Proverbs 1-15

By Bernd U. Schipper

The book of Proverbs is more than the sum of its parts. Even if some individual proverbs and collections could be older, the overall composition stems from the late Persian or early Hellenistic period. In its present form, the book of Proverbs introduces the scribal student to the foundations of sapiential knowledge and its critical reflection. By discussing different worldviews and contrasting concepts on the relationship between God, the world, and humanity, the book of Proverbs paves the way to both the critical wisdom of Job and Ecclesiastes and the masterful combination of Wisdom and Torah in Sirach.

Scholarly research has long situated the book of Proverbs within ancient Near Eastern literature but declared it to be something "alien" within the Hebrew Bible. In contrast to such a position, the present commentary interprets the book of Proverbs against the background of both ancient Near Eastern literature and the literature of the Hebrew Bible. One aim of the commentary is to discuss new ancient Near Eastern parallels to the book of Proverbs, with a special focus on Egyptian wisdom literature, including Demotic texts from the sixth to fourth centuries BCE.

An equally important aim of this commentary is a detailed exegesis of Proverbs 1-15 as well as an analysis of the overarching strategy of the book of Proverbs as a whole. Taking the prologue of the book in Prov 1:1-7 as a hermeneutical key, the book of Proverbs turns out to be a masterful composition addressing both the beginner and the advanced sage. With its allusions to other biblical texts, including the book of Deuteronomy, the Psalms and the Prophets, the book of Proverbs can be connected to forms of scribal exegesis in Second Temple literature. By using the same scribal techniques as other literati of his time, the scribal sage responsible for some parts of the book as well as its final compilation seeks to provide deeper insight into the complex world of scribal knowledge and sapiential thought.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Release date: Nov 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9781506463810

Book preview

Proverbs 1–15

A Commentary on the Book of Proverbs 1:1–15:33

By Bernd U. Schipper

Translated by Stephen Germany

Edited by Thomas Krüger

Fortress Press

Minneapolis

Old Testament Editorial Board

Sidnie White Crawford, University of Nebraska, chair

Paul D. Hanson, Harvard University, emeritus

Thomas Krüger, University of Zurich

Peter Machinist, Harvard University

S. Dean McBride Jr., Union Theological Seminary in Virginia, emeritus

Andreas Schuele, University of Leipzig

David Vanderhooft, Boston College

Molly Zahn, University of Kansas

New Testament Editorial Board

Harold W. Attridge, Yale University, chair

Adela Yarbro Collins, Yale University

Eldon Jay Epp, Case Western Reserve University

Hans-Josef Klauck, University of Chicago

AnneMarie Luijendijk, Princeton University

Laura S. Nasrallah, Harvard University

Proverbs 1–15

A Commentary

Copyright © 2019 Fortress Press, an imprint of 1517 Media

All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical articles or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Fortress Press, Box 1209, Minneapolis, MN 55440-1209.

Scripture quotations from the New Revised ­Standard Version of the Bible are copyright © 1989 by the ­Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. and are used by permission.

Cover and interior design by Kenneth Hiebert

Typesetting and page composition by

The HK Scriptorium

Print ISBN: 978-0-8006-6067-3

eISBN: 978-1-5064-6381-0

The paper used in this publication meets the mini­mum ­requirements of American National Standard

for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z329.48–1984.

Manufactured in the U.S.A.

Contents

About the Author

Foreword

Preface

Reference Codes

1. Abbreviations

2. Short Titles

3. Using the Commentary; Practical Notes

General Introduction

1. Introduction

2. The Book of Proverbs as Advanced Wisdom

3. The Book of Proverbs and Ancient Near Eastern Wisdom

4. Wisdom in the Book of Proverbs

5. Textual History

The Composition of Proverbs 1–9

1. History of Research

2. The Composition of Proverbs 1–9

3. Result: The Redaction History of Proverbs 1–9

Commentary

1:1–7 The Gateway to the Book of Proverbs: Wisdom for Beginners and the Advanced

1:8–19 The False Path: Evildoers and Their Deceptive Speech

1:20–33 Personified Wisdom as the Only Valid Form of Instruction

2:1–22 The Table of Contents to the Instructions

3:1–12 Yhwh-Wisdom: A Theological Foundation

3:13–20 On Personified Wisdom and Yhwh, the Creator

3:21–35 Yhwh-Wisdom as Imperative Instruction

4:1–9 Wisdom as Educative Knowledge: An Instruction for Multiple Generations

4:10–19 The Two Ways: The Path of the Righteous and the Wicked

4:20–27 A Sapiential Teaching on the Body

5:1–23 The Strange Woman and the Wrong Way

6:1–19 A Sapiential Interlude on Different Types of People

6:20–35 The Strange Woman and Torah Wisdom

7:1–27 The Strange Woman: A Case Study

8:1–36 Personified Wisdom between God and Humankind

9:1–18 Lady Wisdom or Dame Folly? A Decision between Life and Death

Introduction to Proverbs 10–22

1. History of Research

2. Twice-Told Proverbs and the Composition of Proverbs 10:1–22:16

3. Result

10:1–32 An Introduction to Discursive Wisdom

11:1–31 The Individual and the Social Dimensions of Sapiential Knowledge

12:1–28 The Sapiential Dichotomy: The Righteous and the Wicked

13:1–25 A Sapiential Instruction in the Garb of Proverbial Wisdom

14:1–35 The Limits of Human Understanding: A Critical Perspective

15:1–33 From Experiential Wisdom to Divine Wisdom

Bibliography

Indexes

1. Sources

2. Subjects

3. Authors

Designer’s Notes

The Author

Bernd U. Schipper (*1968) studied Protestant Theology, Egyptology, Jewish Studies, and Archaeology at the Universities of Mainz and Bonn. He received his Dr. theol. (Th.D.) from the University of Bonn in 1999 and Dr. phil. (Ph.D.) in Egyptology from the University of Hamburg in 2004. He held appointments at the University of Bremen (associate/full professor, 2002–2008), the University of Oldenburg (full professor, 2009), the University of ­Heidelberg (visiting professor, 2007), and Harvard University (visiting scholar, 2009–2010; visiting professor, 2013–2014). Since 2010 he has been full professor (­Ordinarius) of Old Testament/Hebrew Bible at the ­Faculty of Theology of the Humboldt University in Berlin.

His research focuses on Wisdom literature, the history and religion of ancient Israel, the cultural contacts between Israel and Egypt, and the Judean-Aramaic community at Elephantine. His scholarly publications include Israel und Ägypten in der Königszeit (1999), Die Erzählung des Wenamun (2005), Hermeneutik der Tora (2012), Wisdom and Torah (2013, edited with D. Andrew Teeter), and Geschichte Israels in der Antike (2018).

Endpapers

The front endpaper shows a black and white photograph of 4QProva (4Q102), frg. 1, containing text from Proverbs 1:27–2:1. The back endpaper shows a black and white photograph of 4QProvb (4Q103), frg. 2, containing text from Proverbs 15:19–31. Courtesy of The Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library; Israel Antiquities Authority. Photo: Shai Halevi.

