13.0  A Legacy of Israel:

Wise Men and Psalm Singers

(For an explanation of the codes used in this document, click on Explanation of Terms.) (Last revised: 12/7/99)
(Check this page periodically,  since it is being continually expanded with new question options. This provides increased options for the 'take-home' exam.)

13.1 Wise Men and Wisdom Literature

13.1.1 Wise Men and Their Work
13.1.1.1 Wisdom in the Ancient Near East
  1. Describe the nature and sources of wisdom understanding that existed in the ancient world.
13.1.1.2 Wisdom in Israel
  1. Explain how the Israelite wisdom related to the wisdom of other countries.
  2. Describe how the Egyptian "Instruction of Amen-em-opet" influenced the Israelite Book of Proverbs.
  3. Describe the nature of the two kinds of wisdom found in ancient Israelite writings, giving illustrations of each.
13.1.2 Wisdom Books
  1. Describe the theme and contents of Ecclesiasticus (ben Sirach), using the description in NOSB:AP:86.

    2.  

     

    13.1.2.1 Proverbs

    1. Describe the theme of the Book of Proverbs.

      2.  

       

      13.1.2.1.1 The wise man's purpose (Prov. 1:1-7)
      13.1.2.1.2 The way to the good life (Prov. 1:8-9:18)

      1. Compare and contrast Prov. 1-9 with 10-31.
      2. Summarize the advice about avoiding 'wild women' as found in the several passages in Proverbs.

        3.  

         

        13.1.2.1.2.1 Son, listen to your elders (Prov. 1:8-19)
        13.1.2.1.2.2 Wisdom's sermon to the simple (Prov. 1:20-33)
        13.1.2.1.2.3 Son, listen to wisdom (Prov. 2:1-22)
        13.1.2.1.2.4 Son, let the Lord lead you (Prov. 3:1-35)
        13.1.2.1.2.5 Son, get wisdom and insight (Prov. 4:1-27)
        13.1.2.1.2.6 Son, beware of that wild woman (Prov. 5:1-22)
        13.1.2.1.2.7 Son, remember four important things (Prov. 6:1-19)
        13.1.2.1.2.8 Son, wisdom will keep you safe from wicked women (Prov. 6:20-35)
        13.1.2.1.2.9 Son, let's talk some more about wicked women (Prov. 7:1-27)
        13.1.2.1.2.10 Wisdom's sermon to humanity (Prov. 8:1-36)
        13.1.2.1.2.11 The two ways: The wise and the foolish (Prov. 9:1-18)

        1. Summarize the ways of the wise and the foolish using Prov. 9:1-18.


      13.1.2.1.3 The "Proverbs of Solomon" (Prov. 10:1-22:16)

      1. Describe the literary genre of the 30 proverbs of Solomon.


      13.1.2.1.4 The Book of thirty Sayings (Prov. 22:17-24:22)

      1. Explain how the literary structure of 10:1-22:16 differs from Father/Son structure in chapters 1-9.


      13.1.2.1.5 More "Proverbs of Solomon" (Prov. 25:1-29:27)
      13.1.2.1.6 The words of Agur (Prov. 30:1-33)

      1. Identify with elaboration the passage in chapter 30 that reminds one of the prophet Amos.


      13.1.2.1.7 The words of Lemuel (Prov. 31:1-31)

      1. Identify Lemuel in 31:1-9 and describe her advice to her son.
      2. Describe the status of women in ancient Israel in light of chapter 31.
    13.1.2.2 Job: When Orthodoxy Fails 
    13.1.2.2.1 The structure of the book
    13.1.2.2.2 Who wrote Job, and when was it written?
    1. Identify with elaboration the evidences that the book of Job was the work of more than one author.
    13.1.2.2.3 Some things one needs to know to help in understanding Job
    1. Summarize the things that one needs to know in order to better understand the Book of Job.
    13.1.2.2.4 The Book
    1. Summarize the literary structure of -- and the different genre found in -- the Book of Job. 
    2. Describe how Job chapters 1 and 2 differ from 3:1 through 42:6.

      3.  

