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    ÎNŢELEPCIUNEA LUI DUMNEZEU

    hm'k.x'• Harris, R. Laird ; Harris, Robert Laird ; Archer, Geaso! Leo!ard ; "at#e, $r%ce

    &.'Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament 

    . eectro!ic ed. Chica(o ' Mood)Press, *+++, c*+-, . /0

       חכ (ḥokmâ). Wisdom. The usages of ḥokmâ  cover the whole gamut of humanexperience. Wisdom is seen in the skill of technical work in making garments for the high priest(Ex 28:)! craftsmanship in metal work (Ex ":! #)! as well as the execution of $attle tactics (%sa"&:"). Wisdom is re'uired from government leaders and heads of state for administration (eut:*+ %% ,am ":2&)! including pagan leaders as well as %sraelites (E-k 28:/). The 0essiahdemonstrates wisdom and discernment in his function as leader of his people (%sa l ":2).

    Wisdom is expressed in shrewdness. The woman of Tekoa averted a town1s $loodshed in her clever plea for its safet (%% ,am 2&:22). 3ut a shrewd person is not to $oast of his gift (4er *:22).

    The ostrich displas traits lacking shrewdness when she acts in her sill selfish manner (4o$*:"5). The gift of shrewdness can $e used in an ungodl wa to den the omniscience of 6od(%sa 5:"&).

    7rudence! an aspect of wisdom! is expressed $ those who speak with wisdom (7s 5:&+7rov "&:")! and who use time carefull (7s *&:"2). This kind of wisdom in the practical affairsof life is derived from the revelation of 6od (%sa :#).

    The source of all wisdom is a personal 6od who is hol! righteous! and ust. 9is wisdom isexpressed against the $ackground of his omnipotence and omniscience. 3 his wisdom 6odnum$ered the clouds (4o$ 8:5)! founded the earth (7rov :"*)! and made the world (4er "&:"2).Wisdom! $eing found in 6od! is regarded as a divine attri$ute (4o$ "2:"). 9e alone knowswisdom in its truest sense (4o$ 28:2&! 2). The wisdom of 6od is not found in man1s speculation.

    9e alone must provide this wisdom for man1s guidance so that man can live the $est possi$lemoral and ethical life (7rov 2:#+ 4o$ "":#).%n prover$ial fashion! the 3i$le personifies divine wisdom so that it seems to $e a hpostasis

    of 6od! $ut stops ust short of giving it separate existence. This wisdom was $rought forth $eforeall things (7rov 8:22"). ,he has $uilt a house and prepared a $an'uet for those who will listento her (7rov *:"f.). ,he even teaches in pu$lic places (7rov ":2&+ 8:"! #! """2). 3 her instruction her students receive a divine spirit (7rov ":2)! the naive $ecome wise! politicians $ecome wise! and those who receive from her wealth are crowned with honor and riches (7rov8:"2").

    This personification of wisdom is uni'ue. While there were gods and goddesses in theancient near east who were thought to possess the gifts of wisdom it is unlikel that an existed

     $ the name of wisdom. The figure of wisdom in the T never came to $e regarded as a deitindependent of the ;ord although some such expressions occur in 7rov 8. These have often $eentaken as an adum$ration of

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    Wisdom is contrasted with the woman >oll who is personified sin. =ote the studied contrast of 7rov *:# and *:"#"8. This personification of wisdom is not found outside these chapters.

    Wisdom for man is not onl to make one humanl wise! $ut also to lead him to fear the ;ord!for this is the $eginning of all wisdom (4o$ 28:28). True wisdom for man involves knowing the9ol ne. ,o! men are to listen to the wisdom of 6od with attentive ears (7rov 2:2). %n fact!

    inner happiness onl comes when man attains this wisdom (7rov :") through a strenous search(7rov 2:)! which is actuall a search for 6od himself (7rov 2:/). ,keptics will never find thiswisdom and will never know the full meaning of life (7rov ":#f.). %n the great poem of 4o$ 28wisdom in this special $i$lical sense is practicall defined as trust in 6od and the avoidance of sin. (

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    Wisdom as law. The divine wisdom in 4o$ 28 and 7rover$s 8 is a complex figure! a factwhich provided later sages with the opportunit to personif other concepts. The priestl scri$e3en ,ira! writing around 2&&"8& 3

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    apocrphal $ooks forms of sophos/sophia occur over "&& times)! have come to represent %srael1s@Wisdom ;iterature.A

    %n itself the root has a fairl wide range of meaning (T  DNT   5:5#*2). @Wise menA areassociated with the diviners and magicians of Egpt (6en ":8+ Exod 5:"")! and in the $ook of aniel with the interpretation of dreams (an 2:25). The $asic meaning of @skill! a$ilitA appears

    in the designation of 3e-alel and the workers on the desert sanctuar as @wiseA (Exod #:2! 8).The term is applied artisan skills such as metalwork ("

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    dated to the first part of the 2d centur! pro$a$l 2&&"8&. Clthough a maorit opinion considers4o$ as postexilic in date! a preexilic origin cannot $e excluded (7ope  Jo C3! xxxiixl). TheWisdom of ,olomon,olomon is generall assigned to the last half of the "st centur 3.urther research on the various roles of sages in %srael and the C =E will sharpen their sociological profile (6ammie and 7erdue "**&).

    0.  "isdo3 Ge!res. The definition of @prover$A is notoriousl difficult. The 9e$rew termm++l, commonl translated as @prover$!A has a wide range of meanings (indicating even thetaunt song in %sa ":f f.). Etmologicall it seems to $e connected with comparison and with ruleor power. Cnother term for the saings in the Wisdom ;iterature is @aphorism.A 4. Williams("*8&: 8&) enumerates several features of aphoristic speech exhi$ited $ the $i$lical prover$s: the speech is assertive! apparentl selfexplanator! and sas something as though it isa priori& it is fre'uentl paradoxical+ it is $rief and concise+ there are fre'uent plas on words+

    the comparison is a $asic feature. %t appears that the word @prover$A should $e used for saingsthat have come into popular use' whatever their origins (9ermission "*#8: + 4. Williams "*8":588&).

    The $asic wisdom saing is usuall composed of two lines in parallelism! a common feature of 7rover$s "&". Jer often there is simpl a uxtaposition! without a ver$! as the followingillustrates: @C gatherer in summerHa wise son+ a sleeper during harvestHa disgraceful sonA(7rov "&:/). The uxtapositional stle! which is not evident in the usual translations! ena$les theauthor to put things together (snonmous parallelism)! and also to contrast them (antithetic parallelism). 3ut even the @identitA of two su$ects is more or less an implicit comparison.

    2d se%nd

    hr$st

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    ,ometimes the comparison is made explicit: @;ike a $ird straing from its nestHa man straingfrom his homeA (7rov 25:8). The stle of the saings varies considera$l. ne can have @notgoodA saings (7rov "*:2)! or @a$ominationA saings (7rov "":")! or @$etterA saings (7rov22:")! or @numericalA saings (xnum$er! plus "+ cf. 7rov &:"8"*)! or @impossi$le 'uestionsA(4o$ 8:""+ or the rest! the author seems to utili-e reflections on various turns in life (Ellermeier "*#5: ##5*+3raun "*5: "//"/8). 3en ,ira ranges over the whole gamut of literar genres including hmnsand praers in his /" chapters (3aumgartner "*"). Jarious genres have $een suggested for partsof the Wisdom of ,olomon: apocalptic! the 9ellenistic sncrisis! midrash! epideictic! andencomium (;archer "*88/: "&*""+ 3i--eti "*8). Ct least the structure seems to have $eenade'uatel esta$lished $ the recognition of inclusions (Wright "*#5a).