Foreword

The name Hermeneia, Greek ἑρµενεία, has been chosen as the title of the commentary series to which this volume belongs. The word Hermeneia has a rich background in the history of biblical interpretation as a term used in the ancient Greek-speaking world for the detailed, systematic exposition of a scriptural work. It is hoped that the series, like its name, will carry forward this old and venerable tradition. A second, entirely practical reason for selecting the name lies in the desire to avoid a long descriptive title and its inevitable acronym, or worse, an unpronounceable abbreviation.

The series is designed to be a critical and historical commentary to the Bible without arbitrary limits in size or scope. It will utilize the full range of philological and historical tools, including textual criticism (often slighted in modern commentaries), the methods of the history of tradition (including genre and prosodic analysis), and the history of religion.

Hermeneia is designed for the serious student of the Bible. It will make full use of ancient Semitic and classical languages; at the same time, English translations of all comparative materials‒‒Greek, Latin, Canaanite, or Akkadian‒‒will be supplied alongside the citation of the source in its original language. Insofar as possible, the aim is to provide the student or scholar with full critical discussion of each problem of interpretation and with the primary data upon which the discussion is based.

Hermeneia is designed to be international and interconfessional in the selection of authors; its editorial boards were formed with this end in view. Occasionally the series will offer translations of distinguished commentaries which originally appeared in languages other than English. Published volumes of the series will be revised continually, and eventually, new commentaries will replace older works in order to preserve the currency of the series. Commentaries are also being assigned for important literary works in the categories of apocryphal and pseudepigraphical works relating to the Old and New Testaments, including some of Essene or Gnostic authorship.

The editors of Hermeneia impose no systematic-theological perspective upon the series (directly, or indirectly by selection of authors). It is expected that authors will struggle to lay bare the ancient meaning of a biblical work or pericope. In this way the text’s human relevance should become transparent, as is always the case in competent historical discourse. However, the series eschews for itself homiletical translation of the Bible.

The editors are heavily indebted to Fortress Press for its energy and courage in taking up an expensive, long-term project, the rewards of which will accrue chiefly to the field of biblical scholarship.

The editor responsible for this volume is Sidnie White Crawford of the ­University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Sidnie White Crawford

For the Old Testament

Editorial Board

Harold W. Attridge

For the New Testament

Editorial Board

Preface

This book is the English edition of the first volume of my commentary on Proverbs, published in the Biblischer Kommentar series in 2018. I am very grateful to Stephen Germany for preparing the translation and for spending countless hours with me discussing the details of the translation over the course of nearly a year. My deep thanks are due also to Maximilian Rechholz for his tireless work on both the German and English editions of the commentary as well as to Yannik Ehmer and Berenike Brandes for additional help and for preparing the indices.

As already mentioned in the German edition, I wish to thank several colleagues, first and foremost Thomas Krüger, the editor of my volume for the Hermeneia Biblical Commentary Series, and Arndt Meinhold, the editor of the Biblischer Kommentar, both of whom gave me invaluable feedback. I am also grateful to Richard J. Clifford, Knut Heim, and Stuart Weeks for giving me the possibility to present my research on Proverbs in yearly papers at the SBL Annual Meetings since 2006. ­During a year as visiting professor (2013–2014) at Harvard Divinity School, I had the possibility to discuss my ideas in a class with outstanding students. I am also grateful to the fathers at the École Biblique et Archéologique Française de Jerusalem for hosting me several times as a guest researcher. My friends at Harvard, especially Andy Teeter, and at the École Biblique provided me with an extraordinary working environment, both hospitable and stimulating, which enabled me to complete this book. And finally, I wish to express my deep gratitude to Maurya P. Horgan and Paul J. Kobelski of The HK Scriptorium, Inc., for copyediting and typeset composition, and, again, to Stephen Germany, for his careful and thorough proofreading.

Bernd U. Schipper

Berlin

June 10, 2019

Reference Codes

1. Abbreviations

ÄA         Ägyptologische Abhandlungen

ÄAT       Ägypten und Altes Testament

AB         Anchor Bible

ABIG     Arbeiten zur Bibel und ihrer Geschichte

ABR       Australian Biblical Review

ACCSOT Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament

ADPV    Abhandlungen des Deutschen Palästina-Vereins

AEL        Miriam Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature: A Book of Readings (2nd ed.; 3 vols.; Berkeley: University of California Press, 1980).

AfOB     Archiv für Orientforschung: Beiheft

AHw      Wolfram von Soden, Akkadisches Handwörterbuch (3 vols.; Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 1965–81).

AIL         Ancient Israel and Its Literature

AnBib    Analecta Biblica

ANEP     James B. Pritchard, ed., The Ancient Near East in Pictures Relating to the Old Testament (Prince­ton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1969; 2nd ed., 1994).

ANET3     James B. Pritchard, ed., Ancient Near Eastern TextsRelating to the Old Testament (3rd ed.; Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1969).

AOAT    Alter Orient und Altes Testament

AoF       Altorientalische Forschungen

AOTC    Abingdon Old Testament ­Commentary

APF        Archiv für Papyrusforschung

APFB     Archiv für Papyrusforschung: Beiheft

AR         Archiv für Religionsgeschichte    

ATA       Alttestamentliche Abhandlungen

ATANT  Abhandlungen zur Theologie des Alten und Neuen Testaments

ATD       Altes Testament Deutsch

ATDE     Altes Testament Deutsch Ergänzungsreihe

ATSAT   Arbeiten zu Text und Sprache im Alten Testament

Aug       Augustinianum

AUSS     Andrews University Seminary ­Studies

AYB       Anchor Yale Bible

BASOR  Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research

BBB       Bonner biblische Beiträge

BBKF     Berliner Beiträge zur Keilschriftforschung

BBR       Bulletin for Biblical Research

BBRSup Bulletin for Biblical Research Supplements

BC          Biblischer Commentar

BdE       Bibliothèque d’Étude

BEATAJ Beiträge zur Erforschung des Alten Testaments und des antiken Judentums

BeO       Bibbia e oriente

BETL      Bibliotheca Ephemeridum Theologicarum Lovaniensium

BetM     Bet Mikra

BHQ      Adrian Schenker et al., eds., Biblia Hebraica Quinta (Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft,

2004–).

BHS       Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia

Bib         Biblica

BibB      Biblische Beiträge

BibInt    Biblical Interpretation

BibInt    Biblical Interpretation Series

BIFAO   Bulletin de l’Institut français d’archéologie orientale

BLS        Bible and Literature Series

BK          Bibel und Kirche

BKAT     Biblischer Kommentar, Altes Testament

BN         Biblische Notizen

BN.B      Biblische Notizen Beiheft

BOT       De Boeken van het Oude Testament

BR          Biblical Research

BSac      Bibliotheca Sacra

BSt         Biblische Studien

BT          The Bible Translator

BThSt    Biblisch-theologische Studien

BW        Bible and Women

BZ          Biblische Zeitschrift

BzA        Beiträge zur Assyriologie

BZAW   Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft

CAI        W. Aufrecht, ed., A Corpus of Ammonite Inscriptions. Ancient Near Eastern Texts and Studies 4 (Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press, 1989).

