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Interpreting the Wisdom Books: An Exegetical Handbook
The Wisdom Literature of the Bible (Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs) is filled with practical principles for everyday life. While some Christians are deterred by the pragmatic character of these matter-of-fact guidelines, they are as integral to God's purposes for His people as the explicitly theological material that dominates other parts of Scripture. The Wisdom books tie these two streams of God's revelation together in a way that enriches and strengthens the church.It is a thorough resource for pastors and teachers to help them navigate the sometimes bewildering waters of the Wisdom Literature.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 26, 2017
11 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Edward M. Curtis
12 books1 followerEdward M. Curtis (Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania) is professor of biblical and theological studies at Biola University in La Mirada, California. He is the author of several books, including the Zondervan Bible Study Commentary and Discovering the Way of Wisdom: Spirituality in the Wisdom Literature.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 25, 2024
I fully expected this to be another dry and somewhat skeptical take on wisdom literature but was pleasantly surprised. This book manages to be both solidly theological and practical as well as an enjoyable read at the same time.
April 14, 2018
One of the challenges of interpreting the Bible is to recognize the literary genres the each book belongs to. Without understanding of genre, we would risk starting on the wrong path. Genre interpretation gives us a clearer perspective that nuances the essence of each book more succinctly and accurately. This is at least far more effective than mere literal interpretation which could render awkward understanding. There are at least eight different genres: Narrative; Law; Poetry; Wisdom; Prophecy; Gospels; Letters; Apocalypse. This handbook treats the wisdom books as Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. Very often, we need background information and context in order to better appreciate the proverb or the associated verses that try to highlight a theme. It can be quite a challenge to read the Bible alone as a 21st Century reader, let alone interpret them. Thankfully, we have formidable scholarship, archaeological studies, and historians who could fill in such gaps. The Bible is best studied when we approach the original languages as closely as possible. Aimed at an intermediate to advanced level of seminarians, students, and trained pastors, this handbook follows a familiar six-chapter format:
1) The Nature of the Genres
2) Viewing the Whole: Major Themes
3) Preparing for Interpretation
4) Interpreting the Text
5) Proclaiming the Text
6) Putting It All Together: From Text to Sermon
Apart from the use of exegesis to aid those trained in some Hebrew, there is another powerful tool in the use of themes. This way, readers will not be bogged down by too much verse-by-verse analysis. At the same time, using themes help us grasp the books more accurately. Chapter One paves the world to give us an overview of the nature of Old Testament wisdom. This is necessary especially in an age where wisdom means so many different things to different people. By defining and outlining what Old Testament wisdom is, readers will be be waylaid by the many modern and liberal options on what wisdom is and is not. The wisdom of Israel are compared to other nations in the Ancient Near East. According to Curtis, "Wisdom literature reflects the human struggle to understand how things work in the world that God created, and the search generally proceeds without special revelation. The struggle for answers takes place the way we normally experience life in the world." A key thought in this is that wisdom is essentially a bidirectional approach. It is first a gift from God above to us below. As we live out our calling on earth, our use and implementation of such wisdom is an expression of our search for God. Biblical wisdom is tied to the fear of the God; the search for truth; and man receiving God's revelation.
Chapter Two deals with the individual themes specific to each of the wisdom books. Chapter Three gives us some tools for interpretation. We learn to use parallels to shed light on similar themes.
Chapter Four puts together some general guidelines for interpretation, both general and specific. In general, we need to employ all the tools available to us, such as genre awareness, contextual background, word and textual meaning. Other guidelines include literary styles such as repetition, key themes, background studies, and applications. Then there is the individual wisdom books in which we pay special attention to its unique genre and purpose. Some of them contain a mixture of narratives, poetry, parallelism, and harmonizations. Chapter Five is about preaching and the homiletical aspects of teaching the wisdom books. Special care is tak0en to describe both rhetorical tools and how to deal with difficult passages such as Job 28. We also learn to see a balance between honest struggle and earnest faith. The last chapter about putting it all together is an interesting application of the guidelines mentioned in this commentary.
That is not all, there is a helpful list of computer and Internet resources to help readers carry on the study and learning of these texts. The challenge nowadays is not just about the availability of these tools but the discerning needed with regard to which is most appropriate for our use.