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    wisdom. Cnother wa of putting this is to sa that wisdom is an international heritage in which%srael had a share (see the treatment of extra$i$lical Wisdom ;iterature $elow).

    ne result of this characteristic has $een a tendenc to push wisdom to the perimeter of Ttheolog! or even to exclude it as a legitimate topic for $i$lical theolog (7reuss "*5+ "*85).9ence there has $een much discussion of @KahwismA as opposed to @WisdomA (0urph "*5/+

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    (7rov *:"&). >or some scholars the $asic goal of wisdom is to live $ the order of the world posited and guaranteed $ the ;ord! and in the circumstances of everda life (,kladn "*#2:*). Even if one demurs at the notion of @order!A there can $e no denial that the wisdom perspective is governed $ an understanding of creation and activit as reflected in %srael1stradition. 9ere attitude tells us more than content. 6. von ?ad has expressed this aspect ver

    well: @Thus here! in prover$ial wisdom! there is faith in the sta$ilit of the elementarrelationships $etween man and man! faith in the similarit of men and of their reactions! faith inthe relia$ilit of the orders which support human life and thus! implicitl or explicitl! faith in6od who put these orders into operationA (von ?ad "*52: #2#).

    There seems to $e a general consensus that $i$lical wisdom connotes a search for @orderA(0urph "*58: /#+ 6ese "*/8: "*8"**). That is to sa! the sages held that there was afundamental order in the world! discerni$le $ experience! and the teachings were designed to $ring a$out conformit with this order that had $een determined $ 6od. =o one would denthat his is a modern reconstruction of %sraelite mentalit. =or can one den that the ancientrecogni-ed a certain order in creation. This understanding is reflected in such passages as Cmos#:"2 (@does one plow the sea with oxenA) or 4er ":/. There is an order to natural events! and to

    the da $ da activities of human $eings. 3ut does @search for (o$ective) orderA ade'uateldescri$e the wisdom enterpriseM Ct most the sages perhaps impose an order on experience+ the present conclusions drawn from o$servation. espite the dogmatic form of their statements thewere also aware of mster and uncertaint (see $elow on the limitations of wisdom).

    The emphasis on @orderA in scholarl research is at least partiall due to the existence of such aview among the Egptians (the concept of ma%at discussed $elow). Clthough Egptianinfluence upon %sraelite Wisdom ;iterature is undenia$le! more caution should $e exercised inreconstructing the mentalit of each people.

    %n this connection the famous stud of Doch ("*//) is to $e noted. n the $asis of several $i$lical passages (7rov 2#:2528 can provide an example) he reconstructed a specific mentalit $ehind $i$lical rewardNpunishment. >or him there is no retri$ution or intervention $ 6od+ rather!

    deed and result are mechanicall related. Cn evil deed produces an evil result+ a good deed produces a good result. 9ence Doch speaks of a @destinproducingA deed+ the ;ord does notintervene. %n Doch1s metaphor! 6od is a kind of @midwifeA watching over events and their results! good and $ad. This is the nature of the @retri$utionA that 6od has esta$lished. Cgain! weare faced with an inherent @orderA of things. %n fact! some scholars (6ese "*/8: /) have arguedthat the $ooks of 4o$ and Iohelet demonstrate that the influence of Kahwism $roke through thisC=E idea of the fateproducing action. That seems to $e too eas a victor for Kahwism. %nstead!one should recogni-e that the T sources present retri$ution from two points of view: othdivine intervention and destinproducing action. There is no evidence that one view is earlier than the other or! for that matter! more religious than the other.

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    understanding of the traditional doctrines of the sages has to $e achieved for a correct assessmentof the development that takes place.

    ontaine ("*82: /) 'uotes the saing of a modern paroemiologist that @the prover$ in acollection is dead.A Cn attentive reader of T wisdom soon reali-es the cost of the mentalstruggle to revivif the saings as the appear in collections. 0odern literar studies insist on

    illuminating the @prover$ performanceA (>ontaine "*82: /5#)! an attempt to capture thecontext of the saing and the interaction which accompanies it. This is ver difficult to do for  prover$s that have $een transmitted in collections. =. ;ohfink ("*8&: /&/") has thrown newlight upon Eccl 5:"ff. $ his attempt to esta$lish a dialectic $etween traditional wisdom andIohelet. %f 5:"a is a traditional praise of good reputation! then 5:"$ cuts in to sa that onecannot la claim to it $efore death. 9ere is interaction within saings that have in the past $eenmerel viewed as collections of disparate prover$s. >or the most part! however! the $i$lical prover$s do not manifest such a dialectic. The uxtaposition of @answer not a fool according tohis follA with @answer a fool . . .A (7rov 2#:/) is a striking reminder that the saings are moresu$tle than the appear to $e at first sight. Even the seemingl most $anal prover$s have acertain evocative power if the are approached perceptivel.

    %n view of the imposing arra of confident saings in the collections! from 7rover$s down to,irach! one ma ask if the sages were aware of their own limitations. 0an saings reveal suchan awareness (von ?ad "*52: *5""&). 7erhaps the most telling is 7rov 2":&! @There is nowisdom! no understanding! no counsel! against the ;ord.A This radical statement points to themster over which the sages had no control: the activit of 6od. Cll their careful thoughts a$outsuccess and the good life deserved to $e expressed! $ut there were certain @limit situationsAwhich the recogni-ed. The recogni-ed the importance of advice and planning for an venture!especiall for war (2&:"8)! $ut no matter the num$er of horses! @victor $elongs to the ;ordA(2":"). The realm of experience to which the sages constantl resorted! also indicated to themthat certaint was not alwas to $e had.

    ne ma make plans in the heart $ut what the tongue utters is from the ;ord.Cll the was of a person ma $e pure in his own ees! $ut it is the ;ord who proves the spirit.%n his mind one plans a course! $ut the ;ord directs the steps (7rov "#:"2! *).

    The sages allowed a large margin of error $ecause the had experienced mster as well ascertaint.

    The most striking expression of this awareness comes in saings which even warn a$out the possession of wisdom. 3ecause wisdom can $lind a person to realit:

    Kou see a person wise in his own eesMThere is more hope for a fool than for him (7rov 2#:"2).3e not wise in our own ees!fear the ;ord and turn awa from evil (7rov :/).

    %n the same direction is the admonition of 4eremiah against gloring in one1s wisdom (4er *:2 2). ,o great were the possi$ilities of selfdeception! that even the possession of wisdom turnsout to $e tenuous.

    %t can $e said that the %sraelite sages expressed the mster of 6od and life even moreeffectivel than the rest of the $i$lical writers. Oophar (4o$ "":58) reads a lesson to 4o$(however insensitivel and ultimatel unustifia$l):

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    fundamental experience focuses on 6od as savior. This is then expanded to include creation andother areas of life.

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    then turn and destro meM h! remem$er that ou fashioned me from claP Will ou then $ringme down to dust againMA (4o$ "&:2*). 4an-en ("*8/: /") has shown how 4o$1s relationship to6od is @covenantal.A

    /.  2he "isdo3 E1>erie!ce. ne cannot descri$e the $i$lical Wisdom ;iterature withouttring to understand the experience that lies $ehind it. The saings! or the @wisdom teaching!A

    are the encoding of a lived experience! and onl facets of this encounter with realit can $ecaptured in words. %t is the encounter which generated the insights into the world and human $eings. Cs Cristotle ( +etaphysics' %.ii."*) remarked a$out philosoph! wisdom also can $e rootedin wonder. The sage called attention to the msterious wonder of sexual attraction $ comparingit to @wasA like the @waA of an eagle in the air (7rov &:"82&). 6od and king can $ecompared: the glor of 6od in what he conceals! the glor of the king in what he understands(7rov 2/:2). n the other hand! wisdom goes with smallness! as in the case of the ants who storeup their food in the summer (7rov &:2) and whose @wasA are a model for wisdom (7rov #:/).4o$ can taunt his friends to learn lessons from $easts and from the $irds of the air (4o$ "2:5).Ioheleth can compare even a little foll to the fl that spoils the perfumer1s ointment (Eccl*:"8). This openness to nature! and to the experiences involved with human $eings as well! is

    characteri-ed $ the insistence upon @hearingA (7rov ":8! + :"&+ "2:"/! etc.). %n " Dgs :*,olomon asks for a @listening heartA so that he might govern his people. The ideal of listeninghad alread $een underlined $ Egptian sages. 7tahhotep even speaks of the @masterhearerA inthe epilogue to his work ( A .$ ": 55#). %n contrast is the fool who fails to listen! who is notdocile: @The wa of the fool seems right in his own ees! $ut he who listens to advice is wiseA(7rov "2:"/).

