JOHN ROBERTS THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE, MAWKLOT, SHILLONG-09

Group Assignment
Subject: Hope in Suffering and Joy in Liberation: Study of Hebrew Poetry and Wisdom
Literature (BB018).
Topic: Critically evaluate Wisdom discourses and the World view of the Sages in Sapiential,
Wisdom tradition in Ancient West Asia as background of Ancient Israel Wisdom, & The Study
of wisdom in ancient Israel its Similarities and differences with that of Ancient West Asia.
Completed by: Reuben Lalmangaihzuava, N. Manase, & Pyrkhatlang Tiewsoh.
Respondents: Wadladlang Nongbri, Samjeyile, Banteilang, & Banshanbok.
Course facilitator: Dr. E. Lyngdoh Dated: 25.07. 2024

Introduction: Wisdom involves knowledge gained through observation, reflection, and

experience. Wisdom literature, including Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job, often extends
to Apocryphal and Pseudepigraphal books, emphasizing the pursuit of wisdom through
empirical and ethical insights, communal values, and spiritual understanding. This paper aims
at highlighting the discourse and the worldview of the sages and their sapiential traditions, the
Ancient West Asian background in Israel’s wisdom tradition and the similarities and
differences in the Ancient West Asian and Israel’s wisdom traditions.
1. Wisdom: Wisdom denotes knowledge through recognition and a deliberate application of
the senses, investigation, and testing, from consideration and reflection which result from
realization, experience, and perception that one can be learnt and transmitted. 1 It is an ability to
think and act utilizing knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense, and insight. The
scope of the wisdom literature always includes the Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Book
of Job. Most scholars also include the Apocryphal books such as the Wisdom of Solomon and
Ecclesiasticus or Ben Sira. Others extend the net to the Pseudepigraphal literature such as the
Book of Enoch.2
2. Wisdom discourse: Wisdom discourse is a crucial aspect of community life, involving the
exchange of culture knowledge, ethical norms, and community values. It is often held in
physical and social spaces, such as a city gates, marketplaces, temples, and royal courts, where
a diverse audience can participate. The authority of wisdom is often linked to age, experience,
and social standing, reinforcing hierarchical structures. Today, wisdom discourse can be found
in academic institutions, religious congregations, community centres, and digital platforms,
facilitating the exchange of ideas and collective knowledge. The teaching of the wise aim to
gain, preserve, and achieve good things.3
2.1. Cultural Context: The wisdom tradition in ancient Israel was deeply rooted in familial
and communal contexts. Proverbs, likely passed down orally within families and tribes, depict
mothers as key figures in imparting wisdom (Proverbs 31:1-9). Additionally, Proverbs 1-9
emphasize the joint instruction of both fathers and mothers.4
2.2. Social Context: While not recognized as official sages, parents played a significant role in
early education (Prov. 4:1-5, 10:1, 15:20, 23:22, 25, 30:17, 31:1-9). This informal transmission
1
Enolyn Lyngdoh, Biblical Hermeneutics Rediscovered-50: Significance of Torah in the Bible of Proverbs A
Social -Liberative Reading (Delhi: Christian World Imprints, 2022), 9.
2
Celia E. Deane-Drummond, Creation Through Wisdom: Theology and the New Biology (Edinburgh: T&T
Clark Ltd, 2000), 19.
3
Gerhard Von Rad, Wisdom in Israel (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1972), 154.
4
Roland E. Murphy, The Tree of Life (New York: Doubleday, 1990), 4
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continued throughout the Old Testament period, as evidenced by traditional wisdom sayings
found in older materials. Similarly, the role of town elders or leaders was pivotal; they were
esteemed for their wisdom in adjudicating disputes and offering counsel (Deut. 25:7-8).
Notably, figures such as the "wise woman" of Abel (2 Sam. 20) and the woman of Tekoa (2
Sam. 14) exemplify this respected advisory role within local communities. As Israel
transitioned to a monarchy, scribes and scribal schools became instrumental in formalizing and
preserving wisdom teachings. Under David's leadership, these scribes and bureaucrats (2 Sam.