CBC       Cambridge Bible Commentary

CBET     Contributions to Biblical Exegesis and Theology

Cbi[B]   Collana biblica. Bologna

CBQ       Catholic Biblical Quarterly

CBQMS Catholic Biblical Quarterly Monograph Series

CdE        Chronique d’Egypte

CHANE  Culture and History of the Ancient Near East

ConBOT              Coniectanea Biblica: Old Testament Series

COS       William W. Hallo, ed., with K. Lawson Younger Jr., The Context of Scripture (4 vols.; Leiden: Brill, 1997–2017).

CahRB   Cahiers de la Revue biblique

CRIPEL  Cahiers de Recherches de l’Institut de Papyrologie et d’Egyptologie de Lille

CSHB     Critical Studies in Hebrew Bible

CT          Coffin Text

CTU       Manfred Dietrich, Oswald Loretz, and Joaquín Sanmartín, eds., The Cuneiform Alphabetic Texts from Ugarit, Ras Ibn Hani, and Other Places (Münster: Ugarit-Verlag, 2005).

CurBR   Currents in Biblical Research

CUSAS   Cornell University Studies in Assyriology and Sumerology

DCH      David J. A. Clines, The Dictionary of Classical Hebrew (9 vols.; Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix, 1993–2014).

DCLS     Deuterocanonical and Cognate Literature Studies

DCLY     Deuterocanonical and Cognate Literature Yearbook

DJD       Discoveries in the Judaean Desert

DSD       Dead Sea Discoveries

DSSSE   Florentino García Martínez and Eibert J. C. Tigchelaar, eds., The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition (2 vols.; Leiden: Brill, 1997–98).

EB          Echter Bibel

EBR       Hans-Josef Klauck et al., eds., Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception (Berlin: de Gruyter, 2009–).

ECDSS   Eerdmans Commentaries on the Dead Sea Scrolls

EHS.T    Europäische Hochschulschriften, Theologische Reihe

EJJS       European Journal of Jewish Studies

EJud      Jacob Neusner, Alan J. Avery-Peck, and William Scott Green, eds., Encyclopedia of Judaism (2nd ed.; 5 vols.; Leiden: Brill, 2005).

EKK        Evangelisch-katholischer Kommentar

EBib      Etudes bibliques

EstBíb   Estudios bíblicos

EThR     Etudes théologiques et religieuses

ETS        Erfurter theologische Studien

EvT        Evangelische Theologie

ExpTim Expository Times

FAT        Forschungen zum Alten Testament

FOTL     Forms of the Old Testament Literature

FTS        Freiburger Theologische Studien

FzB        Forschung zur Bibel

FZPhTh  Freiburger Zeitschrift für Philosophie und Theologie

Gesenius18          Wilhelm Gesenius, Hebräisches und Aramäisches Handwörterbuch über das Alte Testament (ed. Rudolf Meyer and Herbert Donner; 18th ed.; Heidelberg: Springer, 2013).

GK28       Wilhelm Gesenius, Hebräische Grammatik (2 vols.; Leipzig: Vogel, 1909).

GM        Göttinger Miscellen

GMB     Göttinger Miscellen Beihefte

GOF.Ä   Göttinger Orientforschungen. IV. Reihe: Ägypten

GTJ        Grace Theological Journal

HALOT  Ludwig Koehler, Walter Baumgartner, and Johann J. Stamm, The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (trans. and ed. under the supervision of Mervyn E. J. Richardson; 4 vols.; Leiden: Brill, 1994–99).

HAR       Hebrew Annual Review

HAT       Handbuch zum Alten Testament

HBS       Herders biblische Studien

HCOT    Historical Commentary on the Old Testament

HdO      Handbuch der Orientalistik

HeBAI   Hebrew Bible and Ancient Israel

HKAT     Handkommentar zum Alten Testament

HS          Hebrew Studies

HSM      Harvard Semitic Monographs

HThKAT Herders Theologischer Kommentar zum Alten Testament

HTR       Harvard Theological Review

HUCA    Hebrew Union College Annual

HvTSt    Hervormde teologiese studies

IBC        Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching

ICC        International Critical Commentary

Int          Interpretation

JA          Journal Asiatique

JAJ         Journal of Ancient Judaism

JAJSup  Journal of Ancient Judaism: Supplement

JANER   Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions

JANESCU             Journal of the Ancient Near Eastern Society of Columbia University

JAOS      Journal of the American Oriental Society

JARCE   Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt

JBL         Journal of Biblical Literature

JBQ        Jewish Bible Quarterly

JBS         Jerusalem Biblical Studies

JBTh      Jahrbuch für biblische Theologie

JCS         Journal of Cuneiform Studies

JEA        Journal of Egyptian Archaeology

JETS       Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society

JJS          Journal of Jewish Studies

JNSL      Journal of Northwest Semitic ­Languages

JOTT      Journal of Translation and Text­linguistics

JQR        Jewish Quarterly Review

JSHRZ    Jüdische Schriften aus helle­nistisch-römischer Zeit

JSJ          Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman Period

JSJSup   Supplements to the Journal for the Study of Judaism

JSOT      Journal for the Study of the Old Testament

JSOTSup             Journal for the Study of the Old Testament: Supplement Series

JSP         Judea and Samaria Publications Series

JSS         Journal of Semitic Studies

JTS         Journal of Theological Studies

KAHAL  Walter Dietrich and Samuel Arnet, eds., Konzise und aktuali­sierte Ausgabe des Hebräischen und Aramäischen Lexikons zum Alten Testament (Leiden: Brill, 2013).

KAI        Herbert Donner and ­Wolfgang Röllig, Kanaanäische und aramäische Inschriften (2nd ed.; Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 1966–69).

KAT       Kommentar zum Alten Testament

KÄT       Kleine Ägyptische Texte

KD         Kerygma und Dogma

KEH       Kurzgefasstes exegetisches Handbuch zum Alten Testament

KHC       Kurzer Hand-Commentar zum Alten Testament

KK          Kurzgefasster Kommentar zu den Heiligen Schriften

LÄ          Wolfgang Helck, Eberhard Otto, and Wolfhart Westendorf, Lexikon der Ägyptologie (7 vols.; Wiesbaden: Harras­sowitz, 1975–92).

LB          Linguistica Biblica

LBS        Library of Biblical Studies

LD          Lectio Divina

LHBOTS Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies

LSTS      Library of Second Temple ­Studies

LUÅ       Lunds Universitets Årsskrift

LXXD           Wolfgang Kraus and Martin ­Karrer, eds., Septuaginta Deutsch: Die griechische Alte Testament in deutscher Übersetzung (Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 2009).