    The experience is guided $ the extraordinar claim that fear of 6odN;ord is indispensa$le:The fear of the ;ord is the $eginning of knowledge+wisdom and instruction fools despise (7rov ":5).The $eginning of wisdom is the fear of the ;ord!and knowledge of the 9ol ne is understanding (7rov *:"&).

    @>ear of 6odA is not lacking in the literature of the C=E (3arrQ "*8")+ reverence $efore thenuminous is practicall a given in the ancient world. 3ut in %srael it descri$es the $asicorientation toward wisdom! @in a nutshell the whole %sraelite theor of knowledgeA (von ?ad"*52: #5). The issue here is not the presence or the fre'uenc of the notion+ @fear of 6odN;ordAis common in the 3i$le and indeed it has ac'uired various nuances (3ecker "*#/). 3ut it is a keconcept for wisdom (0urph "*85: /"/#). nl in this fundamental attitude is progress inwisdom possi$le. %t is glossed with @disciplineA (m7s+r, 7rov "/:)! which is itself a @path tolifeA (7rov "&:"5). The concept is $riefl mentioned in 4o$ (avoidance of evil! ":"+ 28:28+ cf.7rov :5)! $ut it is central to the $ook of Ecclesiasticus (9aspecker "*#5). %t is also important inEcclesiastes! $ut without the soft and consoling aspect that 3en ,ira gives it. Ioheleth uses thever$al form! not the nominal. 9uman $eings are to @fearA 6od $ecause of the inscruta$le andmsterious divine was (Eccl :"+ /:#).

    The doctrine of @fear of 6odN;ordA indicates that the wisdom experience has an unmistaka$lereligious 'ualit which 6. von ?ad ("*52: #2) expressed thus: @%srael knew nothing of the aporiawhich we read into these prover$s. %t was perhaps her greatness that she did not keep faith andknowledge apart. The experiences of the world were for her alwas divine experiences as well!and the experiences of 6od were for her experiences of the world.A %n effect! the wisdomexperience provides a model for living+ the literature prescri$es the wa one should live. The

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    wisdom experience is found in the @msticism of everda thingsA (D. ?ahner)! where the%sraelite found 6od (not without also $ewailing the divine a$sence). To know 6od! in theWisdom ;iterature! is to $e in! and to do! the truth. This is as much a faith experience as an of the cultic acts in the 4erusalem temple.

    0.  "isdo3 a!d Mora Actio!. Ckin to the wisdom experience is the @waA which wisdom

    urges the %sraelite to walk in. The most common word is derek (a$out 5/ times in 7rover$s)! $utit is often interchangea$le with %-raḥ, as in the phrase! @wa of lifeA (7rov 2:"*+ /:#+ #:2+"/:2). This is the wa that leads to! or secures! life in the full sense! prosperit and arelationship to the ;ord. The wa itself is the conduct which incarnates the teachings of the sage:honest! diligence (7rov "&:+ 2#:")! selfcontrol (":"5+ "/:")! a sense of responsi$ilit ("&:2#+25:225)! etc. While there is often a certain overlap with the ecalogue (e.g.! the fre'uentwarnings against adulter)! most of the saings deal with the gre area of forming character andintegrit of action. The approach of wisdom to moralit is much $roader than that of theecalogue in that it aims at character formation. %t is also deeper in terms of the motivation itsupplies. Whereas the ecalogue simpl invoked divine authorit (thou shalt notP)! the sagesdevelop specific motivations! and anticipate temptations. Thus the famous description of 

    seduction in 7rover$s 5 is a strong motivation. %t aims to anticipate a stressful situation! and tostrengthen resolve. %f one ma designate the codes in the T as @law!A the wisdom rules are $etter descri$ed as @catechesis!A or moral formation. %t seems likel that $oth the wisdom lessonsand the legal commands ultimatel go $ack to a famil or tri$al setting! $efore @lawA separatedfrom wisdom counsels (Cudet "*#&+

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    The ru$ came when things did not turn out as expected. There is alwas the (apparentM)triumph of the fool and the knave. %t was against this that the author of 7salm 5 spoke: @3e notvexed over evildoers! nor ealous of those who do wrongA (5:"). %t was such a pro$lem thatnearl $rought the downfall of the author of 7salm 5. C tempori-ing kind of answer to thisdifficult is to $e found in 7rov :"""2.

    The discipline of the ;ord! m son! disdain not+spurn not his re$uke+>or whom the ;ord loves he reproves!as a father the son he favors.

    Cdversit! or the failure of things to work out the wa the were supposed to! is seen here as thedisciplining of a father. This perspective is to $e found elsewhere. The medicinal aspect of adversit is held out $ Elipha- and $ Elihu (4o$ /:"52"+ :"*&)! where! however! it never  $ecomes independent of a presumed guilt! as supposedl to $e found in 4o$. ,uffering thus could $e viewed as a step taken $ the ;ord in the conversion of a sinner (hence there could $e nounderstanding! $ut onl astonishment! at the suffering of the servant in %saiah /). %n other words! it had to $e fitted into the overall view of retri$ution as taught $ the sages.

    %t is remarka$le that the pro$lem of divine ustice (or retri$ution! or whatever term one mightchoose) $ecomes the pro$lem for the sages. ne need not $e surprised $ the admission of Cgur (7rov &:"#) that he is stupid and ignorant. That is the human condition. 3ut it is hard to dealwith adversit that can find no reasona$le explanation. C human standard of ustice is applied to6od! and it does not work. This situation is often termed the @crisisA of wisdom (

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    The personification of wisdom in 4o$ 28 is sudden and unexpected. The message is simple:humans can find hidden treasures in the earth! $ut the cannot find wisdom (28:"2! 2&). %t isinaccessi$le! known onl to 6od. The description of 6od1s relationship to wisdom is o$scure.Cpparentl he knows wisdom1s place $ecause he sees everthing (v 2). %t was in the creation of the wind and the rain (vv 2/2#) that he $ecame activel involved with wisdom: seeing!

    appraising! esta$lishing and searching her out (v 25). This is all ver tantali-ing. What did 6oddo with wisdomM The author has not answered that 'uestion clearl! $ut wisdom is certainlinvolved with the divine creative activit. The precise manner of this is difficult to state. %s itmerel in the divine mind! a master plan (cf. 7rov :"8)! or is it somewhere in the universeM >or  =. 9a$el ( Jo T;! &&) it is @the fundamental principle which governs the design of theworld.A >or 4. 6. 4an-en ("*8/: "*5"*8)! wisdom is @inA the creative act. 6. von ?ad ("*52:"#"8) thought that it must $e in the world! while $eing separate from created things H@something like the Bmeaning1 implanted $ 6od in creationA ( p. "8). %t seems as thoughwisdom remains inaccessi$le in this ver text of 4o$P While man scholars regard 28:28!associating fear of the ;ord with wisdom! as a spurious addition! it can make sense in context. %taffirms that piet is the (onl) wa to wisdom availa$le to humans. n the lips of 4o$ it must $e

    ironic! or perhaps it serves as a kind of inclusion with ":". The personification does notemphasi-e the female characteristics of wisdom (ḥokmâ is a feminine noun)! in contrast to the picture that emerges in 7rover$s.

