| Waltke | Steinmann | Schipper |
| 3:1-12 | 3:1-20 | 3:1-12 |
| 3:13-35 | 3:21-35 | 3:13-20 |
| 3:21-35 |
In favor of Waltke and Schipper, 3:1-12 has a unified structure that sets it apart from what follows. In favor of Steinmann, the “my son” address does not reoccur until v. 21. Steinmann treats 3:1-12 and 3:13-20 as two subsections under 3:1-20. On the other hand, Schipper’s structure does seem to divide the text naturally. It may be that 3:1-12 and 3:21-35 are addresses to the son. The other kind of material in Proverbs 1-9, other than the introductory statement in 1:1-7, are addresses by Wisdom herself. Though 3:13-20 is not an address of Wisdom, it contains many affinities to these addresses, especially the one in chapter 8. If it is associated with those Wisdom addresses, it could be classified as its own section here.
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