MAOG  Mitteilungen der Altorientali­schen Gesellschaft

MPIL     Monographs of the Peshitta Institute, Leiden

MSC.CT Manuscripts in the Schøyen Collection: Cuneiform Texts

MTZ      Münchener theologische Zeitschrift

MVAG   Mitteilungen der Vorderasiatisch-ägyptischen Gesellschaft

NAC       New American Commentary

NBL       Manfred Görg and Bernhard Lang, eds., Neues Bibel-Lexikon (3 vols.; Zurich: Benziger, 1991–2001).

NCBC    New Century Bible Commentary

NEA       Near Eastern Archaeology

NEchtB Neue Echter Bibel

NETS     New English Translation of the Septuagint

NIB        Leander E. Keck, ed., The New Interpreter’s Bible (12 vols.; Nashville: Abingdon, 1994–2004).

NICOT   New International Commentary on the Old Testament

NovTSup             Supplements to Novum Testamentum

NRTh     La nouvelle revue théologique

NSBT     New Studies in Biblical Theology

NovTSup             Supplements to Novum Testamentum

NZSTh   Neue Zeitschrift für Systematische Theologie und Religionsphilosophie

OBO      Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis

OBO.S   Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis, Sonderband

OBO.SA Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis, Series Archaeologica

OLZ        Orientalische Literaturzeitung

Or          Orientalia

OTE       Old Testament Essays

OTL       Old Testament Library

OTM     Oxford Theological Monographs

OtSt       Oudtestamentische Studiën

PÄ          Probleme der Ägyptologie

PEQ       Palestine Exploration Quarterly

PJBiR     Polish Journal of Biblical Research

QD         Quaestiones Disputatae

RB          Revue Biblique

RCT       Revista catalana de teología

RdQ       Revue de Qumran

REB       Revista eclesiastica brasileira

REg        Revue d’égyptologie

RHPR     Revue d’histoire et de philosophie religieuses

RivB       Rivista biblica italiana

RPP        Hans Dieter Betz et al., eds., Religion Past and Present: Encyclopedia of Theology and Religion (14 vols.; Leiden: Brill, 2007–13).

RTB       Walter Beyerlin, ed., Religions­geschichtliches Textbuch zum Alten Testament (Grundrisse zum Alten Testament 1; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1975).

RTL        Revue théologique de Louvain

RTP        Revue de théologie et de philosophie

SAACT   State Archives of Assyria Cuneiform Texts

Saec.     Saeculum

SAK        Studien zur altägyptischen Kultur

SAOC    Studies in Ancient Oriental Civilizations

SB          Sources bibliques

SBAB     Stuttgarter biblische Aufsatzbände

SBFLA    Studii Biblici Franciscani Liber Annuus

SBLDS   Society of Biblical Literature Dissertation Series

SBLSP    Society of Biblical Literature Seminar Papers

SBLSymS             Society of Biblical Literature Symposium Series

SBS        Stuttgarter Bibelstudien

SBT        Studies in Biblical Theology

SCO       Studi classici e orientali

SEÅ        Svensk exegetisk årsbok

SemeiaSt            Semeia Studies

SGV       Sammlung gemeinverständlicher Vorträge

SHR       Studies in the History of Religions

SIJD       Schriften des Institutum Judaicum Delitzschianum

SJOT      Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament

SKK        Stuttgarter kleiner Kommentar

SOTSMS              Society for Old Testament Studies Monograph Series

SPAW    Sitzungsberichte der preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften

SR          Studies in Religion

STDJ      Studies on the Texts of the Desert of Judah

StPohl.SM          Studia Pohl, Series Maior

TADAE  Bezalel Porten and Ada Yardeni, Textbook of Aramaic Documents from Ancient Egypt (4 vols.; Texts and Studies for Students; Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1986–99).

TBC       Torch Bible Commentaries

TDOT    G. Johannes Botterweck and Helmer Ringgren, eds., Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament (trans. John T. Willis et al.; 10 vols.; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974–2006).

Thf         Theoforum

ThLZ      Theologische Literaturzeitung

THOTC  Two Horizons Old Testament Commentary

ThT        Theologisch tijdschrift

ThWQ   Heinz-Josef Fabry and Ulrich Dahmen, eds., Theologisches Wörterbuch zu den Qumrantexten (3 vols., Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, 2011–16).

Transeu Transeuphratène

TRu        Theologische Rundschau

TSK        Theologische Studien und Kritiken

TUAT     Otto Kaiser et al., eds., Texte aus der Umwelt des Alten Testaments (3 vols.; Gütersloh: G. Mohn, 1982–97).

TUAT.NF             Bernd Janowski, Gernot ­Wilhelm, and Daniel Schwemer, eds., Texte aus der Umwelt des Alten Testaments (9 vols.; Gütersloh: Güters­loher Verlagshaus, 2004–15).

TVOA.EC             Testi del Vicino Oriente antico. I, Letteratura egiziana classica

TynBul  Tyndale Bulletin

TZ          Theologische Zeitschrift

UF          Ugarit-Forschungen

UTB       Uni-Taschenbücher

VC         Vigiliae Christianae

VF          Verkündigung und Forschung

VT          Vetus Testamentum

VTSup   Supplements to Vetus Testamentum

VWGTh Veröffentlichungen der Wissen­schaftlichen Gesellschaft für Theologie

WAS      Wiener alttestamentliche Studien

WAW    Writings from the Ancient World

WBC      Word Biblical Commentary

WC        Westminster Commentaries

WD        Wort und Dienst

WdO     Die Welt des Orients

WiBiLex Das Wissenschaftliche Bibellexikon im Internet

WMANT             Wissenschaftliche Monographien zum Alten und Neuen Testament

WUNT   Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament

YJS         Yale Judaica Series

ZABR     Zeitschrift für altorientalische und biblische Rechtsgeschichte

ZAH       Zeitschrift für Althebraistik

ZÄS        Zeitschrift für ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde

ZAW      Zeitschrift für alttestamentliche ­Wissenschaft

ZBKAT   Zürcher Bibelkommentare — Altes Testament

ZDMG   Zeitschrift der deutschen morgen­ländischen Gesellschaft

ZTK        Zeitschrift für Theologie und Kirche

2. Short Titles

Aitken

Kenneth T. Aitken, Proverbs (Daily Study Bible Series Old Testament 4; Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1986).

Albrecht, Göttliche Demut

Felix Albrecht, Göttliche Demut und teuflischer Hochmut: Exegetische Beobachtungen zu Prov 3,34 LXX, BN 155 (2012) 23–41.

Aletti, Proverbes 8,22–31

Jean-Noël Aletti, Proverbes 8,22–31: Étude de structure, Bib 57 (1976) 25–37.

Alonso Schökel

Luis Alonso Schökel, Proverbios (Nueva Biblia Española: Sapienciales 1; Madrid: Ediciones Christiandad, 1984).

Alster, Väterliche Weisheit

Bendt Alster, Väterliche Weisheit, in Aleida ­Assmann, ed., Weisheit (Archäologie der litera­rischen Kommunikation 3; Munich: Fink, 1991) 103–15.