20:23-25) contributed to the structured development of wisdom within the royal court, marking
a shift towards more organized governance and intellectual pursuits.5
2.3. Historical Context: Wisdom spread throughout the ancient near east wide area and the
literature that was put to world have influence one another ethical group or people. The Old
Testament wisdom literature was mostly considered as the Jewish or Hebrew of origin, but on
can look from the point that Israelite people were scattered to different place through the
process of exile. One may recall that Israel herself compared her wisdom, in the person of
Solomon, to “the wisdom of all the people of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt” 6
Furthermore, they encompass various subtypes such as autobiographical narratives,
instructional teachings, prayers, admonitions, hymns, and sayings. Understanding how these
different types of wisdom relate to each other and to overarching ideas remains unresolved,
complicating the broader issue of wisdom within the biblical canon.7
3. Sages: Sages are often revered figures known for their profound understanding, insight, and
knowledge. They are typically seen as wise elders or spiritual leaders who have accumulated
wisdom through experience, contemplation, and often teachings passed down through
generations. Sages are respected for their ability to offer guidance, solve complex problems,
and impart valuable lessons about life, morality, and spirituality. Throughout history and across
cultures, sages have played crucial roles in shaping moral and philosophical thought, providing
counsel to leaders, and guiding communities towards harmony and enlightenment.
4. Sapiential Tradition: The sapiential traditions of the sages encapsulate a diverse array of
wisdom teachings prevalent across various cultures and religions. Rooted in ancient texts, oral
traditions, and teachings passed down through generations, these traditions offer profound
insights into life, ethics, and spiritual understanding. Central to sapiential teachings are
universal principles such as virtue, justice, compassion, and the pursuit of wisdom as pathways
to a meaningful and fulfilling existence.8 Sages provide ethical guidance, emphasizing
integrity, honesty, and responsibility towards the community, while offering practical wisdom
for navigating daily challenges and fostering resilience in adversity. Spiritual insights within
these traditions delve into transcendent realities and the interconnectedness of all existence,
often incorporating practices like meditation and rituals aimed at spiritual growth and
enlightenment. Sages advocate for the pursuit of truth through inquiry and reflection, stressing
the importance of humility, self-awareness, and self-reflection in personal development. They
promote community cohesion, social harmony, and compassion as integral components of
5
Anthony R. Ceresko, Introduction to Old Testament Wisdom (New York: Orbis Books, 2005), 32.
6
Roland E. Murphy and O. Carm, Wisdom Literature Job, Proverbs, Ruth, Canticles, Ecclesiastes, And
Esther (Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1983), 9.
7
James L. Crenshaw, Old Testament Wisdom: An Introduction (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press,
2010), 1-3.
8
Carole R. Fontaine, Wisdom Literature: A Theological History (New York: Oxford University Press, 2020),
45-78.
