E-Book Overview
Wisdom Literature is Volume XIII of The Forms of the Old Testament Literature, a series that aims to present a form-critical analysis of every book and each unit in the Hebrew Bible. Fundamentally exegetical, the FOTL volumes examine the structure, genre, setting, and intention of the biblical literature in question. They also study the history behind the form-critical discussion of the material, attempt to bring consistency to the terminology for the genres and formulas of the biblical literature, and expose the exegetical process so as to enable students and pastors to engage in their own analysis and interpretation of the Old Testament texts. This volume examines the books of Job, Proverbs, Ruth, Canticles (Song of Songs), Ecclesiastes, and Esther. Previous form-critical work is carefully evaluated, and the result is a thorough-going form-critical treatment of this part of the Old Testament. The work is enhanced by bibliographies for each Old Testament book and a glossary of general terms.
E-Book Content
THE F O R M S OF T H E OLD TESTAMENT LITERATURE Genesis; with an Introduction to Narrative Literature *IIA Exodus 1-18 IIB Exodus 19-40; with an Introduction to Legal Genres III Leviticus IV Numbers V Deuteronomy VI Joshua, Judges VII 1 Samuel VIII 2 Samuel *IX 1 Kings; with an Introduction to Historical Literature *X 2 Kings *XI 1 and 2 Chronicles ΧΠ Ezra, Nehemiah *XIII Ruth, Esther, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Canticles; with an Introduction to Wisdom Literature *XIV Psalms, Part 1; with an Introduction to Cultic Poetry *XV Psalms, Part 2; Lamentations *XVI Isaiah 1-39; with an Introduction to Prophetic Literature XVII Isaiah 40-66 XVIII Jeremiah *XIX Ezekiel *XX Daniel; with an Introduction to Apocalyptic Literature XXIA Minor Prophets, Part 1 *XXIB Micah *XXII Minor Prophets, Part 2 XXIII Glossary of Genre Terms XXIV Indices *Now available George W. Coats George W. Coats Rolf P. Knierim Rodney R. Hutton George W. Coats & Rolf P. Knierim Frederick G. Tiffany Robert L. Hubbard, Jr., & Malcolm M. Clark Antony F Campbell Antony F. Campbell Burke O. Long Burke O. Long Simon J. De Vries Kent Richards Roland E. Murphy Erhard S. Gerstenberger Erhard S. Gerstenberger Marvin A. Sweeney Roy F. Melugin Richard D. Weis Ronald M. Hals John J. Collins Ehud Ben Zvi, Gene M. Tucker, & J. William Whedbee Ehud Ben Zvi Michael H. Floyd Rolf P. Knierim & Gene M. Tucker Rolf Ρ Knierim & Gene M. Tucker WISDOM L1T6RATURe JOB, pR0V6RBS, RUTH, CÄNTICLeS, ECCLESIÄSTES, and eSTH6R Roland E. Murphy, O. Carm. The Forms of the Old Testament V O L U M E Rolf Knierim Literature XIII and Gene M. Tucker, WILLIAM B. EERDMANS PUBLISHING GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN editors COMPANY Copyright © 1981 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 255 Jefferson Ave. S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49503 All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America Reprinted, June 1983 Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Murphy, Roland Edmund, 1917The wisdom literature. (The Forms of the Old Testament literature; v. 13) 1. Wisdom literature—Criticism, Form. 2. Bible. O.T. Job—Criticism, Form. 3. Bible. O.T. Ruth— Criticism, Form. 4. Bible. O.T. Esther—Criticism, Form. I. Title. II. Series: Forms of the Old Testament literature; v. 13. BS1455.M87 223'.066 81-3191 ISBN 0-8028-1877-3 AACR2 C0NTCNTS ABBREVIATIONS EDITORS' AND SYMBOLS FOREWORD vii ix xiii PREFACE I N T R O D U C T I O N T O W I S D O M L I T E R A T U R E 1 J O B 13 P R O V E R B S 47 R U T H 83 C A N T I C L E S ( S O N G E C C L E S I A S T E S O F S O N G S )