Ansberry, Be Wise

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Barbiero, Il testo massoretico

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Baumann, Weisheitsgestalt

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Blenkinsopp, Social Context

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Borowski, Agriculture

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Boström, Paronomasi

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Brown, Law and the Sages

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Brown, Wisdom’s Wonder

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Brunner, Altägyptische Weisheit

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Brunner, Weisheitsbücher

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Clifford

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Cohen, Wisdom

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Dahood, Proverbs 8:22–31

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Finsterbusch, Weisung für Israel

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Fischer-Elfert, Die satirische Streitschrift

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Fox, Pedagogy

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Fox, Song of Songs

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Fox, Textual Commentary

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Gemser

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Gesche, Schulunterricht

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Goldingay, Arrangement of Sayings

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Goldingay, Proverbs V and IX

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Gressmann, Lehre des Amenemope

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Habel, Symbolism

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Hartenstein, Das Angesicht JHWHs

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Hausmann, Studien

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Hermisson, Studien

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Hurowitz, Unsavory Personalities

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Janowski, Herz

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Jenni, Pi‘el

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Jones, Wisdom’s Pedagogy

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Kayatz, Studien

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Keel, Weisheit

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de Lagarde, Anmerkungen

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Alan Moss, Proverbs (Readings: A New Biblical Commentary; Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix, 2015).

Müller, Weisheit

Achim Müller, Proverbien 1–9: Der Weisheit neue Kleider (BZAW 291; Berlin: de Gruyter, 2000).

Murphy

Roland E. Murphy, Wisdom Literature: Job, Proverbs, Ruth, Canticles, Ecclesiastes, and Esther (FOTL 13; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1981).

Murray, Sympotica

Oswyn Murray, ed., Sympotica: A Symposium on the Symposion (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1990).

Nel, Structure

Philip Johannes Nel, The Structure and Ethos of the Wisdom Admonitions in Proverbs (BZAW 158; Berlin: de Gruyter, 1982).

Newsom, Woman

Carol A. Newsom, Woman and the Discourse of Patriarchal Wisdom, in Peggy L. Day, ed., Gender and Difference in Ancient Israel (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1989) 142–60.

Niehr, Ahiqar

Herbert Niehr, Aramäischer Ahiqar (JSHRZ NF 2; Gütersloh: Gütersloher Verlagshaus, 2007).

Nowack

Ernst Bertheau, Die Sprüche Salomos erklärt (2nd ed. edited by Wilhelm Nowack; KEH; Leipzig: Weidmann, 1883).

Oort, Spreuken 1–9

Henricus Oort, Spreuken 1–9, ThT 19 (1885) 379–425.

Otto, Deuteronomium

Eckart Otto, Das Deuteronomium im Pentateuch und Hexateuch (FAT 30; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2000).

Overland, Literary Structure

Paul B. Overland, Literary Structure in Proverbs 1–9 (Ph.D. diss., Brandeis University, 1988).

Overland, Shoah

Paul B. Overland, Shoah in the World of the Sages, Shofar 23 (2005) 9–18.

Paul, Die ‘fremde Frau’

Martin Paul, Die ‘fremde Frau’ in Sprichwörter 1–9 und die ‘Geliebte’ des Hohenliedes: Ein Beitrag zur Intertextualität, BN 106 (2001) 40–46.

Perdue

Leo G. Perdue, Proverbs (IBC; Louisville: John Knox Press, 2000).

Perdue, Wisdom and Cult

Leo G. Perdue, Wisdomand Cult: A Critical Analysis of the Views of Cult in the Wisdom Literature of Israel and the Ancient Near East (SBLDS 30; Missoula, MT: Scholars Press, 1977).

Perry, Structural Patterns

Steven C. Perry, Structural Patterns in Proverbs 10:1–22:16: A Study in Biblical Hebrew Stylistics (Ph.D. diss., University of Texas, 1987).

Pinkuss, Die syrische Uebersetzung

Hermann Pinkuss, Die syrische Uebersetzung der Proverbien: Textkritisch in ihrem Verhältnisse zu dem masoretischen Text, den LXX und dem Targum untersucht, ZAW 14 (1894) 161–218.

Plöger

Otto Plöger, Sprüche Salomos (Proverbia) (BKAT 17; Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 1984).

Posener, Quatre tablettes

Georges Posener, Quatre tablettes scolaires de basse époque (Aménémope et Hardjédef), REg 18 (1966) 45–65.

Quack, Dialog

Joachim Friedrich Quack, Ein ägyptischer Dialog über die Schreibkunst und das arkane Wissen, AR 9 (2007) 259–94.

Quack, Einführung

Joachim Friedrich Quack, Einführung in die alt­ägyptische Literaturgeschichte III. Die demotische und gräko-ägyptische Literatur (2nd ed.; Einführungen und Quellentexte zur Ägyptologie 6; Münster: LIT, 2009).

Quack, Ich bin Isis

Joachim Friedrich Quack, ‘Ich bin Isis, Herrin der beiden Länder’: Versuch zum demotischen Hintergrund der memphitischen Isisaretalogie, in Sibylle Meyer, ed., Egypt—Temple of the Whole World: Studies in Honour of Jan Assmann (SHR 97; Leiden: Brill, 2003) 319–65.

von Rad, Wisdom in Israel

Gerhard von Rad, Wisdom in Israel (trans. James D. Martin; Nashville: Abingdon, 1972).

Reichenbach, Verbindungen

Gregor Reichenbach, Gültige Verbindungen: Eine Untersuchung zur kanonischen Bedeutung der inner­biblischen Traditionsbezüge in Sprüche 1 bis 9 (ABIG 37; Leipzig: Evangelische Verlagsanstalt, 2011).

Riede, Im Spiegel der Tiere

Peter Riede, Im Spiegel der Tiere: Studien zum Verhältnis von Mensch und Tier im alten Israel (OBO 187; Fribourg: Universitätsverlag; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2002).

Reynolds, Torah as Teacher

Kent A. Reynolds, Torah as Teacher: The Exemplary Torah Student in Psalm 119 (VTSup 137; Leiden: Brill, 2010).

Ringgren

Helmer Ringgren, Sprüche Salomos (ATD 16.1; ­Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1962; 3rd ed., 1980).

Robert, Attaches (1934)

André Robert, Les attaches littéraires bibliques des Prov 1–9, RB 43 (1934) 42–68, 172–204, 374–84.

Robert, Attaches (1935)

André Robert, Les attaches littéraires bibliques des Prov 1–9, RB 44 (1935) 344–65, 502–25.

Sandoval, Discourse

Timothy J. Sandoval, The Discourse of Wealth and Poverty in the Book of Proverbs (BibInt 77; Leiden: Brill, 2006).

Sandoval, Prologue

Timothy J. Sandoval, Revisiting the Prologue of Proverbs, JBL 126 (2007) 455–73.

Sæbø

Magne Sæbø, Sprüche (ATD 16.1; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2012).

Saur, Die literarische Funktion

Markus Saur, Die literarische Funktion und die theologische Intention der Weisheitsreden des Sprüchebuches, VT 61 (2011) 447–60.

Schäfer, Poesie

Rolf Schäfer, Die Poesie der Weisen: Dichotomie als Grundstruktur der Lehr- und Weisheitsgedichte in Proverbien 1–9 (WMANT 77; Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 1999).