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genuine wisdom, encouraging individuals to integrate knowledge gained from study with
practical experience to benefit themselves and others. Over time, these traditions have shown
adaptability to changing cultural contexts while maintaining their foundational principles,
continuing to inspire individuals seeking ethical guidance, spiritual depth, and a deeper
understanding of life's complexities.9
4.1. Sages in Royal Court: Counsellors were associated with royal wisdom who are to provide
“advice” to the ruler. Ahitophel, David’s counsellor, gave advice to Absalom, and it was
regarded as a divine advice (2 Sam. 16: 20-23), though Absalom rejected his advice. Similarly,
Rehoboam takes counsel with advisers (1King 12:6). In the context of the royal court, the
counselling role of the sage is clearly visible.10
5. Worldview of Sages: The sapiential tradition, often referred to as wisdom literature, is a
significant stream within the biblical corpus, especially within the books of Proverbs, Job, and
Ecclesiastes. This tradition centers on the pursuit of wisdom, understanding, and the art of
living well. The sages viewed the fear of the Lord as the foundation of all wisdom, implying a
deep respect and reverence for God's power and authority. 11 They believed that wisdom comes
from careful observation of the natural world and human behavior, valuing empirical
knowledge and lessons from experience.12 The sages also held that the world is well-ordered
and stable, governed by moral and natural laws set by God, and that adhering to these laws
leads to a prosperous and harmonious life. Wisdom literature offers practical guidance on
ethical living, emphasizing virtues like diligence, honesty, humility, and self-control. 13 Books
like Job and Ecclesiastes address the complexities of human existence, including suffering,
injustice, and the limits of human understanding, acknowledging that life's realities can be
perplexing and that not all questions have clear answers.14

6. Wisdom tradition in Ancient West Asia as background of Ancient Israel Wisdom: The
Ancient West Asia wisdom traditions must have been known to writers and thinkers in Israel
for nearly the first millennium of Israel’s existence as a people, since Assyria, Babylon and
finally Persia dominated the Levant during most of that time. The Babylonian exile may have
given the displaced intellectuals of Jerusalem opportunity to acquire sapiential texts of their
conquerors.15 Roland E. Murphy also affirms that the biblical wisdom literature is “illumined
by the wisdom of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt.16
The wisdom tradition in Ancient West Asia (AWA) is a rich and complex phenomenon that has
had a profound impact on the religious and cultural heritage of the region. Both the texts
portray a concern with regard to transmitting social values for character development of a child.
As it is observed before the collection, wisdom instruction in Proverbs emerged from the daily

9
Clement Katharine, The Wisdom Tradition in the Old Testament (London: Cambridge University Press,
2008), 112-145.
10
Roland E. Murphy, The Tree of Life (New York: Double day, 1990), 5.
11
Crenshaw, Old Testament Wisdom: An Introduction …, 5.
12
Murphy, The Tree of Life: An Exploration of Biblical Wisdom Literature…, 10.
13
Michael V. Fox, Proverbs 1-9: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary (New Haven: Yale
University Press, 2000), 4.
14
R. N. Whybray, The Book of Proverbs: A Survey of Modern Study (Leiden: Brill, 1995), 35.
15
W. Sibley Tower, “The Book of Ecclesiastes”, in NIB, vol. 5, edited by Leander E. Keck et al. (Nashville:
Abingdon, 1992), 267-360.
16
Roland E. Murphy, “Wisdom in the Old Testament”, in the ABD, vol. 6, edited by David Noel Freedman
(New York: Doubleday, 1992), 928.
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experiences of the ordinary people who might have been neither a scribe nor an elite or a king,
and such values were therefore conscious in the memory of the people. Both the texts confront
injustices in which protection of the less advantaged section is addressed. The wisdom of Egypt
and Mesopotamia are important literary texts of the ancient civilizations, and the following
discussion portrays the nature of AWA sapiential texts and its relationship with the book of
Proverbs.17
The wisdom traditions of ancient Mesopotamia and Egyptian examine how they enlighten our
understanding of wisdom in ancient Israel. .
6.1. Egyptian Sapiential Texts: Egyptian sapiential literature includes texts that consciously
strive to inculcate values with an aim of imparting practical instruction. 18 These texts
communicate not only intellectual precepts but also imaginative meaning conveyed through
tone, images, metaphors and symbols.19 The sages of Israel may have been influenced by
various intellectual streams of AWA due to political and commercial contacts, resulting in
cultural and literary interdependence.20 The sapiential texts of AWA were employed for scribal
education in Jerusalem during the early period of the monarchy, 21 and the sages of Israel
incorporated and interpreted these texts from their own perspective, adding theological
uniqueness to the composition of the Book of Proverbs.22
6.2. The concept of Ma’at is central to the wisdom tradition in Ancient West Asia (AWA)
and Ancient Israel: The concepts of Ma’at represents truth, justice, wisdom and law, and
order, and is considered a divine order that extends over humanity. Ma’at is the norm of
conduct that wisdom doctrines seek to meditate, and is essential for understanding wisdom.23
In Proverbs, sages convey moral order as something to be learned through actions and wise
teaching. Ma’at is associated with protecting the vulnerable and is essential for leaders’
success. The book of proverbs conveys the same ethical principle as Egyptian and
Mesopotamian literature, serving as information for understanding justice, righteousness, and
order.24 The similarity of law in AWA sapiential instructions and Proverbs is also discussed.