My Thoughts
First, this is one of the most application-minded commentaries in the market today. Curtis does an excellent job laying down the basic groundwork for interpretation before going into applying the use of wisdom literature for our everyday living. This is seen in the final three chapters where readers learn about moving from the text to our modern context; from understanding to interpretation; from sermon preparation to message delivery. The author uses familiar themes such as friendship, love, human needs, and life principles to build bridges between the ancient and the modern. He also helps us see the use of the wisdom books for evangelism, for spiritual enrichment, and for relationship building.
Second, a basic level of understanding Hebrew would be most beneficial in the use of this book. Scattered throughout the book are Hebrew words which are not transliterated. This means that without an understanding of Hebrew, one would find it hard to understand or let alone pronounce the words used for exegesis. While those who don't know any Hebrew could skip these Hebrew words mentioned and grasp the meaning of the texts from the description, they would possibly miss out the nuances behind each word that the author is trying to get at. Of course, one could still use modern Bible software to parse these but that would take additional work, especially if one uses the hard copy of this commentary.
Third, I appreciate the way the author cross references the use of wisdom literature as a whole, and how it relates to the general revelation of Scripture. This requires a big picture understanding of the Bible, and a reminder that the Bible books are not to be interpreted as isolated texts from the rest of the Bible. The use of general and specific revelation is a good way to apply both the general thrust of Scripture with the specific meaning of each book.
In general, as a handbook for Old Testament exegesis, this book is rather ambitious, not only providing background information and the exegesis of the texts, it also provides lots of practical advice for delivering and teaching the wisdom books. Plus, the four wisdom books do appear quite broad themselves. Job is more than simply a book about suffering and theodicy. Proverbs is more than simply good advice. Ecclesiastes may utter "meaningless" in many areas of life but is still quite meaningful. The Song of Songs is not some erotic biblical book but a beautiful relationship played out through the use of literary devices and emotional connections.
Edward M Curtis is Professor of Old Testament at Biola University. He has done extensive research in Genesis, Job and the Song of Solomon, and is author of several commentaries. He contributes to such journals as Criswell Theological Review; Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society; Faculty Dialogue; Bibliotheca Sacra; and Christian Scholar's Review, and has presented articles before the national meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Regional Institute for Biblical Research. Curtis was the recipient of a National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship to participate in a seminar on the Bible and Cuneiform Literature at Yale University.
Rating: 4.75 stars of 5.
conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Kregel Academic without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
1) The Nature of the Genres
2) Viewing the Whole: Major Themes
3) Preparing for Interpretation
4) Interpreting the Text
5) Proclaiming the Text
6) Putting It All Together: From Text to Sermon
Apart from the use of exegesis to aid those trained in some Hebrew, there is another powerful tool in the use of themes. This way, readers will not be bogged down by too much verse-by-verse analysis. At the same time, using themes help us grasp the books more accurately. Chapter One paves the world to give us an overview of the nature of Old Testament wisdom. This is necessary especially in an age where wisdom means so many different things to different people. By defining and outlining what Old Testament wisdom is, readers will be be waylaid by the many modern and liberal options on what wisdom is and is not. The wisdom of Israel are compared to other nations in the Ancient Near East. According to Curtis, "Wisdom literature reflects the human struggle to understand how things work in the world that God created, and the search generally proceeds without special revelation. The struggle for answers takes place the way we normally experience life in the world." A key thought in this is that wisdom is essentially a bidirectional approach. It is first a gift from God above to us below. As we live out our calling on earth, our use and implementation of such wisdom is an expression of our search for God. Biblical wisdom is tied to the fear of the God; the search for truth; and man receiving God's revelation.
Chapter Two deals with the individual themes specific to each of the wisdom books. Chapter Three gives us some tools for interpretation. We learn to use parallels to shed light on similar themes.
Chapter Four puts together some general guidelines for interpretation, both general and specific. In general, we need to employ all the tools available to us, such as genre awareness, contextual background, word and textual meaning. Other guidelines include literary styles such as repetition, key themes, background studies, and applications. Then there is the individual wisdom books in which we pay special attention to its unique genre and purpose. Some of them contain a mixture of narratives, poetry, parallelism, and harmonizations. Chapter Five is about preaching and the homiletical aspects of teaching the wisdom books. Special care is tak0en to describe both rhetorical tools and how to deal with difficult passages such as Job 28. We also learn to see a balance between honest struggle and earnest faith. The last chapter about putting it all together is an interesting application of the guidelines mentioned in this commentary.
That is not all, there is a helpful list of computer and Internet resources to help readers carry on the study and learning of these texts. The challenge nowadays is not just about the availability of these tools but the discerning needed with regard to which is most appropriate for our use.