Scherer, Wort

Andreas Scherer, Das weise Wort und seine Wirkung: Eine Untersuchung zur Komposition und Redaktion von Proverbia 10,1–22,16 (WMANT 83; Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 1999).

Schipper, History

Bernd U. Schipper, A Concise History of Ancient Israel: From the Beginnings through the Hellenistic Era (CSHB 11; trans. Michael J. Lesley; University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns, 2019).

Schipper, Die ‘eherne Schlange’

Bernd U. Schipper, Die ‘eherne Schlange’: Zur Religionsgeschichte und Theologie von Num 21,4–9, ZAW 121 (2009) 369–87.

Schipper, Epistemology

Bernd U. Schipper, From Epistemology to Wisdom Theology: The Composition of Prov 10, in Scott C. Jones and Christine Roy Yoder, eds., When the Morning Stars Sang: Essays in Honor of Choon Leong Seow on the Occasion of His Sixty-Fifth Birthday (BZAW 500; Berlin: de Gruyter, 2017) 145–57.

Schipper, Hermeneutik

Bernd U. Schipper, Hermeneutik der Tora: Studien zur Traditionsgeschichte von Prov 2 und zur Komposition von Prov 1–9 (BZAW 432; Berlin: de Gruyter, 2012).

Schipper, Israel und Ägypten

Bernd U. Schipper, Israel und Ägypten in der Königs­zeit: Die kulturellen Kontakte von Salomo bis zum Fall Jerusalems (OBO 170; Fribourg: University Press, 1999).

Schipper, Kosmotheistisches Wissen

Bernd U. Schipper, Kosmotheistisches Wissen. Prov 3,19f. und die Weisheit Israels, in Susanne Bickel et al., eds., Bilder als Quellen—Images as Sources: Studies on Ancient Near Eastern Artefacts and the Bible Inspired by the Work of Othmar Keel (OBO.S; Fribourg: Academic Press; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2007) 487–510.

Schipper, Lehre des Amenemope

Bernd U. Schipper, Die Lehre des Amenemope und Prov 22,17–24,22: Eine Neubestimmung des literarischen Verhältnisses, ZAW 117 (2005) 53–72, 232–48.

Schipper, Proverbienbuch

Bernd U. Schipper, Das Proverbienbuch und die Toratradition, ZTK 108 (2011) 381–404.

Schipper, Teach Them

Bernd U. Schipper, ‘Teach Them Diligently to Your Son!’ The Book of Proverbs and Deuteronomy, in Katharine J. Dell and Will Kynes, eds., Reading Proverbs Intertextually (London: T&T Clark, 2019) 21–34.

Schipper, Textual Coherence

Bernd U. Schipper, The Phenomenon of ‘Textual Coherence’ in Egyptian and Israelite Wisdom Literature, in Reinhard Müller and Juha Pakkala, eds., Insights into Editing in the Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East: What Does Documented Evidence Tell Us about the Transmission of Authoritative Texts?  (CBET 84; Leuven: Peeters, 2017) 100–26.

Schipper, Von der ‘Fremden Frau’

Bernd U. Schipper, Von der ‘fremden Frau’ zu ‘Frau Torheit’: Metaphorik in Prov 1–9 und in 4Q184, in Markus Witte and Sven Behnke, eds., The Metaphorical Use of Language in Deuterocanonical and Cognate Literature (DCLY 2014/2015; Berlin: de Gruyter, 2015) 233–56.

Schipper and Teeter, Wisdom and Torah

Bernd U. Schipper and D. Andrew Teeter, eds., Wisdom and Torah: The Reception of Torah in the Wisdom Literature of the Second Temple Period (JSJSup 163; Leiden: Brill, 2013).

Schmid, Buchgestalten des Jeremiabuches

Konrad Schmid, Buchgestalten des Jeremiabuches: Untersuchungen zur Redaktions- und Rezeptions­geschichte von Jer 30–33 im Kontext des Buches (WMANT 72; Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 1996).

Schmitt, Old Persian Inscriptions

Rüdiger Schmitt, Old Persian Inscriptions of Naqsh-I Rustam and Persepolis (London: Corpus Inscriptionum Iranicarum, 2000).

Schuller, Welt der Hetären

Wolfgang Schuller, Die Welt der Hetären: Berühmte Frauen zwischen Legende und Wirklichkeit (Stuttgart: Klett-Cotta, 2008).

Schweitzer, Egyptian Goddess

Steven J. Schweitzer, The Egyptian Goddess Ma῾at and Lady Wisdom in Proverbs 1–9, in Eric F. Mason et al., eds., A Teacher for All Generations: Essays in Honor of James C. Vanderkam (2 vols.; JSJSup 153; Leiden: Brill, 2012) 113–32.

Schwienhorst-Schönberger, Die den Bund ihres Gottes vergisst

Ludger Schwienhorst-Schönberger, ‘Die den Bund ihres Gottes vergisst’: Spr 2,17 und der Dekalog, in Christoph Dohmen and Christian Frevel, eds., Für immer verbündet: Studien zur Bundestheologie der Bibel (SBS 211; Stuttgart: Katholisches Bibelwerk, 2007) 203–10.

Schwienhorst-Schönberger, Weisheit und Gottesfurcht

Ludger Schwienhorst-Schönberger, Weisheit und Gottesfurcht: Ihr Verhältnis zueinander in den weisheitlichen Schriften nach MT und LXX, in Siegfried Kreuzer, Martin Meiser, and Marcus ­Sigismund, eds., Die Septuaginta (WUNT 286; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2012) 112–34.

Scoralick, Einzelspruch

Ruth Scoralick, Einzelspruch und Sammlung: ­Komposition im Buch der Sprichwörter Kapitel 10–15 (BZAW 232; Berlin: de Gruyter, 1995).

Scoralick, Gerechtigkeit

Ruth Scoralick, ‘Gerechtigkeit aber rettet vor dem Tode’: Beobachtungen zu Spr 10,2, in Susanne Gillmayr-Bucher, Annett Gierecke, and Christina Niessen, eds., Ein Herz so weit wie der Sand am Ufer des Meeres: Festschrift für Georg Hentschel (ETS 90; Würzburg: Echter-Verlag, 2006) 359–75.

Scoralick, Hinführung

Ruth Scoralick, Hinführung zum kritischen Denken: Die erste Lehrrede im Buch der Sprichwörter (Spr 1,8–19), in Frank-Lothar Hossfeld and Ludger Schwienhorst-Schönberger, eds., Das Manna fällt auch heute noch: Festschrift für Erich Zenger (HBS 44; Freiburg: Herder, 2004) 548–66.

Scott

R. B. Y. Scott, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes (AB 18; Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1965).

Seebass, Numeri

Horst Seebass, Numeri, vol. 1: Numeri 1:1–10:10 (BKAT 4.1; Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener ­Verlag, 2012).

Shupak, Female Imagery

Nili Shupak, Female Imagery in Proverbs 1–9 in the Light of Egyptian Sources, VT 61 (2011) 310–23.