    %n 7rov ":2& ;ad Wisdom is portraed in the stle of an T prophet! threatening her audience (out in the pu$lic streets) with ridicule and doom. nl at the end of her pu$lic speechdoes she offer peace and securit to those who o$e her. %n 7rov *:"# she changes her tone! andinvites the @simpleA to the $an'uet of $read and wine. This description is in deli$erate contrast tothat of ame >oll in *:""8! who issues another invitation to the @simpleA to partake of $readand water (stolen! v "5P)Han invitation that the author characteri-es as a trip to ,heol.

    nce more! and with great flourish! ;ad Wisdom appears in 7rov 8:#. Cgain! sheaddresses the @simpleA in pu$lic places. 9er proclamation is encouraging: truth! more precious

    than silver or gold (8:"&""! "*)+ love! for those who love her (8:"5). Then she $egins thefamous description (vv 22") of her relationship to 6od and to creation:The ;ord $egot me! the first$orn of his was . . .>rom of old % was poured forth . . .When there were no depths % was $rought forth . . .Then was % $eside him as his craftsman!and % was his delight da $ da.7laing $efore him all the while! plaing on the surface of his earth+and % found delight in the sons of men.

    ,he emphasi-es (six timesP) her existence $efore creation! and descri$es herself as %+môn (v&) at the side of 6od. The meaning of that term is uncertain! either crafts(wo)man or nursling(?Rger "*55). 7erhaps she was activel engaged in the creative activit (cf. 7rov :"*). 3ut sheclearl has a role with 6od and human $eings. ,he descri$es herself as @delightA (v &+ @hisdelightA in the ;SS)! and speaks of @plaingA $efore 6od! much like avid @plaedA $efore the;ord when he $rought the ark into 4erusalem (2 ,am #:""#! 2"+ Deel "*5). 0oreover! her 

    #. #a,e! #ast

    AGG /e#t0a,$nt

    1@

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    delight is to $e with human $eings (8:")+ presuma$l this engagement involves her speeches inthe previous chapters! and especiall the promise of life with which she concludes her presentspeech (8:2! @the one who finds me finds lifeA).

    Who is ;ad WisdomM 0an identifications have $een offered (;ang "*5/: "5"5#). ,heseems to $e something of 6od! $orn of 6od! in 6od. Lsuall she is said to $e a divine attri$ute! a

     personification of the wisdom with which 6od created the world (7rov :"*+ Wh$ra "*#8).This identification is explicitl denied $ von ?ad ("*52: "/#"/5)! who sees wisdom as anattri$ute of the world! @$ virtue of which she turns towards men to give order to their lives.A6od did not merel found the earth $ wisdom (7rov :"*)+ he $uilt it into wisdom. Wisdom isthe msterious order of the world which $eckons to human $eings. 9owever! one ma ask if thisidentification with order does ustice to the divine origins! and to the role ;ad Wisdom occupiesrelative to human $eings. %s Wisdom not the ;ord! who turns toward creatures and summonsthem through creation! through the wisdom experienceM (0urph "*8/). ,he certainl seems to $e a communication of 6od. 3en ,ira recogni-ed this aspect! and identified Wisdom moreclearl for his generation.

    3en ,ira $egins his long work on a note of wisdom: @Cll wisdom comes from the ;ord . . .A

    (":"). The poem on ;ad Wisdom in chap. 2 is clearl modeled on 7rover$s 8 (,kehan "*5*).,he is now presented as speaking @in the assem$l of the 0ost 9igh!A i.e.! in the heavenl court!and not merel to @simpleA earthlings. Ket she has the same old concern for humans! and invitesthem to her $an'uet (againP 2:"*22 and 7rov *:"#). ,he descri$es her ourne throughout thecosmos (v /! @the vault of heaven!A @the depths of the a$ssA). ;ike 6od! she seems to possessthe whole world (v #). Ket she has no fixed residence! until the

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     $ecame a pro$lem with the sages. The thought of 4o$ is constantl hovering $etween life anddeath! light and darkness (:22+ "&:"822+ ":"&2&). The most poignant lament of Iohelethis his cr! @9ow is it that the wise man dies as well as the foolPA (2:"#). The issue wasexacer$ated $ the pro$lem of inustice and suffering in this life. %t was not an ade'uate answer to point out that the unust person dies a premature or painful death (7salm 5). Ioheleth is

    crushed $ the fact that there is the same lot (deathHthe @evil timeA) for the ust and the wicked(*:2). 3ut there is an eventual $reakthrough! and in tpicall wisdom stle.%t seems that the period of the martrs (0acca$ean era) gave rise to a firm $elief in the

    resurrection of the $od (an "2:2+ 2 0acca$ees 5). 9ence it is often said that the doctrine of  $odil resurrection is the @tpicalA 9e$rew response to the issue of immortalit. While this iso$viousl the view indicated in the $ook of aniel! another approach is expressed in the Wisdomof ,olomon,olomon and perhaps in the literature of the Essenes. %n Wis ":"/ righteousness(ikaiosun*) is said to $e unding !athanatos% and man times eternal $lessedness ismentioned for the ust (Wis 2:2:+ /:/). What is interesting here is that the author who clearlis aware of the 6reek doctrine of soul and $od (Wis ":"+ *:"/) does not conclude to personalimmortalit on the $asis of the nature of the human composite. That would have $een a 6reek 

    solution. 9e ma have shared such an idea! $ut he does not reason a$out immortalit in thatfashion. %nstead! $lessed immortalit flows from righteousness (":"/)! from the wisdom that isthe gift of 6od (Wis 5:5+ *:). %t lies in the nature of the relationship $etween 6od and those whofollow him. %mmortalit consists in a relationship that death cannot sever. The old doctrine of ,heol (Eccl *:"&)! where a loving contact with 6od was missing (7ss #:#+ &:"&)! now ields toan enduring presence (7s 5:228). The presence is not limited to 6od and the individual+ the $lessed one is accounted among @the sons of 6odA or @hol onesA (Wis /:"/)! i.e.! the mem$ersof the heavenl court. The association of the ust with the angels is also made in the Iumranliterature ("I, "":8*+ "I9od :2&22+ "":"&")! and this seems to suggest a kind of immortalit. The description of a $lessed immortalit in terms of association with the heavenlcourt is a logical development. The old lament was that no one could praise 6od in ,heol. =ow

    one will praise him with the other mem$ers of the heavenl court.C.  "isdo3 I!=%e!ce i! 2 Literat%re7aradoxicall! recent studies have underscored the presence of wisdom throughout the rest of 

    the 3i$le! even if wisdom and creation have $een given a perilous perch within $i$lical theolog.0odern scholarship has $ecome aware of what has $een called @wisdom influenceA on specific $ooks. Cmong these are 7salms (0owinckel "*//+ 0urph "*#+ Dunt- "*5)+ Cmos (Wolff "*5)+ %saiah (Whed$ee "*5")+ Esther (Talmon "*#)+ the 4oseph stor in 6enesis 5/&( *,-. ! 2*2&&)+ the ,uccession =arrative in 2 ,amuel" Dings " (Wh$ra "*#8)+ andeuteronom (Weinfeld "*52). These works are not to $e considered Wisdom ;iterature(

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    remains a short stor! not a legal document. %t is an exaggeration to affirm that the @4osephnarrative is a didactic wisdomstorA ( *,-. ! &&)! or that the ,uccession document is adeli$erate attempt @to illustrate specific prover$ial teaching for the $enefit of the pupils and ex pupils of the schoolsA (Wh$ra "*#8: */). %n $oth instances one is dealing with a genre of histor! not wisdom.