Wisdom and laws shape human behavior, inspire justice, and guide human actions. Laws define
‘just’ and unjust’ criteria and create injunctions to protect the disadvantaged.25
Ma’at is unique ethical thought that emphasizes truth, justice, and order. It is essential for
understanding wisdom, justice, and righteousness in ancient cultures. The concept of Ma’at
highlights the importance of living in harmony with God, the cosmos, human society, and
oneself. It is a valuable resource for modern moral discourse and philosophical reflection,
offering insights into the nature of justice, morality, and ethics.26
17
Enolyn Lyngdoh, Significance of Torah in the Book of Proverbs A Socio-Liberative Reading (Delhi:
Christian World Imprint, 2022), 58.
18
Crenshaw, Old Testament Wisdom: An Introduction …, 205-206.
19
John L. Foster trans, Ancient Egyptian Literature: An Anthology (USA: University of Texas Press, 2001),
20.
20
J. Coert Rylaarsdam, Revelation in Jewish Wisdom Literature (Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago
Press, 1946), 1-2.
21
Harold C. Washington, Wealth and Poverty in the Instructions of Amenemope and the Hebrew Proverbs,
SBL Dissertation Series 142 (USA: The Society of Biblical Literature, 1994), 203.
22
R. N. Whybray, Wisdom in Proverbs (London: SCM Press, 1965), 54.
23
Whybray, Wisdom in Proverbs…, 55.
24
Maulana Karenga, Maat the Moral Ideal in Ancient Egypt: A Study in Classical African Ethics, ed. Molefi
Kete Asante (New York, London: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group, 2004), 4-6.
25
Lyngdoh, Significance of Torah in the Book of Proverbs A Socio-Liberative Reading …, 61.
26
Jekheli Kibami Singh, Dame Wisdom and Dame Folly: The Portrayal of Women in the Book of Proverbs
(Delhi: Cambridge Press, 2005), 16-17.
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7. The Study of wisdom in ancient Israel its Similarities and differences with that of
Ancient West Asia: Wisdom in Israel and Ancient West Asia share similarities and
differences. These traditions summed up in texts like the Hebrew Bible, Mesopotamian
literature, and Egyptian instructional literature, can provide ways to see into how their
respective societies understand life, morality, and the divine. This paper attempts at
highlighting on their similarities and intersections as well as differences and departures:
7.1. Similarities: The wisdom traditions of ancient Israel and ancient West Asia (including
regions such as Mesopotamia and Egypt) share several similarities due to their cultural
exchanges and geographical closeness.
7.1.1. Literary Forms and Genres: Both traditions utilized similar literary forms, such as
proverbs, parables, hymns, and instructional texts. As observed in Proverbs which are
collections of short, pithy sayings conveying practical wisdom were prevalent in both cultures.