My Thoughts
First, this is one of the most application-minded commentaries in the market today. Curtis does an excellent job laying down the basic groundwork for interpretation before going into applying the use of wisdom literature for our everyday living. This is seen in the final three chapters where readers learn about moving from the text to our modern context; from understanding to interpretation; from sermon preparation to message delivery. The author uses familiar themes such as friendship, love, human needs, and life principles to build bridges between the ancient and the modern. He also helps us see the use of the wisdom books for evangelism, for spiritual enrichment, and for relationship building.
Second, a basic level of understanding Hebrew would be most beneficial in the use of this book. Scattered throughout the book are Hebrew words which are not transliterated. This means that without an understanding of Hebrew, one would find it hard to understand or let alone pronounce the words used for exegesis. While those who don't know any Hebrew could skip these Hebrew words mentioned and grasp the meaning of the texts from the description, they would possibly miss out the nuances behind each word that the author is trying to get at. Of course, one could still use modern Bible software to parse these but that would take additional work, especially if one uses the hard copy of this commentary.
Third, I appreciate the way the author cross references the use of wisdom literature as a whole, and how it relates to the general revelation of Scripture. This requires a big picture understanding of the Bible, and a reminder that the Bible books are not to be interpreted as isolated texts from the rest of the Bible. The use of general and specific revelation is a good way to apply both the general thrust of Scripture with the specific meaning of each book.
In general, as a handbook for Old Testament exegesis, this book is rather ambitious, not only providing background information and the exegesis of the texts, it also provides lots of practical advice for delivering and teaching the wisdom books. Plus, the four wisdom books do appear quite broad themselves. Job is more than simply a book about suffering and theodicy. Proverbs is more than simply good advice. Ecclesiastes may utter "meaningless" in many areas of life but is still quite meaningful. The Song of Songs is not some erotic biblical book but a beautiful relationship played out through the use of literary devices and emotional connections.
Edward M Curtis is Professor of Old Testament at Biola University. He has done extensive research in Genesis, Job and the Song of Solomon, and is author of several commentaries. He contributes to such journals as Criswell Theological Review; Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society; Faculty Dialogue; Bibliotheca Sacra; and Christian Scholar's Review, and has presented articles before the national meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Regional Institute for Biblical Research. Curtis was the recipient of a National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship to participate in a seminar on the Bible and Cuneiform Literature at Yale University.
Rating: 4.75 stars of 5.
conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Kregel Academic without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
May 1, 2018
Summary: A handbook offering step by step help in moving from text to sermon exegeting and expositing the Wisdom books of Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.
It is not often that members of most churches hear preaching from the Wisdom books of Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs, apart from citations in topical sermons, or an occasional venture into these books. That is regrettable since there is so much of profit in all of these books. A grad student friend once described a period in his life of profound depression and said that the book of Ecclesiastes was the only book he could read, and it got him through this dark season.
The purpose of this book is to help pastors and teachers who want to tackle one or more of these books, giving practical, step by step assistance in moving from text to message. The handbook is not a commentary on these four books, but assumes a willingness to do the hard work of moving from careful, personal study (preferably in Hebrew) of the text, to interpretation, and finally to preparing and proclaiming messages from these texts.
What the author does is focus in on the particular issues involved in exegeting these books, applying good general principles of exegesis to this particular genre. He begins in chapter one with considering the genre, the nature of Old Testament Wisdom and the particular ways in which Hebrew poetry and proverbs function, including a discussion of parallelism and other devices like metaphor and image. This, I thought some of the most helpful material in the book.
Chapter two considers the primary themes one finds in each of the Wisdom books. This chapter, while including much helpful material, does approach being at least an overview commentary of each book, and feels a bit like a shortcut in the process. I would personally advise reading the book multiple times and trying to arrive at primary themes or a basic outline of the book by oneself. Nevertheless, there are helpful observations, including the importance of the idea of the fear of the Lord in Proverbs, or hebel in Ecclesiastes.
Chapter three gets down to the spade work of good exegesis: ancient near East backgrounds and parallels with the Wisdom books, the challenges of textual criticism (especially difficult with Job), doing good translation work from the Hebrew text, and then considering what others have written. Each section here includes a helpful list of basic resources to aid in this work.