    (2) The notion of wisdom influence should $e narrowl conceived. C common culture andworld of ideas was shared $ all classes in %sraelite societ. The sapiential understanding of realit (descri$ed a$ove in @thought worldA) was not a mode of thinking cultivated exclusivel $ a small group. 9ence it is to $e expected that it can appear as it were unconsciousl in varioustpes of expression. ne cannot speak meaningfull of @wisdom influenceA $ecause a prophetic udgment speech contains a saing or a comparison (%sa ":2). ,uch expressions $elong toeducated speech in general and are not confined to Wisdom ;iterature. Clthough a certain tpe of voca$ular ma suggest wisdom influence (Wh$ra "*5: "2""/+ 9urwit- "*88)! a merelinguistic criterion is weak. %t was not onl the sages who used this voca$ular. ,imilarl!wisdom motifs could have circulated and would not $e the exclusive possession of a given class.The wisdom heritage must have constituted a common fund of knowledge experience for each

    %sraelite.() The appearance of a didactic purpose or a wisdom theme does not suffice to categori-e awork as @wisdom.A Thus the $ook of 9osea remains prophec! even if the editors ma $eresponsi$le for the wisdom tag (@let one who is wise understand these thingsA) in ":"&FHEng":*G. ,imilarl! the pro$lem of the suffering of the ust person is the concern of all people (e.g.4er "2:"/)! not simpl the sages.

    >inall! the ,ong of ,ongs has $een recentl associated with wisdom ( I -T" ! /5/5/+WRrthwein "*#*: "). This is rather a uni'ue case. Cll scholars would admit that the ,ong is love poetr with its own genres (0urph "*8"$: *8"2). The onl wisdom element in it ma $e thelines which speak of love as strong as death (8:#+ Tromp "*5*). 9owever! this does not changethe genre. =evertheless! it ma $e that the sages were responsi$le for the transmission andediting of the ,ong (and its attri$ution to the wise ,olomon)! $ecause it was in line with thesocietal values (fidelit! etc.! of 7rov /:"/ff.) which the sages treasured.

    D.  E1tra:bibica "isdo3uring the last centur and a half the discoveries of the literatures of %srael1s neigh$ors have

    had a great impact on the understanding of the 3i$le. This has $een particularl the case for theWisdom ;iterature! which has $een illumined $ the wisdom of ancient 0esopotamia and Egpt(3uccellati "*8"+ ?. Williams "*8"). @WisdomA ma $e a misnomer as applied to these ancientliteratures ( 3W$! ")! since the designation derives from $i$lical studies. 3ut there is enoughsimilarit in the works of international wisdom to ustif this convenient term.

    *.  E()>t. 0an @teachingsA or @instructionsA !seayit% have $een handed down over a period of a$out 2/&& ears! from that of 7rince 9ardedef (or edefhor! of the >ifth nast)down to the %nsinger 7aprus which dates from the 7tolemaic period. The stle of the  seayit isstandard: a teacher! often a high official if not a king! hands down rules of conduct: @the $eginning of the instruction which S made for his son K.A The rules cover such areas as truth andintegrit! generosit and moderation! proper and timel speech! the need to @hearA (and o$e)! acorrect relationship with officials! women! one1s household and friends. 3 and large a certain

    I1T . /. >h$lds. 1. >ntrouction to the 1l Testament as cripture4 Ch$ladel#h$a

    W8 8. &. Aambert. 193. ?ab#lonian Wisom 8iterature4 Ox;%rd

    1B

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    upper class moralit! eventuall democrati-ed! is evident. Warnings are given against pride andan lack of discipline. The model person is the @silentA one. ,ilence is a sign of selfcontrol andthoughtfulness! a characteristic of one who is master of the situation! in contrast to the rash!impetuous person. Cll these ideals are held together $ the Egptian concept ma%at4 The wordcannot $e easil translated+ it designates order! truth! ustice (>rankfort "*#": /). %t is the divine

    order in the world into which a human $eing is to $e integrated $ his conduct. ,uccess in this process of integration means prosperit+ failure means chaos. This harmonious integration intoma%at underlies the teachings.

    @WisdomA is not an important term in the teachings! $ut $i$lical scholarship (,chmid "*##:"/*) has made a correlation $etween Egptian ma%at and 9e$rew ṣ@+!â (ustice) andḥokmâ4 To a certain extent this is ustified! insofar as the description of wisdom in 7rover$s " * reflects some of the attri$utes of ma%at4 3ut it is not to $e exaggerated. >or one thing! ma%at is deified as a goddess in Egpt. 0oreover! 9e$rew wisdom has its own characteristicorientation to tradition and experience. %t is not to $e interpreted simpl out of the Egptianmentalit concerning order.

    The Egptian instructions are fairl integrated and consecutive pieces (thus compara$le to

    7rover$s "*)! a$ounding in ifclauses! imperatives! negative admonitions! and motive clauses.6nomic saings are mixed in! $ut the $ecome conspicuous onl in the later emotic writings.9ere the single sentence or monostich (as in nkhsheshon' "":"&! @he who sends up spittle tothe sk! upon his face it fallsA+  A.$ : 5#) prevails as the stlistic medium. Cs in 9e$rew! parallelism is a common feature in the seayit4

    The more important instructions are those associated with 7hahhotep! 0erikare! Cmenemhet!Cni! Cmenemope! and the emotic writings of nkhsheshon' and the 7aprus %nsinger. Theexplicit similarities $etween 7rov 22:"5ff.! and the teaching of Cmenemope are indu$ita$le(3rce). This is not the place to attempt a summar of the contents of the various instructions+the are $est appreciated $ examining the English translations ( A N.T + ,impson "*5+ A.$).

    ,everal other Egptian works of a more @speculativeA nature have $een compared to $i$lical

    wisdom! $ut there seems to $e no evidence of an @Egptian connection.A The @9arper1s ,ongsAand the @ispute of a 0an with his ,oulA present passages that reflect universal humanexperiences that are naturall enough found in Ecclesiastes and other $i$lical works. %n a similar wa! the love poetr of ancient Egpt provides $road parallels to the $i$lical ,ong of ,ongs(White "*58+ >ox "*8/).

    /.  Meso>ota3ia. 9ere! as in Egpt! writing and schools flourished alread in the dmillennium 3.

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    text! @0an and 9is 6odA ( AN.T ! /8*/*") and the Ckkadian  $udlul b*l n*me!i (@% will praise the ;ord of Wisdom!A  AN.T ! /*##&&) provide two examples. 9. 6ese ("*/8: #58)argued that the Ckkadian work exemplified the literar form of 4o$: a paradigm of an answeredcomplaint. 3ut the $ook of 4o$ provides no @answerA in the wa that the  $udlul does. 3othworks descri$e the situation and complaint of a suffering devotee. %n the end the 3a$lonian

    sufferer is restored $ the intervention of 0arduk. There is no exploration of the raw and poignant depths of suffering as in the 9e$rew work.With more ustice the @ialogue of 7essimism!A an Ckkadian work dated around the "2th

    centur 3.

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    Wisdom of ,olomon,olomon would never have $een written. Clthough it remains an intensel4ewish $ook! it is to $e read in the light of 9ellenistic culture (;archer "*#*: "5*2#+ ?eese"*5&)! and especiall of 7hilo (;archer "*#*: "/""58+ 0ack "*5: "&8"8).

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    KJVJob 12:13 With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

    LXTJob 12:13 #arJ a06tKL s%=*a ka$. d0*nam$M a06tKL b%0lh. ka$. s0*nes$M

    Nhn)8bt.8 h'PQe urther! while "2 speaks of wisdom! " speaks of wisdom and might ! so that in this respect! too! the sharpness and clearnessof an antithesis are sacrificed. 3ut while " connects at $est rather awkwardl with "2! it mightform a startingpoint for the illustrations which follow ("2/) of 6od1s power! and! though thisis much less prominent! of 9is wisdom. %f the reference to 6od unnamed (which must $eassumed even if " originall followed "2) can $e tolerated! " might follow as 4o$1s proof 

    22

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    that his knowledge is not inferior to that of the friends.! retaining ""f.! reects " as a variant of "#.H 1ounsel G read! perhaps! power : see phil. n.

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    KJVJob 28:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from eil

    is understanding.

