A Shorter Commentary2021S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Whybray, R. N.The Book of Proverbs Cambridge Bible Commentaries on the OT1972S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Whybray, R. N.ProverbsNew Century Bible Commentary1995S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-orientedWilson, LindsayProverbsTyndale OT Commentaries2018S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Wright, J. Robert (ed)Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of SolomonAncient Christian Commentary on Scripture 2005S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented
Yoder, Christine RoyProverbsAbingdon OT Commentaries2009S = scholarly; P = pastoral; L = Lay-oriented