The Game of Proverbs Study No. 80
Scripture Memorization Can Be Fun
Why memorize Scripture? Scripture memorization can be a boring task. A few are gifted with the ability of lightning fast scripture and verse recall. For the rest of us, it is often such a laborious task.
Those under the New Covenant have the Word of the Almighty written in their hearts and minds, Hebrews 8:8-13. David wrote, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee,” Psalms 119:11. Paul gained spiritual strength by singing Psalms while in prison. He obviously did not have the Church hymnal to guide him. The Messiah defended the faith by successfully countering Satan’s twisted use of Scripture. The Savior did not have Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to help Him look up verses. During the Middle Ages and the Catholic Inquisition, it was a crime punishable by death to be caught with a Bible. Believers committed vast portions of Bible to memory.
And for us today, we are no less in need to know the Maker’s instruction book. We must be ready to give an answer to those who ask, I Peter 3:15. We are to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Eternal, Matthew 4:4.
Rules for The Game of Proverbs
For years, our family has played The Game of Proverbs, a scripture memorization game I devised. We have been amazed how very young children have such sharp memories. As a nine-year old, our daughter gleefully trounced me! For young and old, learning Scripture can be fun.
Each Proverb is split into two parts. The object is to match the two parts of the Proverb. The player with the most matching pairs wins the game. Here are suggested rules:
(1) Mix cards and deal all of them one at a time to the players (2-4 players is best). It’s O.K. if someone gets an extra card.
(2) Players examine their cards, and lay down matched pairs in front of them.
(3) Player #1 to left of dealer begins the game by asking any other player if he or she has the other half of a card in Player #1’s hand. For example, if Player #1 has the first half of Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the LORD . . . ” he may ask another player, “Do you have Proverbs 1:7?” If the other player does not have Proverbs 1:7, the game proceeds to Player #2.
(4) If the player who was asked does have the matching card, Player #1 attempts to recite the rest of the verse. In our example, “ . . . is the beginning of knowledge,” is the correct answer. If successful, Player #1 collects the card, lays down the matched pair, and asks another matching question of any player. Player #1 continues as long as he successfully matches pairs. Otherwise, play proceeds to Player #2.
(5) The game continues until all pairs are matched. If the game cannot be finished because nobody can recite the other half of their cards, everyone passes a card to their left and game proceeds as normal.
(6) Winner is the player with the most matched pairs. Adults may not cry if the children win!
Alternate Rules
Try leaving some cards in a pickup pile. When a pair is matched as a result of a question, allow both players to pick up a replacement card.
For younger players, you may allow them to try to recite the verse, but not be so strict in demanding an exact word-for-word rendering. Be careful, though, because little ones learn fast!
There may be too many cards for you to absorb. You may want to leave a few Proverbs out of the game until you have a smaller number memorized. Then, you can add more as your memory skill increases.
Feedback Requested
If you enjoy playing The Game of Proverbs, please give us feedback. Did you vary the rules? If so, how? Would you like to receive additional cards for other Bible books and/or topics?
Please give us your ideas and feedback.
Make as many copies of The Game of Proverbs as you wish for your friends. Imprint the Almighty’s Word in your mind and heart, and live it every day!
The Game of Proverbs is copyrighted © 1984 by Giving & Sharing.
To help you learn the Proverbs in this game, here is a Matching Quiz. Match the first part of the Proverb in the first column, with the second part of the Proverb in the second column. Answers are provided at the end of the quiz.
First Part of Proverb . . .
1. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine . . .
2. A good man leaveth an inheritance . . .
3. A foolish son . . .
4. A brother offended . . .
5. A prudent man forseeth the evil, and hideth himself . . .
6. A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband . . .
7. A wise son . . .
8. A good name is rather to be chosen . . .
9. A soft answer turneth away wrath . . .
10. A man that hath friends . . .
11. A word fitly spoken . . .
12. Better is a little with righteousness . . .
13. But the path of the just is as the shining light . . .
14. Can a man take fire in his bosom . . .
15. Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord . . .
16. Even a child . . .
17. Fools despise . . . Fools hate . . .
18. For a just man falleth seven times . . .
19. Go to the ant . . .
20. Hatred stirreth up strifes . . .
21. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper . . .
