Proverbs 25:1-3

New Catholic Bible

Footnotes

1. Proverbs 25:1 The kingdom of the North disappeared in 721 B.C. with the fall of Samaria; only the southern kingdom, the Kingdom of Judah remained. Hezekiah was the first to preside over the latter’s destiny after the great catastrophe in the North. He left behind him the memory of a founder and organizer (2 Ki 18–20; 2 Chr 29–32). One of his undertakings was to assemble at Jerusalem the writings that Israel already possessed, those of the North as well as those of the South. With the help of the scribes, who were the educated people of the time, he organized a kind of national library. At that time some proverbs were collected as they stood; these, no doubt, form the main block in this part of the Book. Later on, scribes transcribing and commenting on this collection must have added further sayings. Together with chapters 10–22, to which it is related by content and style, this collection is the oldest part of the present Book of Proverbs. In general, the sayings remain without order; once or twice, however, the authors have tried to group together some proverbs that are concerned with the same theme. Accordingly, we will suggest simply a few points that merit attention.
2. Proverbs 25:2 Since the prince is held in great esteem by his subjects, above all he is expected to be just.
3. Proverbs 25:3 The heart of a king is unfathomable: i.e., it cannot be understood—like the four things in Prov 30:18-19—yet God has control over a king’s heart (see Prov 21:1).