       

      13.1.2.2.4.1 Job, the righteous man: the prose story (Job 1:1-2:13)

      1. Describe the role of Satan in chapters one and two.


      13.1.2.2.4.2 Job, the frustrated sufferer: The poetic discourse (Job 3:1-42:6)

      1. Characterize each of Job's three 'friends' who discuss Job's problem with him.
      2. Summarize the basic thrust of Eliphaz's three speeches.
      3. Summarize the basic thrust of Bildad's three speeches.
      4. Summarize the basic thrust of Zophar's three speeches.
      5. Summarize Job's responses to Eliphaz's three speeches.
      6. Summarize Job's responses to Bildad's three speeches.
      7. Summarize Job's responses to Zophar's three speeches.

        8.  

         

        13.1.2.2.4.2.1 Job's complaint (Job 3:1-26)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.2 The debate: Round one (Job 4:1-14:22)

        13.1.2.2.4.2.2.1 Eliphaz, the man who has visions (Job 4:1-5:27)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.2.2 Job to Eliphaz: Round one (Job 6:1-7:21)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.2.3 Bildad, the traditionalist (Job 8:1-22)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.2.4 Job to Bildad: Round one (Job 9:1-10:22)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.2.5 Zophar, God's right-hand man (Job 11:1-20)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.2.6 Job to Zophar: Round one (Job 12:1-14:22)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.3 The debate: Round two (Job 15:1-21:34)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.3.1 Eliphaz speaks again (Job 15:1-35)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.3.2 Job lambasts his friends and questions God (Job 16:1-17:16)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.3.3 Bildad plays the same record (Job 18:1-21)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.3.4 Job reaches the bottom (Job 19:1-29)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.3.5 Zophar knows the answer (Job 20:1-29)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.3.6 Job replies to Zophar: Round two (Job 21:1-34)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.4 The debate: Round three (Job 22:1-27:23)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.4.1 Eliphaz gets nasty (Job 22:1-30)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.4.2 Job searches for God (Job 23:1-24:25)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.4.3 Bildad contrasts God and man (Job 25:1-6)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.4.4 Job replies to Bildad (Job 26:1-4)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.4.5 The continuation of Bildad's speech on God and man (Job 26:5-14)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.4.6 Job ends his part of the debate (Job 27:1-12)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.4.7 Zophar again? (Job 27:13-23)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.5 The wisdom poem (Job 28:1-28)
        1. Describe how chapter 28 resembles the Book of Proverbs.


        13.1.2.2.4.2.6 Job presents his case (Job 29:1-31:40)

        1. Summarize the three points (prosperity; problems; conduct) of Job's self-defense.


        13.1.2.2.4.2.7 The Elihu speeches (Job 32:1-37:24)
        13.1.2.2.4.2.8 The divine speeches (Job 38:1-41:34)

        1. Summarize the content of God's speeches to Job.
        2. Identify with elaboration the Behemoth and the Leviathan.


        13.1.2.2.4.2.9 Job's submission (Job 42:1-6)

      13.1.2.2.4.3 The traditional ending of the story (Job 42:7-17)
      1. Describe the issue regarding the later addition of this material to the Book of Job.


    13.1.2.2.5 Job: A summary

    1. Evaluate James' interpretation of Job in James 5:11 in light of the Book of Job itself.
    13.1.2.3 Ecclesiastes: Skeptical Wisdom
    1. Evaluate the various attempts to identify 'the Preacher' (Qoheleth) in 1:1.
    2. Summarize the main themes of Ecclesiastes.

      3.  

       

      13.1.2.3.1 Vanity of vanities (Eccl. 1:1-2:26)
      13.1.2.3.2 "For everything there is a season" (Eccl. 3:1-15)

      1. Explain how the philosophy of history exressed here is not a Jewish view of history.


      13.1.2.3.3 The question of justice (Eccl. 3:16-4:4)

      1. Describe Qoheleth's view of justice.


      13.1.2.3.4 The futility of working alone (Eccl. 4:5-16)
      13.1.2.3.5 Do not fool around with God (Eccl. 5:1-7)
      13.1.2.3.6 Life has problems (Eccl. 5:8-6:12)
      13.1.2.3.7 Thinking about life (Eccl. 7:1-8:1)
      13.1.2.3.8 Watch out for the ruler (Eccl. 8:2-9)
      13.1.2.3.9 There is no justice in life (Eccl. 8:10-9:12)
      13.1.2.3.10 Wisdom and foolishness (Eccl. 9:13-10:20)
      13.1.2.3.11 The actions of the wise (Eccl. 11:1-6)
      13.1.2.3.12 Advice to the young (Eccl. 11:7-12:8)
      13.1.2.3.13 The end of it all (Eccl. 12:9-14)

