Proverbs in Recent Research

Abstract

This article briefly surveys major commentaries and monographs, as well as significant articles, on the book of Proverbs. The broader genre of wisdom literature, of which Proverbs is a key component, has been undergoing intense scrutiny. The question was whether there is a wisdom genre at all and if so how should it be defined. 2011–2020 was a period of intense research during which a paradigm shift was in progress. Other issues include structure and rhetorical features, divine retribution, and theology more broadly, moral self-development, pedagogy, corporal punishment, and economic and social justice. Non-western and indigenous readings and research from a gender-sensitive perspective have continued to be significant.