The biblical book of Proverbs in Israel parallels the Mesopotamian. One of the significant
parallels to Proverbs is the wisdom contained in the Story of Ahiqar, 27 along with the oldest
known wisdom writing of Mesopotamia which is the “Instructions of Shuruppak” 28 and the
instructions in Proverbs 22:17–24:22 (“the words of the wise”), which themselves may have
been based on the Egyptian Instruction of Amenemopet, which seem to have provided the
formal model for the sapiential Work. 29 Aside from Amenemopet, several other wisdom texts
such as “maat” seem to share great similarities with the Proverbs wisdom and writings where
“maat” is an instruction genre much like the instructions prominently found in proverbs 1-9. 30
The epics of Gilgamesh is one of the ancient Babylonian texts that displays wisdom despite not
fitting the contemporary concept of wisdom but was treated as wisdom literature by the ancient
Assyrian scribes, it is an epic form of writing.31
7.1.2. Hymns and Praises: Both traditions included hymns and prayers that expressed their
religious and philosophical ideals. The book of Job find counterparts in three of the six
Mesopotamian texts that contains hymns of praise; “the Sumerian Man and His God” and two
Akkadian texts; “A Sufferer’s Salvation and I Will Praise the Lord of Wisdom”. 32 Babylonians
have their perceptive Hymns as brought about by Lambert such as the ‘A bilingual hymn to
ninurta’ which is a two column hymn written for the god whose name is Ninurta, and ‘the
Samas Hymn’ which is not thoroughly preserved but is mostly used in liturgy. 33 Canaanite
influence (esp. that of Ugarit) has been strikingly exemplified in OT poetry, especially the
poetry of the Psalms. Parallelism, the repetition of favourite word pairs, motifs, and stylistic
characteristics, all these have been important for the interpretation of Hebrew poetry. 34 And
Egyptian hymns Egyptian hymns, including Osiris, Horus, Thoth, the divine pharaoh and even
27
Roland E. Murphy, Wisdom Literature: Job, Proverbs, Ruth, Canticles, Ecclesiastes, and Esther (Michigan
William B. Eerdman’s Publishing Company, 1983), 10.
28
Richard J. Clifford, The Wisdom Literature, (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998), 26.
29
Daniel J. Harrington, S.J, Wisdom Texts from Qumran (London: Routledge, 1996), 9.
30
T. Longman III, “Proverbs, Book of”, in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings,
edited by Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns, (Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2008), 548.
31
Karel van der Toorn, “Why Wisdom Became a Secret: On Wisdom as a Written Genre,” in Wisdom
Literature In Mesopotamia And Israel edited by Richard J. Clifford, (Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature,
2007), 24
32
J. E. Hartley, “Job 2: Ancient Near Eastern Background”, in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom,
Poetry & Writings, edited by Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns, (Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2008), 346.
33
W. G. Lambert, Babylonian Wisdom Literature (Indiana: Eisenbrauns, 1996), 118-121.
34
Murphy, Wisdom Literature…, 11.
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the divinized Nile, as the following excerpt illustrates: “Hail to thee, O Nile that issues from the
earth and comes to keep Egypt alive! Hidden in his form of appearance, a darkness by day, to
whom minstrels have sung. He that waters the meadows which recreated in order to keep every
kid alive” to their gods.35

7.2. Themes of Wisdom Literature: The wisdom literature of ancient Israel and West Asia
often revolved around similar themes, reflecting shared human concerns and values:
7.2.1. The Nature of Wisdom: Wisdom was considered a divine gift and a path to a righteous
and successful life. Israel’s wisdom was part of an international movement that also found
literary expressions in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Such wisdom was mainly concerned
with human relations and humankind’s place within creation. Its goal was to show people how
to cope with life, i.e., how to avoid obstacles and dangers, and thus how to find human
wholeness and happiness. Human experience provided the raw material for the ancient wisdom
teachers, and their task was to evaluate that experience in the light of practical reason and to
express it in short sayings that would help others to deal with life as they found it. These sages
did not generally claim their authority from divine revelation. 36 The concept of divine wisdom
is central in both traditions, with figures like Solomon in Israel and Nabu in Mesopotamia
being associated with wisdom. Wisdom literature has a long history in Mesopotamia, starting
with the Sumerian literary tradition. We know Sumerian literature mostly from school copies
made at Nippur and other cities during the Isin-Larsa period. This was the literature taught by
master scribes to their pupils in the edubba. A portion of this literature consists of proverbs,
fables, disputations, instructions, and dialogues, often labelled as “rhetorical collections” or
“scribal training literature” by scholars.37
7.1.1. Ethical Conduct: Both traditions emphasized ethical behavior, justice, and the
importance of living a moral life. The Hebrew Bible’s Proverbs and the Egyptian “Instruction
of Amenemope” and Mesopotamian writings, highlight honesty, integrity, diligence, sobriety,
domestic virtues and justice, taken from Egyptian writings and Mesopotamian writings from
the period of Ptah-hotep to Onchsheshonqy.38
7.1.2. The Fear of God: Von Rad brings the idea that the fear or reverence of the divine is
the beginning of wisdom not in a monotonous understanding of wisdom, but by bringing the
ideas in several words such as hokma (wisdom), da’at (knowledge), and mezimma (plan or
prudence)39 “Fear of the Lord” was a venerable concept in the ancient Near East long before
Sirach. It was part of a self-understanding by which one realized one’s place in a world the
gods had made exclusively for themselves, which led one to revere and recognize their
dominion.40 In Israel, this is captured in Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
knowledge,” and similar sentiments are found in Mesopotamian and Egyptian texts; Egyptian

35
T. Longman III, “Psalms 2: Ancient Near Eastern Background”, in Dictionary of the Old Testament:
Wisdom, Poetry & Writings, edited by Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns, (Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2008),
397.
