This chapter is a parade example of a wisdom poem, an instruction in 22 verses (the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet). Moreover, it is tightly structured with six strophes: 4, 4, 3 and 4, 4, 3 verses. Each strophe has opening words that are flags, or signs. ʾAlep (the first Hebrew letter) opens verse 1 (after the customary “my son”) and closes verse 4. This conditional strophe (or structural division) is followed by two other strophes (beginning at vv. 5, 9) indicating what will happen. Both are introduced in the same way: “then you will understand” (beginning with ʾālep: ʾāz). The second half of the alphabet begins with lāmed (“to”). In a similar fashion as ʾālep, lāmed opens the two strophes at verses 12 and 16. Both begin “to save you” according to the MT—the NIV paraphrases and…