xx. 9 . John i. 8.
xx. 20 . . Matt. xv. 4; Mark vii. so. xxii. 8 ; LXX, 2 Cor. ix. 7.
* xxv. 21, 22 . Rom. xii. 20.
II . . 2 Pet. ii. 22.
xxvii. 1 . James iv. 13, 14, 16.
Of these only those marked with an asterisk are actual quotations ; in the others there is a more Or less direct allusion.
3. Divisions. —The thirty-one chapters of the Book of Proverbs may be roughly divided into four sections :—(I.) The hortatory introduction (i.-ix.) ; (2.) The first collection of the Proverbs of Solomon,' properly so called, with its appen dices (x.-xxiv.) ; (3.) The second collection, com piled by Hezeklah's scribes (xxv.-xxix.) ; (4.) An appendix by different writers.
(1.) The first of these sections has no continuous connection, and is hardly capable of any very ac curate subdivision. The separate chapters form in some instances a connected whole (ex. gr., ii. v. vii. viii. ix.); sometimes the connection does not extend beyond a few verses (ex. gr., iii. 1-10, 13 26 ; iv. 14-19 ; vi. 1-5, 6-11). There is little co herence between the separate chapters, and little unity beyond that of the general subject or the mode of treating it, so that if one chapter were to be removed the organisation of the whole would not be affected, and it would hardly he missed. Ewald, however, who, somewhat in defiance of the internal evidence, looks on this portion as any original whole, thoroughly connected, and cast as it were at one gush,' after the general introduction (i. 1-7) discovers three subdivisions, marked as well by the contents as by the position of the impera tive verb at the beginning of the sections (ex. gr., i. 8 ; iv. I ; vi. 20) ; while in the smaller divisions my son' stands before the verb (ex. gr., i. so, 15 ; ii. I ; iii. I, II, 20; iv. 21, etc.) Ewald's divisions are—(1.) A general admonition to the pursuit of wisdom, not fully completed, but running off into particulars (i. 8–iii.) ; (2.) An exhaus tive enumeration of the particular points of his admonition (iv. 1–vi. 29), until (3.) the discourse, gradually rising in power and grandeur, at last attains an almost lyrical flight (vi. 20–ix.) Accord ing to Delitzsch (in Herzog's Eneyclop.) this sec tion is divisible into fifteen separate strains—(1) i. 7-19 ; • (2) i. 20-33 ; (3) ; (4) iii. 1-18; (5) iii. 19-26 ; (6) iii. 27.35 ; (7) iv. I--v. 6 ; (8) v. 7-23 ; (9) vi. 1-5 ; (to) vi. 6-11 ; (11) vi. 12-19; (12) vi. 20-35 ; (13) vii. ; (14) viii. ; (15) ix.
(2.) The second section (x.-xxiv.) evidently con tains three subdivisions—(a), The collection of up connected proverbs or gnomes (x. I–xxii. 16) ; (6) , ' The words of the wise' (cf. i. 6 ; Eccles. ix. 7 xii. Is), consisting of a more connected series of maxims, with a hortatory preface recalling the style of the first section (xxii. 17–xxiv. 22) ; (c), A shorter appendix of proverbial sayings, with the title these also belong to the wise,' ending with a description of a sluggard (xxiv. 23-34).
(3.) The third section is a continuous series of gnomic sayings without any subdivision (xxv.-xxvii.) (4.) The fourth section, like the second, sepa rates into three parts—(a), ' The words of Agur,' a collection of proverbial and enigmatical sayings (xxx.) ; (6), ' The words of King Lemuel' (xxxi. 1-9) ; and (c), A short alphabetical poem in praise of a virtuous woman (xxxi. 10-31).
Of the date and probable authorship of these divisions we shall speak hereafter.
4. History of the Text.—The variations from the existing Masoretic text of the Book of Proverbs pre sented by the versions of the LXX., Peshito-Syriac, the Targum, and to some extent by the Vulgate, bear witness to the former existence of copies differing in many and not unimportant points from that which has become the authoritative text. The text, as preserved in these ancient versions, differs from that of our Hebrew bibles both in excess and defect. They contain clauses, verses, and sometimes paragraphs not to be found in our extant copies, for the existence of which it is diffi cult to account, unless they formed part of the book which was before the translators ; while other portions are wanting, for the absence of which no sufficient account can be given, except that they were not read in the ancient Hebrew MSS. they employed. The very large number of minor discrepancies, both in language and arrangement, which we meet with, all tend to confirm this view, and it well deserves consideration what influence these variations, which every student knows are not confined to this book, should have on the ordinarily received hypothesis of the integrity and purity of the present Hebrew text. This, however, is not the place for the prosecution of this investiga tion. We shall content ourselves with pointing out the principal points of variation.