Chapter four explores basic interpretive issues specific to each book. In Job, this includes reading individual passages in light of the whole book (otherwise Job may sound really bad, and his friends really good!). In Proverbs, the same applies and is particularly important when it comes to interpreting a particular proverb in terms of all the proverbs on this topic, which often balance each other. Likewise, in Ecclesiastes, the tensions within the book mean it is vital to reach a balanced understanding of the whole. In Song of Songs, so much of the issue is understanding the love poetry one finds here without so breaking it down in a message that it, as the author observes, has "the same impact and 'explaining a joke.' "
Chapter five moves from exegesis to proclamation, and some important considerations in proclaiming the wisdom of each book. He gives examples of developing preaching outlines for Proverbs 2 and Job 28, and then turns to principles for each book. There is a strong emphasis on application, showing how this wisdom bears on modern life, whether concerning suffering and faith, unanswered questions, marital love, or the everyday wisdom of Proverbs rooted in the fear of the Lord.
Chapter six is a kind of summary or recap, showing the process of moving from text to sermon. He uses the examples of a topical study of friendship from Proverbs, and a study of Job 4-6 on Job's friend Eliphaz.
An appendix, contributed by Austen M. Dutton surveys the software and online resources available for the study of the Wisdom books. Dutton includes some of the best free online resources as well as software running from inexpensive to more costly. A glossary of important terms (also highlighted in the text) is included.
The word "handbook" is a good descriptor for this book. It offers the person who will preach or teach from Wisdom texts a step by step framework for careful textual study, good interpretive principles, and homiletic considerations, without doing the work either of the preacher or the Holy Spirit. Curtis also provides sufficient background and overview of key themes of the books to make the case for the value to be found in studying and preaching them. His examples throughout convey that this is an interpreter who has spent long hours with great love studying and teaching and applying these books, and one who believes you want to do likewise!
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
It is not often that members of most churches hear preaching from the Wisdom books of Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs, apart from citations in topical sermons, or an occasional venture into these books. That is regrettable since there is so much of profit in all of these books. A grad student friend once described a period in his life of profound depression and said that the book of Ecclesiastes was the only book he could read, and it got him through this dark season.
The purpose of this book is to help pastors and teachers who want to tackle one or more of these books, giving practical, step by step assistance in moving from text to message. The handbook is not a commentary on these four books, but assumes a willingness to do the hard work of moving from careful, personal study (preferably in Hebrew) of the text, to interpretation, and finally to preparing and proclaiming messages from these texts.
What the author does is focus in on the particular issues involved in exegeting these books, applying good general principles of exegesis to this particular genre. He begins in chapter one with considering the genre, the nature of Old Testament Wisdom and the particular ways in which Hebrew poetry and proverbs function, including a discussion of parallelism and other devices like metaphor and image. This, I thought some of the most helpful material in the book.
Chapter two considers the primary themes one finds in each of the Wisdom books. This chapter, while including much helpful material, does approach being at least an overview commentary of each book, and feels a bit like a shortcut in the process. I would personally advise reading the book multiple times and trying to arrive at primary themes or a basic outline of the book by oneself. Nevertheless, there are helpful observations, including the importance of the idea of the fear of the Lord in Proverbs, or hebel in Ecclesiastes.
Chapter three gets down to the spade work of good exegesis: ancient near East backgrounds and parallels with the Wisdom books, the challenges of textual criticism (especially difficult with Job), doing good translation work from the Hebrew text, and then considering what others have written. Each section here includes a helpful list of basic resources to aid in this work.
Chapter four explores basic interpretive issues specific to each book. In Job, this includes reading individual passages in light of the whole book (otherwise Job may sound really bad, and his friends really good!). In Proverbs, the same applies and is particularly important when it comes to interpreting a particular proverb in terms of all the proverbs on this topic, which often balance each other. Likewise, in Ecclesiastes, the tensions within the book mean it is vital to reach a balanced understanding of the whole. In Song of Songs, so much of the issue is understanding the love poetry one finds here without so breaking it down in a message that it, as the author observes, has "the same impact and 'explaining a joke.' "
Chapter five moves from exegesis to proclamation, and some important considerations in proclaiming the wisdom of each book. He gives examples of developing preaching outlines for Proverbs 2 and Job 28, and then turns to principles for each book. There is a strong emphasis on application, showing how this wisdom bears on modern life, whether concerning suffering and faith, unanswered questions, marital love, or the everyday wisdom of Proverbs rooted in the fear of the Lord.
Chapter six is a kind of summary or recap, showing the process of moving from text to sermon. He uses the examples of a topical study of friendship from Proverbs, and a study of Job 4-6 on Job's friend Eliphaz.