22. He that spareth his rod hateth his son . . .
23. He that hath no rule over his own spirit . . .
24. If thou faint in the day of adversity . . .
25. In all thy ways acknowledge Him . . .
26. In the multitude of counsellors . . .
27. It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop . . .
28. Let another man praise thee . . .
29. Love not sleep . . .
30. Open rebuke . . .
31. Pleasant words . . .
32. Pride goeth before destruction . . .
33. Seest thou a man hasty in his words? . . .
34. Seest thou a man diligent in his business? . . .
35. The hand of the diligent shall bear rule . . .
36. The words of a talebearer are as wounds . . .
37. The fear of the Lord . . .
38. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, . . .
39. Train up a child in the way he should go . . .
40. Where there is no vision . . .
41. Who can find a virtuous woman? . . .
42. Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging . . .
43. The liberal soul . . .
. . . Second Part of Proverb
__ a. . . . is the beginning of knowledge (1:7).
__ b. . . . wisdom and instruction.
. . . knowledge (1:7, 22).
__ c. . . . and He shall direct thy paths (3:6).
__ d. . . . that shineth more and more unto the perfect day (4:18).
__ e. . . . thou sluggard, consider her ways, and be wise (6:6).
__ f. . . . and his clothes not be burned? (6:27).
__ g. . . . but love covereth all sins (10:12).
__ h. . . . there is safety (11:14).
__ i. . . . but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones (12:4).
__ j. . . . but the slothful shall be under tribute (12:24).
__ k. . . . to his children’s children (13:22).
__ l. . . . but he that loveth him chasteneth his betimes (13:24).
__ m. . . . but the end thereof are the ways of death (14:12).
__ n. . . . but grievous words stir up anger (15:1).
__ o. . . . maketh a glad father (15:20).
__ p. . . . than great revenues without right (16:8).
__ q. . . . and an haughty spirit before a fall (16:18).
__ r. . . . are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, health to the bones (16:24).
__ s. . . . but a broken spirit drieth the bones (17:22).
__ t. . . . is a grief to his father (17:25).
__ u. . . . and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly (18:8).
__ v. . . . must shown himself friendly (18:24).
__ w. . . . is harder to be won than a strong city (18:19).
__ x. . . . and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise (20:1).
__ y. . . . is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right (20:11).
__ z. . . . lest thou come to poverty (20:13).
__ aa. . . . and a false balance is not good (20:23).
__ ab. . . . but the simple pass on and are punished (22:3).
__ ac. . . . than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold (22:1).
__ ad. . . . and when he is old, he will not depart from it (22:6).
__ ae. . . . he shall stand before kings (22:29).
__ af. . . . thy strength is small (24:10).
__ ag. . . . and riseth up again (24:16).
__ ah. . . . is like apples of gold in pictures of silver (25:11).
__ ai. . . . than with a brawling woman and in a wide house (25:24).
__ aj. . . . is like a city that is broken down, and without walls (25:28).
__ ak. . . . and not thine own mouth (27:2).
__ al. . . . is better than secret love (27:5).
__ am. . . . but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy (28:13).
__ an. . . . the people perish (29:18).
__ ao. . . . there is more hope of a fool than of him (29:20).
__ ap. . . . for her price is far above rubies (31:10).
__ aq. . . . shall be made fat (11:25).
Answers to Proverbs Quiz:
a37, b17, c25, d13, e19, f14, g20, h26, i6, j35, k2, l22, m38, n9, o7, p12, q32, r31, s1, t3, v10, w4, x42, y16, z29, aa15, ab5, ac8, ad39, ae34, af24, ag18, ah11, ai27, aj23, ak28, al30, am21, an40, ao33, ap41, aq43.
Note to Student:
Scripture memorization is easier when you use the beautiful and flowing words from the King James Version, as we have done in The Game of Proverbs.
For additional information on the Book of Proverbs, we recommend Study No. 140, “Lessons From Proverbs,” and Study No. 253, “Twelve Kinds of Proverbs,” both available on the Giving & Sharing website.
Game of Proverbs Memorization Cards
To make the Game of Proverbs memorization cards, print out the .pdf file from the link below. Print or copy the pages on 2-sided paper. One side has one part of the proverb, and the reverse side has the other. Game of Proverbs PDF File
The Game of Proverbs
© Copyright 1984 by: Giving & Sharing
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Instructions: (1) Mix cards and deal them out. (2) Players lay down matched pairs from their own hands.
(3) Player #1 asks any player if he has a particular matching Proverb. If so, player #1 must quote the rest of the verse. If successful, he lays down the pair and continues.
(4) When Player #1 misses, play continues to Player #2. Game is completed when all Proverbs are matched. Player with most matched pairs wins.