Discerning wisdom : the sapiential literature of the Dead Sea scrolls / edited by Matthew J. Goff.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Goff, Matthew J.

Series:

Supplements to Vetus Testamentum 0083-5889 ; v. 116.

Supplements to Vetus Testamentum, 0083-5889 ; v. 116

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Dead Sea scrolls.

Wisdom literature--Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Wisdom literature.

Physical Description:

xv, 372 pages ; 25 cm.

Place of Publication:

Leiden ; Boston : Brill, 2007.

Summary:

Before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Ben Sira was the only Hebrew wisdom text from the late Second Temple period. The Qumran scrolls provide an abundance of previously unknown Hebrew sapiential material. Discerning Wisdom provides a systematic overview of all the Qumran texts that are commonly identified as wisdom compositions. This literature raises issues such as the incorporation of apocalypticism and Torah piety into the sapiential tradition. The Dead Sea Scrolls offer crucial evidence for understanding the wisdom of the late Second Temple period and the reception of traditional wisdom in Early Judaism.

Contents:

I A Wisdom Text with an Apocalyptic Worldview: 4QInstruction (1Q26; 4Q415-18, 423) 9

2 The Text of 4QInstruction 10

3 The Wisdom of 4QInstruction 12

3.1 The Theme of Revelation: The Raz Nihyeh 13

3.1.1 Revelation and Determinism 16

3.1.2 Revelation and Creation 17

3.1.3 Revelation and Instruction 22

3.1.3.1 The Mystery That Is To Be and Judgment 23

3.1.3.2 The Mystery That Is To Be and Soteriological Knowledge 23

3.1.3.3 The Mystery That Is To Be and Family Relations 25

3.1.3.4 The Mystery That Is To Be and Farming 26

3.1.3.5 The Pedagogical Mysteries of 4QInstruction 27

3.1.4 Is the Mystery That Is To Be a Cipher for the Torah? 28

3.2 Revelation and the Vision of Hagu 29

3.2.1 The Elect Status of the Addressee and the Garden of Eden 36

3.2.2 The Elect Status of the Addressee, the Angels and Eternal Life 38

4 Eschatological Judgment 44

5 The Intended Audience of 4QInstruction 47

5.1 Farmers, Artisans and Servants 48

5.2 Women 49

5.3 The Social Location of 4QInstruction 53

5.3.1 Poverty and Debts 54

5.3.2 The Addressee's Poverty, Ethics and His Elect Status 59

5.4 4QInstruction and the Teacher Movement 61

5.5 The Date of 4QInstruction 65

II Eschatological Wisdom: The Book of Mysteries (1Q27; 4Q299-301) 69

2 The Text of the Book of Mysteries and the Question of 4Q301 71

3 The Eschatological Transformation of the World 73

3.1 Creation, Eschatology and the Mystery That Is To Be 74

3.2 Determinism 80

3.3 Revelation, Licit and Illicit 82

3.4 The Elimination of the Wicked 86

4 The Status and Use of the Torah in the Book of Mysteries 89

5 The Genre of the Book of Mysteries 93

6 The Date and Social Setting of the Book of Mysteries 99

III Gendered Wisdom: 4QWiles of the Wicked Woman (4Q184) 104

2 The Woman of 4Q184 and Eroticism 106

3 The Woman, Darkness and Death 111

4 The Woman's Prey 116

5 Misogyny and Female Allegory 118

IV The Rewards of Wisdom: 4QSapiential Work (4Q185) 122

2 Divine Judgment and the Inevitability of Human Death 124

3 The Torah and the Pursuit of Wisdom 130

3.1 Lady Wisdom in 4Q185? 135

3.2 The Yoke of Wisdom in 4Q185? 139

4 Lessons from the History of Israel 140

V Wisdom for the Yahad: 4QWords of the Maskil to All Sons of Dawn (4Q298) 146

2 4QWords of the Maskil to All Sons of Dawn 147

2.1 4QWords of the Maskil and the Wisdom Tradition 147

2.2 4QWords of the Maskil and the Dead Sea Sect 149

2.2.1 The Maskil 150

2.2.2 The Sons of Dawn 154

VI Wisdom and Halakhah: 4QWays of Righteousness (4Q420-21) 160

2 4QWays of Righteousness 161

2.1 Righteousness, Study and Speech 162

2.2 The Yoke of Wisdom and Sabbath Halakhah 165

2.3 4QWays of Righteousness and the Dead Sea Sect 173

VII Practical Wisdom: The Instruction of 4Q424 179

2 Negative Types of People 180

2.1 Instruction on Judges and Lawyers 181

2.2 Instruction on Hiring Managers 185

2.3 Other Teachings on Unreliable Employees 188

3 Positive Types of People 191

3.1 The Opponent of "All Who Move the Boundary Marker" 191

3.2 Compassion for the Poor 193

VIII Wisdom and the Torah: 4QBeatitudes (4Q525) 198

2 A Pedagogical Prologue 200

3 The Beatitude Collection 201

3.1 The Structure of the Beatitude Collection in 4Q525 203

3.2 The Beatitudes of 4Q525 and the Gospels 205

4 The Pursuit of Wisdom in 4QBeatitudes 207

5 The Personification of Wisdom 214

6 Wrath, Rewards and the Issue of Eschatology 217

7 Practical Wisdom and the Social Setting of 4QBeatitudes 223

IX Songs of Wisdom: Wisdom Psalms in the Hebrew Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls 230

2 Wisdom Psalms in the Hebrew Bible-A Chasing After Wind? 231

3 The Cave 11 Psalms Scroll (11QPs[superscript a]) 236

3.1 Scholarship on the Psalms Scroll 237

3.2 11QPs[superscript a] and the Wisdom Tradition 239

3.2.1 11QPs[superscript a] 18 (Psalm 154) 240

3.2.2 11QPs[superscript a] 21:11-17 and 22:1 (Sir 51:13-30) 247

3.2.3 11QPs[superscript a] 26:9-15 (Hymn to the Creator) 257

4 Conclusion: The Cave 11 Psalms Scroll and the Issue of Wisdom Psalms 260

X The Minor Wisdom Texts 264

2 4Q302: An Instructional Text with a Parable 265

3 4Q303-05: Texts with Motifs from Genesis 1-3 268

4 4Q412: Remnants of an Instruction 270

5 4Q413: Instruction on the Role of God in History 272

6 4Q419: A Priestly Composition 277

7 4Q425: Remnants of a Work of Practical Wisdom 280

8 Small Sapiential-Hymnic Texts 281

8.1 4Q411 281

8.2 4Q426 283

8.3 4Q528 284

Conclusion: The Qumran Wisdom Texts and the Sapiential Tradition 287

2 Correspondences 287

3 Absences 289

4 Departures 292

4.1 Wisdom and Apocalypticism 292

4.2 Wisdom and Torah 298

4.3 Wisdom and Piety 301

5 Function and Milieu 303

6 Genre 306.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9789004147492

9004147497

OCLC:

74492281