Table of Contents

Introduction John Day, Robert P. Gordon, and H. G. M. Williamson; Part I. The Ancient Near Eastern Setting: 1. Egyptian wisdom literature J. D. Ray; 2. Some new Babylonian wisdom literature W. G. Lambert; 3. The wisdom of Ahiqar Jonas C. Greenfield; Part II. Old Testament and Apocryphal Texts: 4. Foreign semitic influence on the wisdom of Israel and its appropriation in the book of Proverbs John Day; 5. The limits of theodicy as a theme of the book of Job E. W. Nicholson; 6. Qoheleth Otto Kaiser; 7. A house divided: wisdom in Old Testament narrative traditions Robert P. Gordon; 8. Wisdom in Solomonic historiography André Lemaire; 9. Amos and wisdom J. A. Soggin; 10. Hosea and the wisdom tradition: dependence and independence A. A. Macintosh; 11. Isaiah and the wise H. G. M. Williamson; 12. Jeremiah and the wise William McKane; 13. The wisdom psalms R. N. Whybray; 14. Wisdom and Daniel B. A. Mastin; 15. Ecclesiasticus: a tract for the times John G. Snaith; 16. The Christian use and the Jewish origins of the Wisdom of Solomon William Horbury; 17. Were there schools in ancient Israel? G. I. Davies; 18. The trees, the beasts and the birds: fables, parables and allegories in the Old Testament Kevin J. Cathcart; 19. The personification of Wisdom Roland E. Murphy; 20. Wisdom and the goddess Judith M. Hadley; 21. Wisdom at Qumran A. S. van der Woude; 22. The interpretation of wisdom in nineteenth-century scholarship Rudopf Smend; 23. Wisdom and Old Testament theology R. E. Clements; Biographical note: John Adney Emerton; Bibliography of the works of John Adney Emerton Karen K. Miticich; Indexes.

Promotional Information

A collection of essays on wisdom literature and its relation to ancient Near Eastern thought.

Reviews

'This collection immediately becomes mandatory reading for students of the Old Testament because of its breadth, erudition, and state-of-the-art currency. Anyone wishing to encounter more closely and intelligently the riches of the Old Testament's wisdom writings should spend time with it.' Regent's Reviews 'The many fresh insights offered by the contributors will make this volume necessary to students and scholars alike.' Word Trade