    LXTJob 28:28 e$X#en de. a6nYr*#L $6d%0. hN Ye%se*be$a* e6st$n s%=*a t%. de.

    a6#e*esYa$ a6#%. kakKn e6st$n e6#$sth*mh

     hm'k.x' ah$V nd%aZW ta!VrUI [h"\]dSa'l'( ^rm*aEO_`  WTT Job 28:28

    s Nhn)$ QrVme r8sU

    Dri5er, a3%e Roes ; Gra), Geor(e $%cha!a!'  A Critical and #$egetical Commentary on the Book of Job. Edi!b%r(h ' 2. 2. Car#, *+/*, . /

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    the ;ord! that is wisdom+ it is th onl wisdom now to set 6od alwas $efore th ees! that thoumaest not again transgress.

    KJVPsalm 104:24 ! L!"#, how manifold are th$ wor%s& in wisdom hast thou made them all' the earth is

    full of th$ riches.

    LXTPsalm 103:24 NM e6me,al0*nYh ta. e!r,a s%0 k0*r$e #a*nta e6n s%=*aL

    e6#%$*hsaM e6#lhr*Yh hN ,hK thKM kth*se*M s%0

     t'=Q' hm'Vk.x'. ]A'70W hfhU) ^g;*QZm!8ir`jhm'(   WTT Psalm 104:24

    Ngn)nUY$ ra'Sh'R ha'Pl.m'

    $ratcher, Robert G. ; Re)b%r!, "iia3 Da5id'  A Translator%s &andbook on the Book of 'salms. Ne4 8or# ' U!ited $ibe ocieties, *++* He>s =or 2ra!sators, . 9.

     =ow the psalmist (verse 2) $reaks into praise of Kahweh1s wisdom in creating so mandifferent things. The expression In wisdom and TEJ1s @ ,ow wiselyA will have to $e recast insome languages to sa! for example! @Kou were ver wise when ou made UA or @3ecause ouare ver wise! ou made U.A %n line c the word creatures translates a 9e$rew word which occursin 7salms onl here and in "&/.2"+ it seems to mean possessions! propert. 0ost translationshave creatures or @creations.A The ver$ related to creatures can mean either @ac'uireA or @createA(see "*."a)+ and in 6enesis ".22 the ver$ is used to speak of 6od as the

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    ause and waste of 6od1s creatures are spoil and ro$$er on the propert of the

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    KJVProverbs 1:7 The fear of the L!"# is the (eginning of %nowledge' but fools despise wisdom and

    instruction.

    LXTProverbs 1:7 a6rh. s%=*aM ;%*b%M Ye%0K s0*nes$M de. a6,aYh. #aKs$ t%$KM

    #%$%0Ks$n a06th*n e06se*be$a de. e$6M Ye%.n a6rh. a$6sYh*seM s%=*an de. ka$.#a$de$*an a6sebe$KM e6x%0Yenh*s%0s$n

     rs'S8m8R hm'Pk.x' tQ!D t6$Var" hhUWta!VrUI  WTT Proverbs 1:7

    # N8u'( ]l$PIaK

    2o), Cra4=ord Ho4e'  A Critical and #$egetical Commentary on the Book of  'ro+erbs. Ne4 8or# ' C. crib!ers o!s, *++, . *-.

    2he 3otto.HCntithetic! 'uaternar. This general definition of wisdom ma $e regarded

    as the motto of the whole $ook! and is pro$a$l to $e ascri$ed to the final editor+ see ψ """:"&.The eginning  of knowledge! its choicest feature! its foremost and essential element! is said to $ethe ear o 5ahweh. The term ear  goes $ack historicall to the dread which was felt in the presence of the powerful and stern tri$al or national deit+ ,emitic deities were in the historical period generall conceived of as lords or kings! exercising constant control over their peoples!and inflicting punishment on them for diso$edience. This is the prevailing attitude of the piousman toward 6od throughout the T.+ onl the sentiment graduall advances from the form of mere dread of the divine anger to that of reverence for the divine law. %t never entirel loses!however! the coloring implied in the word ear . The T. ethical conception of life is not love of amoral ideal as the supreme good! $ut regard for it as an ordination of the supreme authorit+ theworld is looked on not as a household in which 6od and man are coworkers! $ut as a realm inwhich 6od is king and man is su$ect. This conception! the result of the moral strenuousness of the 4ewish people and of their riental governmental scheme of life! helped to develop moralstrictness. %t is a fundamental principle of moral life! though not the onl principle. The idea of the 9e$rew sage is that he who lives with reverent acknowledgment of 6od as lawgiver willhave within his soul a permanent and efficient moral guide+ other conditions of ethicalexperience! such as native character! knowledge! temptation! surroundings! are left unmentioned!not deli$eratel excluded! $ut omitted $ecause the are not prominent in the writer1s thought+ his purpose is to emphasi-e the one principle of reverence as paramount! and he identifies the man1sown moral ideal with the divine moral law.HThe use of the name 5ahweh instead of the moregeneral .lohim is not significant as to date or as to ethical feeling. Kahweh! though in namenothing $ut the national deit of the 4ews! is here regarded as the supreme and onl 6od. The personal name was graduall replaced $ the $ord   (as in the ancient Jersions! except theTargum)! or the ,oly -ne  (as in the Talmud)! or God   (as in E-ra! =eh.! Eccles.! and some7salms)! $ut! as appears from some late 7salms! continued to $e freel used! in certain circles!down to the second centur 3.

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    "":2*)! or offensivel ignorant ("&:8! 2&:! 2*:*)! then! as here! one who is lacking in the highestwisdom! and therefore devoid of piet toward 6od (so the 6rk. here). ,uch an one despiseswisdom! is ignorant of and does not value its high function! nor accept it as guide.H%nstead of the couplet of the 9e$. the 6rk. has a 'uatrain:

    The $eginning of wisdom is the fear of 6od!Cnd a good understanding have all the that practise it+7iet toward 6od is the $eginning of knowledge!3ut wisdom and instruction the impious will set at naught.The second line of this 'uatrain now stands in ψ """:"&! and the third line appears to $e a

    dou$let of the first (except that the terms wisdom and knowledge exchange places)! $ut ma $ean original parallelism. Whether the longer form of the 6reek is an expansion of 9e$. or 6rk.scri$es! or $elongs to the original reading! it is difficult to sa. Cs this verse is an isolatedaphorism! its length does not affect the rhthmical structure of the succeeding discourse.

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    %n some languages @stumpA or @rootA is used figurativel for the source or $asic element fromwhich everthing else comes! so these languages have a translation like @%f a person wants togain wisdom! the root of it is honoring the ;ord.A

    %n some languages it is not possi$le to use a noun phrase such as the fear of the ;ord asthe su$ect of a clause. Cccordingl it is sometimes necessar to restructure fear as an @ifA

    clause+ for example! @%f ou hold the ;ord in awe! ou will have the $eginning of knowledge.AWe ma also translate! for example! @Whoever respects and o$es the ;ord is $eginning to $ewise!A @The first thing a$out knowledge is to respect and o$e the ;ord!A or @The most important part of knowledge is having reverence for the ;ordA (TEJ  footnote). The >?ools despise wisdom and instruction: The second line contrasts the fool with the personwho respects the ;ord. >ools renders a word used in %sa /.8 to indicate uninstructed people whomislead others. %n "&.8+ 2&.+ and 2*.* fools are contrasted with sensi$le and intelligent people.espise is not to $e taken in the sense of @hateA or @loathe.A The 9e$rew! like the English term! properl means to look down upon with contempt! to disdain as unworth. %t is in this sense that

    Esau despised his $irthright in 6en 2/.. Wisdom and instruction are the same words as used inverse 2. This line ma $e rendered @>ools turn their noses up at wisdom and good adviceA or @7eople who look down on wisdom and instruction are fools.A

    %n translation it ma $e necessar to make the contrast $etween the two lines clear $saing! for example! @ut  fools despise U A or @>oolish people! on the other hand ! think wisdomand instruction are worthless.A

    2

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    KJVProverbs 1:20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her oice in the streets'

    LXTProverbs 1:20 s%=*a e6n e6x%*d%$M 0Nmne$Kta$ e6n de. #late$*a$M #arrhs$*an a!,e$

    NHl'(s =or 2ra!sators, .

