Solomon’s proverbs: Proverbs 25−29

As part of his religious reforms, Hezekiah’s officials selected some of Solomon’s 3000 proverbs and copied them into a single collection. It makes the fifth group of proverbs that we now have.

With 3000 proverbs to choose from, these would have to be those that Hezekiah (or his officials) saw as most important at a time when Ahaz (Hezekiah’s father) had led Judah into idolatry, Israel/Samaria had fallen to Assyria, and the prophets had started warning Judah of a similar fate. During Hezekiah’s reign, Judean cities were lost to Assyria, and Jerusalem was besieged (but not lost).

The collection starts with:

^25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal things,
but the glory of kings is to search things out.

It finishes with:

^29:26-27 Many seek the favour of a ruler,
but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.
The unjust are an abomination to the righteous,
but the upright are an abomination to the wicked.