      1. Describe what the book of Ecclesiastes tells us about the theological views of at least some Jews in post-exilic times.
13.2 The Sweet Singers of Israel
  1. Describe the role of poetry in the writings of the Old Testament.
13.2.1 The Song of Songs
13.2.1.1 The Nature of the Book
  1. Describe the purpose of the Song of Songs as a celebration of 'lovemaking'.
13.2.1.2 Interpretations of the Book
  1. Describe the various interpretations of the Song of Songs down through the centuries of Jewish and Christian interpretative history.
13.2.1.3 A Look in the Book
13.2.1.3.1 The bride is prepared for her lover (Song 1:1-6)
  1. Describe the ways an ancient Israelite bride was prepared for marriage as described in 1:1-6.
13.2.1.3.2 The bride and the groom together (Song 1:7-2:5)
  1. Identify the ways the groon and the bride praised each other.
13.2.1.3.3 The bride's memories of love (Song 2:6-17)
  1. Summarize the bride's recollections of her first night of lovemaking.
13.2.1.3.4 The bride has a bad dream (Song 3:1-5)
13.2.1.3.5 The king's wedding procession (Song 4:1-5:1)
13.2.1.3.6 The bride has another dream (Song 5:2-6:3)
13.2.1.3.7 The groom describes the bride (Song 6:4-10)
13.2.1.3.8 An invitation to dance (Song 6:11-7:9)
13.2.1.3.9 The bride invites the groom to a garden tryst (Song 7:10-13)
13.2.1.3.10 A poem in anticipation of the wedding (Song 8:1-4)
13.2.1.3.11 Please be faithful (Song 8:5-12)
13.2.1.3.12 A final call (Song 8:13-14
13.2.2 The Book of Psalms  
13.2.2.1 Who Wrote the Psalms, and When Were They Written?
  1. Summarize the various authors of the different psalms.
  2. Explain how the Book of Psalms is like a modern church hymnal.
  3. Summarize the ancient division of the psalms into five books like the Pentateuch. 
13.2.2.2 The Study of the Psalms 
  1. Summarize the influence of the German Old Testament professor Hermann Gunkel on the modern study of the psalms.
  2. Create a table listing the various hymns that belong to each of the categories listed below, including any subdivisions present.

    3.  

     

    13.2.2.2.1 Hymns
    13.2.2.2.2 Communal laments
    13.2.2.2.3 Individual laments
    13.2.2.2.4 Individual songs of thanksgiving
    13.2.2.2.5 The royal psalms
    13.2.2.2.6 The other psalms

13.2.2.3 A Look at Selected Psalms
13.2.2.3.1 Psalm 1 (a wisdom psalm)
  1. Summarize the concept of two ways in Psalm 1.
13.2.2.3.2 Psalm 8 (a hymn on the glory of the Lord and the dignity of humanity)
13.2.2.3.3 Psalm 117 (a short hymn)
13.2.2.3.4 Psalm 74 (a communal lament)
13.2.2.3.5 Psalm 22 (an individual lament)
13.2.2.3.6 Psalm 23 (a psalm of confidence)
  1. Identify with elaboration the two central motifs in Psalm 23.
13.2.2.3.7 Psalm 51 (an individual lament)
  1. Summarize the nature of David's lament in Psalm 51.
13.2.2.3.8 Psalm 32 (an individual song of thanksgiving)
13.2.2.3.9 Psalm 116 (an individual song of thanksgiving)
13.2.2.3.10 Psalm 45 (a royal psalm)
13.2.2.3.11 Psalm 139 (a lament of the individual)
13.2.2.3.12 Special groups of psalms
13.2.2.3.13 The vengeance psalms
  1. Explain how these psalms present problems to the biblical scholar.
13.2.2.4 Summary on the Psalms
  1. Summarize the basic thrust of the Psalms.