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    KJVProverbs 2:6 )or the L!"# gieth wisdom' out of his mouth cometh %nowledge and understanding.

    LXTProverbs 2:6 %Qt$ k0*r$%M d$*ds$n s%=*an ka$. a6#%. #r%s*#%0 a06t%0K ,nKs$M

    ka$. s0*nes$M

    Nhn)8bt.8 tQ!D`V C$Sm$R hm'k.x' [T"wIhhUWj7$(  WTT Proverbs 2:6

    M%r>h), Ro4a!d E.' Word Biblical Commentary : 'ro+erbs. Daas ' "ord,I!cor>orated, /--/ "ord $ibica Co33e!tar) //, . *?.

    0ost important is the emphasis on wisdom as a gift of 6od. This is somewhat paradoxical. n the one hand! the teacher speaks as if everthing depends upon the listening ando$edience of the outh. n the other hand! wisdom is a divine  git4 9er origin is descri$ed asfrom the mouth of the ;ord! an anticipation of ,ir 2:+ cf. 7rov 8:222. Cs things develop! itwill $e seen that there is divine mster lurking $ehind the securit and the certaint of wisdom

    teaching. ne must strive for the goal! $ut also reali-e that wisdom remains a divine gift.Lltimatel we have a picture of the ac'uisition of wisdom $ means of human industr and divine aid and generosit.

    2o), Cra4=ord Ho4e' A Critical and #$egetical Commentary on the Book of 'ro+erbs. Ne4 8or# ' C. crib!ers o!s, *++, . 0?.

    ,nonmous! ternar. Kahweh the source of wisdom. This is stated as the ground of theaffirmation of v. /! and $rings this paragraph into logical relation with v. ". 9e who seekswisdom will understand the fear or knowledge of 6od! $ecause all knowledge comes from him.The reference is pro$a$l to the whole moral thought and conduct of manHhuman instincts! the

    results of experience! the commonlaw of moralit! as well as the ethical prescriptions containedin the %sraelitish canonical and oral codes. The stress! however! is laid on man1s moral nature!which is represented as a divine gift.HThe expression out o his mouth (6rk. rom his presence)means rom him+ he utters his command and man receives wisdom+ the reference seems not to $eto his giving a law (the Tora)! which would not agree with the general connection. The mouth of Kahweh! a fre'uent expression in the prophets! is found onl here in 7r.+ here alone 6od isteacher! elsewhere Wisdom. The expression occurs in 4o$ 22:22! and in a few late ψs! "&/:/!""*:52! 88! "8:.

    51

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    KJVProverbs 3:19 The L!"# ($ wisdom hath founded the earth; ($ understanding hath he esta(lished

    the heaens.

    LXTProverbs 3:19 %N Ye%.M thKL s%=*aL e6Yemel$*sen th.n ,hKn hNt%$*masen de.

    %06ran%0.M e6n ;r%nh*se$

    Nhn)8bt.$ ]Im!S6'R [n"vtio! o= the bessi!(s 4hich 4isdo3 co!=ers o!3a!, the sa(e (oes o! to e1at it as a (%idi!( >ri!ci>e o= God i! the creatio! a!d3ai!te!a!ce o= the >h)sica 4ord+ the same conception is found in 8:"8" (and cf. 4o$28:2&28)! 3, ":2+ W,ol. 5. This view is characteristic of the Wisdom $ooks! while in the

    7rophets (Cm. :"! /:8! *:#! %sa. &Hthere are no such references in prexilian writings) andthe 7salms (8*! "&! "*) 6od1s works are cited as illustrations of his greatness and his care for his people. The cosmical conception! which dwells on the order of the world for its own sake! $elongs to the postprophetic period and indicates an influence of 6reek thought. This paragrapho$viousl connects itself with the preceding and not with the following (which is an exhortationto o$e the laws of wisdom)+ whether it originall formed part of a larger section is uncertain.H *+. ,nonmous! 'uaternarternar. Wisdom as primeval attri$ute of the

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    displa 6od1s wisdom in creation see 4o$ *."& + 8 and *+ 7sa "&.2+ "#./+ %sa &:"2"+ and4er "&."2.

    7o%!ded reflects the idea of laing a foundation! which in turn depicts something of theancient view of the earth. 0ost modern translations use a word e'uivalent to @created.A ,omelanguages do not express the relationship $etween the ;ord and wisdom using a term like b) as

    in ?,J. %n some cases it is possi$le to sa! for example! @The ;ord used wisdom to create theearthA or @3ecause the ;ord is wise he created the earth.A$) %!dersta!di!( he estabished the hea5e!s: ,ee verse " for %!dersta!di!(.

    Estabished  matches =o%!ded! and hea5e!s  refers to the sk. The wording of this line mafollow that of the first. 9owever! some ma find it more natural to follow a structure such as

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    KJVProverbs 7:4 *a$ unto wisdom, Thou art m$ sister; and call understanding thy %inswoman'

    LXTProverbs 7:4 e$X#%n th.n s%=*an sh.n a6del;h.n e$Xna$ th.n de. ;r%*nhs$n

    ,n*r$m%n #er$#%$*hsa$ sea0tKL

    Nar(Y.t$ hnv$l! QdSm%8R T.a' t$x%waZhm'k.x'l!W( rm%aK  WTT Proverbs 7:4

    Re)b%r!, "iia3 Da5id ; 7r), E%a! McG.'  A &andbook on 'ro+erbs. Ne4 8or# 'U!ited $ibe ocieties, /--- U$ Ha!dboo# eries; He>s =or 2ra!sators, . *9-.

    The two lines of this verse are parallel and ver close in meaning. The association of 4isdo3 with sister and =rie!d is a close and intimate relationship.

    a) to 4isdo3, F8o% are 3) sister: ?,J uses direct address! $ut it is also possi$le tosa! for example! @h), Ro4a!d E.' Word Biblical Commentary : 'ro+erbs. Daas ' "ord,I!cor>orated, /--/ "ord $ibica Co33e!tar) //, .

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    KJVProverbs 8:1 #oth not wisdom cr$+ and understanding put forth her oice+

    LXTProverbs 8:1 s0. th.n s%=*an khr0*xe$M $Qna ;r%*nhs$*M s%$ 0N#ak%0*shL

    NHl'(or ca see".2"! where ?,J renders the same 9e$rew ver$ @cries out.A %n some languages that re'uire ano$ect for the ver$ @call!A translators sa something like @U calls out for us Fplural! inclusiveG tolisten to her.A

    Does !ot %!dersta!di!( raise her 5oice: U!dersta!di!( is as in 2.2. Raise her 5oiceis the same as in ".2&. ,ince this line is ver similar to line "! some translations com$ine the twolines to sa! for instance! @Ever$od! listenP Wisdom is like a woman who stands and calls outto us.A

    5@

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    KJVProverbs 8:12  wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out %nowledge of witt$ inentions.

    LXTProverbs 8:12 e6,. hN s%=*a kateskh*nsa b%0lh*n ka$. ,nKs$n ka$. e!nn%$an

    e6,. e6#ekalesa*mhn

     t

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    5

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    KJVProverbs 9:1 Wisdom hath (uilded her house, she hath hewn out her seen pillars'

    LXTProverbs 9:1 hN s%=*a 6Lk%d%*mhsen eNa0thKL %$Xk%n ka$. 0N#h*re$sen

    st0*l%0M eN#ta*

    NhQ'(b.6$ h'dV8FQ! hb'z.x' Ht'be ht'VnU't

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    he has set %> her se5e! >iars: ?,J follows the ,eptuagint with set %>. The 9e$rewhas @hewn!A which means formed or shaped $ chopping with an axlike tool. =?,J translatesthe 9e$rew @she has hewn her seven pillars.A 9TT7 gives a @3A rating to @hewn!A and this isrecommended to translators as the preferred text. Piars  are slender! vertical supports or columns.

