The words of the wise are like goads : engaging Qoheleth in the 21st century / edited by Mark J. Boda, Tremper Longman III, and Cristian G. Rata.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Boda, Mark J.

Longman, Tremper.

Raţă, Cristian G.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Bible. Ecclesiastes--Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Bible.

Christianity.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (529 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Winona Lake, Ind. : Eisenbrauns, 2013.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

"Meaningless, meaningless, everything is meaningless." The word "meaningless" (hebel) appears more than 40 times in the book of Ecclesiastes and raises the question why a book that appears to deny meaning or purpose is included in the Bible. Many questions of interpretation as well as relevance surround the book of Ecclesiastes, including indeed the proper translation and understanding of the word hebel. If, after all, the book does examine the question of the meaning of life, what could be more important?The present volume explores Ecclesiastes/Qohelet on many different levels: linguistic, text-critical, theological, historical, and literary. The contributors, chosen from many of the leading and emerging experts on the book, present both the state of the field and their own assessment of the varied interpretive issues of Ecclesiastes. They include scholars, preachers, and philosophers. It should be helpful not only to scholars but also to all who want to study this book seriously.The first section of this volume deals with the history of interpretation. The second section is concerned with issues of history, form, and rhetoric. Section three is about key concepts and passages. The fourth section focuses on the language and grammar of Qohelet. The last section engages practical issues of interpretation. The volume is designed to provide exposure to a variety of readers who seek to engage Qohelet in fresh ways in the twenty-first century-from historians of interpretation to biblical exegetes to linguists to theological students.

Contents:

Ecclesiastes in premodern reading : before 1500 C.E. / Eric S. Christianson

Qohelet and the rabbis / Ruth Sandberg

Ecclesiastes and the reformers / Al Wolters

Sweet and lawful delights : Puritan interpretations of Ecclesiastes / Cristian G. Rata

Determining the historical context of Ecclesiastes / Tremper Longman III

The book of Qohelet "has the smell of the tomb about it" : mortality in Qohelet and Hellenistic skepticism / Leo G. Perdue

Qohelet and royal autobiography / Martin A. Shields

Framed! Structure in Ecclesiastes / David J.H. Beldman

The poetry of Qohelet / John F. Hobbins

Epistemology in Ecclesiastes : remembering what it means to be human / Ryan P. O'Dowd

"Riddled with ambiguity" : Ecclesiastes 7:23-8:1 as an example / Doug Ingram

The meaning of [lamed kaph he] in Qohelet : an intertextual suggestion / Russell L. Meek

Speaking into the silence : the epilogue of Ecclesiastes / Mark J. Boda

The grammar of [shin] and [resh shin aleph] in Qohelet / Robert Holmstedt

The verb in Qohelet / John Cook

"Aramaisms" in Qohelet : methodological problems in identification and interpretation / Eva Mroczek

The theology of Ecclesiastes / Craig G. Bartholomew

Ecclesiastes and the canon / Stephen G. Dempster

Fresh perspectives on Ecclesiastes : "Qohelet for today" / Iain Provan

Preaching Qohelet / Daniel C. Fredericks

Solomon's sexual wisdom : Qohelet and the Song of songs in the postmodern condition / Peter J. Leithart.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781575066929

1575066920

OCLC:

922991959