36
Harrington, S.J, Wisdom Texts from Qumran…, 6
37
Paul-Alain Beaulieu, “The Social and Intellectual Setting of Babylonian Wisdom Literature” in Wisdom
Literature In Mesopotamia And Israel, edited by Richard J. Clifford, (Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature,
2007), 4.
38
Derek Kidner, An Introduction to Wisdom Literature: The Wisdom of Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes
(Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 125-128.
39
Von Rad, Wisdom in Israel…, 53.
40
Clifford, The Wisdom literature…, 127.
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“instruction” [Egyptian Isis (Marböck, 47-54)]41 which was concerned primarily with the
maintenance of good order, inculcating moral and cultural values. As in Babylonia, a
uniformity of script prevailed, which suggests that a single authority had ultimate control of
scribal training.42

7.3. Cosmology and Theodicy: Both traditions grappled with questions about the nature of the
cosmos and the problem of suffering:
7.3.1. Order and Chaos: The concept of maintaining order (Ma’at in Egypt, for example)
against chaos is crucial in both traditions. This is reflected in the biblical Creation narrative and
Mesopotamian creation myths like the “Enuma Elish” which is found in the seven tablets of
creation talks about the restoration of order represented by Ea and Marduk, from chaos
represented by Apsu and Tiamat. 43 The myth of “Inanna and Enki: The Transfer of the Arts of
Civilization from Eridu to Erech” lists on four occasions more than one hundred elements of
creation, each of which has its own me, or law regulating its behavior (Kramer, 64-65). These
laws originated at creation and continued to bind together and manage the compartments of
nature, society and anthropology. In doing so, order and peace were achieved.
7.3.2. Human Suffering: The problem of human suffering and the question of divine justice
are addressed in texts such as the Book of Job in Israel and the “Babylonian Theodicy” in
Mesopotamia. laments of the pious sufferer have all been readily included in the category of
wisdom because they find a reflection in the Bible. Babylonian wisdom literature, Ludlul bēl
nēmeqi, “Let me praise the Lord of Wisdom composed at the end of the second millennium
B.C.E. The Lord of Wisdom is the god Marduk, and as it turns out the words for wisdom, nam-
kù-zu and nēmequ, are most consistently associated with Marduk and his father Ea, (Enki in
Sumerian), in Mesopotamian religious and scholarly literature, displays the AWA’s portrayal
of the theodicy in their writing.44

8. Differences:
8.1. Israel’s Monotheism: The wisdom literature of ancient Israel is firmly rooted in
monotheism, centred on the worship of Yahweh. This theological framework permeates the
Hebrew Bible, influencing the understanding of wisdom as divinely inspired. Although
scholars like Heiser believes that Israel’s faith evolved from henotheism to monotheism
overtime, the culmination of their faith is very much monotheistic.45
8.1.1. Covenantal Relationship: Wisdom is often framed within the context of Israel’s
covenant with Yahweh. The fear of the Lord (Yahweh) is seen as the beginning of wisdom
(Proverbs 1:7), and wisdom is intertwined with obedience to God’s laws. Creation endures
because God has pledged in an eternal covenant [the Noachic covenant] that it shall endure and
because he has, also in an eternal covenant,46 in which we observe that when Ben Sira speaks of

41
M. Phua, “Sirach, Book of”, in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings, edited by
Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns, (Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2008), 725
42
A. R. Millard, Sages, Schools, Education, in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings,
edited by Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns, (Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2008), 706,
43
Leonard William King, The Seven Tablets of Creation (Alice and Books, 1801), 5.