    There has $een much de$ate a$out the existence of houses with >iars in %srael duringthe ld Testament period. 9owever! it is now known from archeol og that some houses of therich had se5e! >iars supporting the portico! which is a porch or walkwa with a roof leading tothe main entrance of the house. The expression se5e! >iars has likewise $een the o$ect of much guesswork. 9owever! what seems certain is that the house descri$ed here represents animage of luxur and! from the widespread use of se5e! as a perfect num$er! a complete and idealor perfect $uilding. Cll of this is to sa that Wisdom has $uilt a comforta$le and permanent placefor herself to live! in contrast to >oll1s house! which is associated with the dead and ,heol inverse "8.

    5

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    KJVProverbs 9:10 The fear of the L!"# is the (eginning of wisdom' and the %nowledge of the hol$ is

    understanding.

    LXTProverbs 9:10 a6rh. s%=*aM ;%*b%M k0r$*%0 ka$. b%0lh. aN,$*n s0*nes$M }1~ t%.

    ,a.r ,nKna$ n%*m%n d$an%$*aM e6st$.n a6,aYhKM

     ]6$Vd%Y. tQ!d`zU h•hU ta!VrUI hm'k.x'WtA!Vx$T.   WTT Proverbs 9:10

    Nhn)$M%r>h), Ro4a!d E.' Word Biblical Commentary : 'ro+erbs. Daas ' "ord,

    I!cor>orated, /--/ "ord $ibica Co33e!tar) //, . 9-.

    This is a strong affirmation a$out the value of wisdom! after the note of futilit that wasvoiced in v 5. That note was overcome $ vv 8*! and the capstone of wisdom teaching isrepeated in v "&. J "&a reflects ":5+ perhaps it forms an inclusio for chaps. "*. J "&$ is

    noteworth: @the 9ol neA is literall @the hol onesA ( €qc 

    ! plural of maestM)! and thisappears with the singular meaning in 7rov &: and 9os "2:". The saing has the character of asummar verse concerning the teaching of wisdom! $ut it ma $e connected with the followinglines of the 0T.

    Re)b%r!, "iia3 Da5id ; 7r), E%a! McG.'  A &andbook on 'ro+erbs. Ne4 8or# 'U!ited $ibe ocieties, /--- U$ Ha!dboo# eries; He>s =or 2ra!sators, . /-.

    2he =ear o= the Lord is the be(i!!i!( o= 4isdo3 : This is the same as the first line in".5! except that 4isdo3 replaces @knowledge.A ,ee comments on this line in ".5.

    &!o4ed(e o= the Ho) !e is i!si(ht : This line! like the first! affirms that 4isdo3 or 

    #!o4ed(e are not independent things $ut $elong to 6od and are availa$le to those who honor the ;ord. Ho) !e in the 9e$rew is literall @the hol ones!A a plural expression used in theld Testament to refer to saintl persons! heavenl $eings! or angels. >or examples see 7sa .*(9e$rew verse "&)+ 4o$ /."+ "/."/+ and Oech "./. Clthough some interpreters take the plural torefer to @hol men!A the parallelism re'uires it to refer to 6od. Cccordingl or i!si(ht see ".2. Two renderings of thisline in 7acific languages are: @The ;ord is sacred and completel righteous! and if someonewants to understand the meaning of things! the must know the ;ord well!A and @6od is wholl

    good and righteous+ and if ou want to get good understanding! ou must first know him.A

    :3

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    KJVProverbs 14:33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding' (ut that which is in the

    midst of fools is made %nown.

    LXTProverbs 14:33 e6n kard$*aL a6,aYhKL a6ndr%.M s%=*a e6n de. kard$*aL a6;r%*nn

    %06 d$a,$n*sketa$

     ]l$Ss$7.R brYvb.8 hm'k.x' x`8nT' [

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    3ut it is not known in the heart of fools: %n this line the 9e$rew text has no worde'uivalent to !ot. ,ee ?,J and TEJ footnotes. Heart translates a word that refers generall tothe inner parts of the $od! $ut is used here as the seat of thought and emotion. %n somelanguages this is the stomach! spleen! liver! or kidnes. 9T7 suggests two interpretations $ased upon the 9e$rew text: @and even among fools is she FwisdomG knownA or @$ut in the mind

    of fools she FwisdomG makes herself known.A 0ost modern translations! like TEJ! follow the,eptuagint. %n this case we ma sa! for example! @$ut fools know nothing a$out wisdom.A

    :2

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    KJVProverbs 15:33 The fear of the L!"# is the instruction of wisdom; and (efore honour is humilit$.

    LXTProverbs 15:33 ;%*b%M Ye%0K #a$de$*a ka$. s%=*a ka$. a6rh. d%*xhM

    a6#%kr$Yh*seta$ a06thKL

     d

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    KJVProverbs 18:4 The words of a man-s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a

    flowing (roo%.

    LXTProverbs 18:4 0Qdr baY0. l%*,%M e6n kard$*aL a6ndr%*M #%tam%.M de.

    a6na#hd0*e$ ka$. #h,h. uhKM

     rs =or 2ra!sators, . 0

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    The words of a man1s mouth are deep waters: There is no ver$ in either line of thissaing. %nterpreters var greatl in their understanding of it. ;ine " appears to $e closel relatedto the idea expressed in 2&./! where what a person thinks with his mind (expressed in 9e$rew as@heartA) is compared with dee> 4aters. This thought is supported $ "#.2. %t is not entirel

    clear if dee> 4aters is to $e taken here as @profound thoughtsA or @o$scure thoughtsA that a person expresses in his or her 4ords. Wh$ra understands this image to mean that a person1scharacter is like dee> 4ater in that it is not easil o$served.

    The fountain of wisdom is a gushing stream: ?,J takes the su$ect of this ver$less clauseto $e the =o%!tai! o= 4isdo3 that is compared with a flowing! running or (%shi!( strea3 (of water). The expression =o%!tai! o= 4isdo3 is used here for the first time in 7rover$s. %t issimilar to @fountain of lifeA used in "&."". %t is a figure of speech that ma $e expressed! for example! @The are like a fountain that gives wisdomA or @U a source flowing with wisdom.A

    Translators ma follow the pattern of ?,J or that of TEJ. %n the case of TEJ! thetranslators have supplied the ver$ @can $eA in order to avoid saing whether 2he 4ords o= a3a!s 3o%th in line " are @words of wise peopleA or @an words spoken $ a person.A TEJ has

    then adusted the metaphor =o%!tai! o= 4isdo3 to @a source of wisdomA and used the link words@can $eA to show that this descri$es 2he 4ords o= a 3a!s 3o%th. Dee> 4aters from line " and(%shi!( strea3 are then made to serve as similes for wisdom. Cnother model that translatorsma use is that of

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    KJVProverbs 28:26 e that trusteth in his own heart is a fool' (ut whoso wal%eth wisel$, he shall (e

    deliered.

    LXTProverbs 28:26 %ZM #e*#%$Yen Yrase$*aL kard$*aL %N t%$%0Kt%M a!;rn %ZM de.

    #%re0*eta$ s%=*aL sYh*seta$

     hm'Sk.x'.R ƒl"vs =or 2ra!sators, . 9--.

    9e who trusts in his own mind is a fool: 2r%sts translates the same ver$ as used in verse2/. His o4! 3i!d is literall @his own heartA and refers to the person1s own intelligence or cleverness. ,uch a person is descri$ed as a =oo+ see ".22 for =oo.

    3ut he who walks in wisdom will $e delivered: "a#s i! 4isdo3 means to live or conduct ourself wisel! or to live according to the teachings of the wise. "i be dei5eredmeans @escape dangerA or @$e safe.A ,ee TEJand the comments at "".2".