Shupak, Where Can Wisdom Be Found?

Nili Shupak, Where Can Wisdom Be Found? The Sage’s Language in the Bible and in Ancient Egyptian Literature (OBO 130; Fribourg: Academic Press; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1993).

Skehan, Structure

Patrick W. Skehan, Structure in Poems on ­Wisdom: Proverbs 8 and Sirach 24, CBQ 41 (1979) 365–79.

Snell, Twice-Told Proverbs

Daniel C. Snell, Twice-Told Proverbs and the Composition of the Book of Proverbs (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1993).

Spieckermann, Gottes Liebe

Hermann Spieckermann, Gottes Liebe zu Israel: Studien zur Theologie des Alten Testaments (FAT 33; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2001).

Spieckermann, Lebenskunst

Hermann Spieckermann, Lebenskunst und Gotteslob in Israel: Anregungen aus Psalter und Weisheit für die Theologie (FAT 91; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2014).

Strack

Hermann Leberecht Strack, Die Sprüche Salomos (KK 6.2; Munich: Beck, 1888; 2nd ed., 1899).

Taylor, Sayings of the Jewish Fathers

Charles Taylor, Sayings of the Jewish Fathers (­Cambridge: University Press, 1877).

Thomas, Notes

D. Winton Thomas, Notes on Some Passages in the Book of Proverbs, VT 15 (1965) 271–79.

Tov, Recensional Differences

Emanuel Tov, Recensional Differences between the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint of Proverbs [1990], in The Greek and Hebrew Bible: Collected Essays on the Septuagint (VTSup 72; Leiden: Brill, 1999) 419–32.

Toy

Crawford H. Toy, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Proverbs (ICC 16; Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1899).

Ulrich, Biblical Qumran Scrolls

Eugene Ulrich, The Biblical Qumran Scrolls: ­Transcriptions and Textual Variants, vol. 3: Psalms–Chronicles (Leiden: Brill, 2013).

Van Leeuwen

Raymond C. Van Leeuwen, Proverbs, in Leander E. Keck, ed.,  The New Interpreter’s Bible (12 vols.; Nashville: Abingdon, 1994–2004) 5:17–264.

Van Leeuwen, Cosmos, Temple, House

Raymond C. Van Leeuwen, Cosmos, Temple, House: Building and Wisdom in Mesopotamia and Israel, in Richard J. Clifford, ed., Wisdom Literature in Mesopotamia and Israel (SBLSymS 36; Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2007) 67–90. Also published in Richard S. Ellis, Mark J. Boda, and Jamie R. Novotny, eds., From the Foundations to the Crenellations: Essays on Temple Building in the Ancient Near East and Hebrew Bible (AOAT 366; Münster: Ugarit-Verlag, 2010) 399–421.

Van Leeuwen, Wealth and Poverty

Raymond C. Van Leeuwen, Wealth and Poverty, System and Contradiction in Proverbs, HS 33 (1992) 25–36.

Visotzky, Midrash Mishle

Burton L. Visotzky, Midrash Mishle: The Midrash on Proverbs (YJS 27; New Haven: Yale University Press, 1992).

Vössing, Mensa regia

Konrad Vössing, Mensa regia: Das Bankett beim hellenistischen König und beim römischen Kaiser (Beiträge zur Altertumskunde 193; Munich: Saur, 2004).

de Waard, Proverbs. Mišle

Jan de Waard, Proverbs. Mišle (BHQ 17; Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 2008).

Waltke

Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs (2 vols.; NICOT; Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2004/2005).

Waltke/O’Connor, Introduction

Bruce K. Waltke and Michael P. O’Connor, An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1990).

Wecowski, Greek Aristocratic Banquet

Marek Wecowski, The Rise of the Greek Aristocratic Banquet (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014).

Weeks, Instruction

Stuart Weeks, Instruction and Imagery in Proverbs 1–9 (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007).

Weeks, Proverbs 8:30a

Stuart Weeks, The Context and Meaning of ­Proverbs 8:30a, JBL 125 (2006) 433–42.

Weigl, Achikar-Sprüche

Michael Weigl, Die aramäischen Achikar-Sprüche aus Elephantine und die alttestamentliche Weisheitsliteratur (BZAW 399; Berlin: de Gruyter, 2010).

Weinfeld, You Will Find Favour

Moshe Weinfeld, ‘You Will Find Favour . . . in the Sight of God and Man’ (Proverbs 3:4): The History of an Idea, in Moshe Weinfeld, ed., Normative and Sectarian Judaism in the Second Temple Period (LSTS 54; London: T&T Clark, 2005) 239–50.

Wente, Letters

Edward F. Wente, Letters from Ancient Egypt (WAW 1; Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1990).

Westermann, Genesis 1–11

Claus Westermann, Genesis 1–11 (3rd ed.; BKAT 1.1; Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 1983).

Whybray, Composition

R. Norman Whybray, The Composition of the Book of Proverbs (JSOTSup 168; Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1994).

Whybray, Survey

R. Norman Whybray, The Book of Proverbs: A Survey of Modern Study (History of Biblical Interpretation Series 1; Leiden: Brill, 1995).

Whybray, Wisdom in Proverbs

R.Norman Whybray, Wisdom in Proverbs: The Concept of Wisdom in Proverbs (SBT 45; London: SCM, 1965).

Whybray, Yahweh-Sayings

R. Norman Whybray, Yahweh-Sayings and Their Contexts in Proverbs 10:1–22:16, in Maurice ­Gilbert, ed., La sagesse de l’Ancien Testament (BETL 51; Leuven: Leuven University Press, 1979) 153–65.

Wilcke, Göttliche und menschliche Weisheit

Claus Wilcke, Göttliche und menschliche Weisheit im Alten Orient, in Aleida Assmann, ed., Weisheit (Archäologie der literarischen Kommunikation 3; Munich: Fink, 1991) 259–70.

Wildberger, Jesaja 1–12

Hans Wildberger, Jesaja, vol. 1, Jesaja 1–12 (2nd ed.; BKAT 10.1; Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 1980).

Wildberger, Jesaja 28–39

Hans Wildberger, Jesaja, vol. 3, Jesaja 28–39 (BKAT 10.3; Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 1982).

Wildeboer

Gerrit Wildeboer, Die Sprüche (KHC 15; Freiburg: Mohr, 1897).

Wilke, Kronerben

Alexa F. Wilke, Kronerben der Weisheit: Gott, König und Frommer in der didaktischen Literatur Ägyptens und Israels (FAT 2/20; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2006).

Witte, Von Ewigkeit zu Ewigkeit

Markus Witte, Von Ewigkeit zu Ewigkeit: Weisheit und Geschichte in den Psalmen (BThSt 146; Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 2014).

Wöhrle, Getränke

Jakob Wöhrle, Getränke, WiBiLex (2008).

Yee, I Have Perfumed My Bed

Gale A. Yee, ‘I Have Perfumed My Bed with Myrrh’: The Foreign Woman in Proverbs 1–9, JSOT 13 (1989) 53–68.