44
Beaulieu, “The Social and Intellectual Setting of Babylonian Wisdom Literature…, 3-4.
45
M. S. Heiser, “Divine Council”, in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings, edited by
Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns, (Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2008), 114.
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the ‘book of the covenant of the Most High’, it seems likely that he has in mind the whole
Torah or Pentateuch.47
8.2. Ancient West Asia’s Polytheism: Mesopotamian and Egyptian wisdom literature is
grounded in polytheism. Deities associated with wisdom, such as Nabu in Mesopotamia and
Thoth in Egypt, play significant roles. W. G. Lambert suggests that the Babylonian were
striving towards monotheism however they could not reach their desired goal indicating that
they were a religion of polytheism,48
8.2. Source of Wisdom
8.2.1. Divine Revelation: Wisdom is primarily seen as a gift from Yahweh, accessible through
revelation, prayer, and adherence to divine commandments. The prophetic tradition also
contributes to the wisdom literature, emphasizing the role of God’s guidance. Ben Sira
“recognizes in biblical revelation the best expression of divine wisdom.” 49
8.2.2. Scriptural Authority: The wisdom texts in the Hebrew Bible, such as Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes, and Job, are considered part of sacred scripture, thus carrying divine authority.
They believed that God was the ultimate author of Scripture (2 Tim 3:14-17; 1 Pet 1:10-11).
And in the light of the work of Christ, they read the OT in a way that brought out its deeper
significance. Thus, the scripture as the ultimate authority of wisdom and understanding.50
8.2.3. Human Experience and Observation: Von Raad points out that Israel’s teachings are
also completely different from the ideas of ancient Egyptian wisdom The central concept, on
the basis of which the teachings of the wise men of Egypt are to be interpreted, is that of
Maat.51 While divine influence is acknowledged, wisdom is often derived from human
experience, empirical observation, and practical knowledge. Texts like the “Instructions of
Shuruppak” and the “Instruction of Ptah-hotep” emphasize practical advice based on human
insight.52
Conclusion: The wisdom tradition of ancient Israel is largely influence by its social,
geographical setting, whereby the wisdom traditions and all the understanding therein are
shared by the traditions of the Ancient West Asia. The evolution of its discourse right from the
evolution of the sages to sapiential traditions, and the Ancient West Asian background is proof
that Israel’s tradition did come to be by its own understanding of God and all that pertain to His
establishment but by also borrowing and sharing in the understanding of the Assyrian,
Babylonian, Egyptian, etc, understanding of their view of deity and wisdom. Although the
distinctions can be found in the various paradigms of being, certainly the similarities cannot be
denied. And hence we can conclude that all forms of wisdom found in the Old Testament is a
form of wisdom amalgamated through the ancient near east context.
Bibliography:

46
E. W. Nicholson, “The limits of theodicy as a theme of the book of Job”, in Wisdom in Ancient Israel:
Essays in honour of J.A. Emerton, edited by John Day, Robert P. Gordon and H. G. M. Williamson, (New York:
Cambridge University Press, 1995) 81.
47
Nicholson, “The limits of theodicy…, 227.
48
Lambert, Babylonian Wisdom Literature…,19.
49
Clifford, The Wisdom Literature…, 124.
50
T. Longman III, “Messiah”, in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings, edited by
Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns, (Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2008), 467.
51
Von Rad, Wisdom in Israel…, 72.
52
Clifford, The Wisdom Liberatore…, 175.
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in Wisdom Literature in Mesopotamia and Israel. Edited by Richard J. Clifford.
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Knox Press, 2010.
Deane-Drummond, Celia E. Creation Through Wisdom: Theology and the New Biology.
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