Yoder

Christine Roy Yoder, Proverbs (AOTC; Nashville: Abingdon, 2009).

Zabán, Pillar Function

Bálint Károly Zabán, The Pillar Function of the Speeches of Wisdom: Proverbs 1:20–33, 8:1–36, and 9:1–6 in the Structural Framework of Proverbs 1–9 (BZAW 429; Berlin: de Gruyter, 2012).

Zakovitch, Implied Synonyms

Yair Zakovitch, Implied Synonyms and Antonyms: Textual Criticism vs. the Literary Approach, in Shalom M. Paul, ed., Emanuel: Studies in Hebrew Bible, Septuagint and Dead Sea Scrolls in Honor of Emanuel Tov (VTSup 94; Leiden: Brill, 2003) 833–49.

Zamazalová, Education

Silvie Zamazalová, The Education of Neo-Assyrian Princes, in Karen Radner and Eleanor Robson, eds., The Oxford Handbook of Cuneiform Culture (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011).

Zehnder, Wegmetaphorik

Markus Zehnder, Wegmetaphorik im Alten Testament:Eine semantische Untersuchung der alttestamentlichen und altorientalischen Weg-Lexeme mit besonderer Berücksichtigung ihrer metaphorischen Verwendung (BZAW 268; Berlin: de Gruyter, 1999).

Zimmerli, Ezekiel 1

Walther Zimmerli, Ezekiel: A Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, vol. 1, Ezekiel 1–24 (Hermeneia; Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1979).

3. Using the Commentary; Practical Notes

The present commentary was conceived for the Hermeneia Commentary Series and has also been published in German in the series Biblischer Kommentar Altes Testament.

In this commentary, each chapter begins with a translation of the Hebrew text, followed by a discussion of the most important text-critical questions under Textual Notes. The Introduction and Conclusion to each major textual unit provide a brief overview of the contents and main themes of the unit. Those readers who are interested in further details on a particular unit may also consult the sections entitled Structure and Background, the latter of which discusses the literary- and sociohistorical background of the text. Following this, a detailed exegesis of each verse is provided under Commentary. Both Background and Commentary also include discussions of ancient Near Eastern parallels, particularly those from Egypt.

The literature cited in the footnotes is intended to serve as a starting point for further critical work on the text, since every commentary is by definition provisional and can never elucidate the biblical text comprehensively. This also means that the Commentary will sometimes provide multiple possible interpretations or approaches to a particular text.

Given that this commentary seeks to advance critical research on the book of Proverbs, three areas for further research can be mentioned here: (a) intertextual connections with the book of Sirach, (b) the reception of the book of Proverbs in the Dead Sea Scrolls, and (c) the relationship of the book to Greek wisdom, which, according to more recent studies, also has similarities with Demotic wisdom. The composition of Proverbs 1–9 and 10–22 is treated in detail prior to each of these respective units, while other overarching topics such as the question of the sociohistorical setting of the book of Proverbs will be treated in the second volume of the commentary (Proverbs 16–31).

While some modern translations of and commentaries on the book of Proverbs seek to bring the gendered language of the book into conformity with contemporary sensibilities (especially with regard to concerns about inclusion and bias), the present historical-critical commentary retains as much as possible the Hebrew text’s grammatically gendered language for literary and historical reasons. The book of Proverbs presents different voices: some male, such as the father (1:8; 4:1; 6:20), the grandfather (4:4-9), the wise men (24:23; 25:1), and the wisdom student; and some female, such as the mother (1:8; 4:3; 6:20), Lady Wisdom (1:20; 8:1; 9:1), Dame Folly (9:13), and the mother of King Lemuel (31:1). Given the important role that gender dynamics and the various gendered literary personae and contexts play within the book, the author of this commentary has sought to allow the text’s projection of gender through its language to come through.

General Introduction

1. Introduction

A new commentary on the book of Proverbs cannot discuss in detail the entire history of research on the book since the time of commentators such as Ernst Bertheau (1847), Ferdinand Hitzig (1858), or Franz Delitzsch (1873). Yet a glance at the subsequent scholarly literature on the book of Proverbs indicates that some of the observations made by nineteenth-century commentators—such as the intertextual connections between the book of Proverbs and other biblical texts, particularly the book of Deuteronomy—have unfortunately been forgotten and have had to be rediscovered by more recent research.

This introduction will provide an overview of the main stages in the history of research on the book of Proverbs (1.1) followed by a discussion of the approach taken by this commentary (1.2). Every commentary stands within a particular exegetical tradition, and its particular approach must be made explicit prior to the verse-by-verse commentary.1

1.1 History of Research

The history of research on the book of Proverbs could be—and has been—the subject of book-length studies in its own right.2 In what follows, it is possible only to sketch the major trends in research on the book in order to situate the present commentary within the broader history of research.

Research on the book of Proverbs can be divided roughly into three major periods: the time before the discovery of ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature, the time immediately following this discovery, and the more recent period. The dictum of Horst Dietrich Preuß that wisdom literature is a foreign body within the Hebrew Bible can be understood only in light of the paradigm shift resulting from the discovery of ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature and its parallels to the book of Proverbs. Whereas scholars during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries interpreted the book of Proverbs as a sui generis part of biblical literature, the discovery of ancient Near Eastern parallels, particularly in Egyptian wisdom literature, led to a fundamental shift in perspective: whatever resembled ancient Near Eastern texts must be foreign to the Bible.

This paradigm shift in research on the book of Proverbs is illustrated particularly well by the discovery of the Egyptian Instruction of Amenemope and its parallels with Prov 22:17–24:22, which led to a flood of comparative studies. This discovery is closely associated with the Egyptologists Ernest Wallis Budge and Adolf Erman as well as the biblical scholar Hugo Gressmann. In 1923, Budge published the first edition of this Ramesside-period wisdom instruction, which Erman made the subject of a lecture to the Prussian Academy of Sciences in Berlin on May 1, 1924. In this lecture, Erman showed the parallels with Prov 22:17–24:22 and described the Egyptian wisdom instruction as an Egyptian source for the Proverbs of Solomon.3 In the same year, Gressmann published an article entitled Die neugefundene Lehre des Amenemope und die vorexilische Spruchdichtung Israels in the Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft.4 Together with the publications of Budge and Erman, he set in motion a flurry of studies dealing not only with the relationship between Prov 22:17–24:22 and the Instruction of Amenemope but also with more fundamental reflections on the nature of biblical wisdom literature.5 The publication of the Instruction of Amenemope showed once and for all that the affinity of the Proverbs of Solomon with ancient Near Eastern wisdom as described in the Bible (cf. 1 Kgs 5:10) was historically valid. Although there had been earlier attempts to connect ancient Israelite wisdom literature with that of the broader ancient Near East, this connection became widely accepted only after the discovery of the Instruction of Amenemope.6 This led to a fundamental rethinking of the literary history of the book of Proverbs and its place in the biblical canon. In his 1924 article mentioned above, Gressmann himself proposed a model for the formation of the book of Proverbs that would strongly influence subsequent research. He identified three