An appendix, contributed by Austen M. Dutton surveys the software and online resources available for the study of the Wisdom books. Dutton includes some of the best free online resources as well as software running from inexpensive to more costly. A glossary of important terms (also highlighted in the text) is included.
The word "handbook" is a good descriptor for this book. It offers the person who will preach or teach from Wisdom texts a step by step framework for careful textual study, good interpretive principles, and homiletic considerations, without doing the work either of the preacher or the Holy Spirit. Curtis also provides sufficient background and overview of key themes of the books to make the case for the value to be found in studying and preaching them. His examples throughout convey that this is an interpreter who has spent long hours with great love studying and teaching and applying these books, and one who believes you want to do likewise!
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
February 8, 2018
This book is the latest entry in Kregel’s series entitled “Handbooks for Old Testament Exegesis”, edited by David M. Howard, Jr. If you have already used the earlier volumes on the Pentateuch, the historical books, the Psalms, the prophetic books, and apocalyptic literature, you know what to expect. This entry is equal in value to its predecessors. It tackles only Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon since the Book of Psalms has its own volume. The series is geared for graduate-level exegesis courses, but any pastor or Bible student could glean from its contents.
The first chapter overviews the task of interpreting Old Testament Wisdom literature. That requires explaining Wisdom’s perspective in the biblical sense. The author discusses what he calls the pedagogy of the sages and thoroughly reviews the genres of Wisdom: poetry and proverb.
The next chapter tackles primary themes in the Wisdom books. Each of the four books being studied are discussed one at a time. Outstanding theological themes are shared in this lengthy chapter. Whether you agree with all of them are not, you will be given much food for thought that will advance understanding.
Chapter 3 turns more toward the hermeneutical task. In this chapter, you will learn the importance of the ANE background, textual criticism, and context. This chapter also gives a detailed list of hermeneutical resources that can be consulted. Chapter 4 extends the process by diving into exegesis. Chapter 5 guides the reader into taking that exegesis and turning it into a sermon. Since some portions of these Wisdom writings are the trickiest to turn into sermons, this guidance will be greatly appreciated. Chapter 6 continues the process of sermon building to organizing the material and applying the text. Chapter 7 serves as an appendix of computer and Internet resources.
There is a helpful glossary of terms in the back of the book that defines carefully important highlighted words from the text of the book.
Mr. Curtis has done good work here. It’s thorough enough for deep study, yet short and the succinct enough to be used widely. This book can do you a lot of good and I recommend it.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
The first chapter overviews the task of interpreting Old Testament Wisdom literature. That requires explaining Wisdom’s perspective in the biblical sense. The author discusses what he calls the pedagogy of the sages and thoroughly reviews the genres of Wisdom: poetry and proverb.
The next chapter tackles primary themes in the Wisdom books. Each of the four books being studied are discussed one at a time. Outstanding theological themes are shared in this lengthy chapter. Whether you agree with all of them are not, you will be given much food for thought that will advance understanding.
Chapter 3 turns more toward the hermeneutical task. In this chapter, you will learn the importance of the ANE background, textual criticism, and context. This chapter also gives a detailed list of hermeneutical resources that can be consulted. Chapter 4 extends the process by diving into exegesis. Chapter 5 guides the reader into taking that exegesis and turning it into a sermon. Since some portions of these Wisdom writings are the trickiest to turn into sermons, this guidance will be greatly appreciated. Chapter 6 continues the process of sermon building to organizing the material and applying the text. Chapter 7 serves as an appendix of computer and Internet resources.
There is a helpful glossary of terms in the back of the book that defines carefully important highlighted words from the text of the book.
Mr. Curtis has done good work here. It’s thorough enough for deep study, yet short and the succinct enough to be used widely. This book can do you a lot of good and I recommend it.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
February 16, 2018
The Biblical wisdom books of Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs are some of the hardest parts of scripture to interpret and preach on. Due to this, unfortunately many pastors and teachers shy away from these integral pieces of scripture. Thankfully Edward M. Curtis has answered pastors and teachers cry for exegetical help in his new work, Interpreting the wisdom books: an exegetical handbook. This is one of the newer works in the series handbooks for Old Testament exegesis. Each work in this series has been magnificent. Unsurprisingly interpreting the wisdom books, Rises to the occasion producing a small, just over 200 pages, work that packs a sizable punch.
Curtis looks at four different aspects of interpreting wisdom literature, in six chapters. In these chapters he discusses the themes that are found in each wisdom book as well as the wisdom books as a unit. He also discusses how to interpret each wisdom book as well as the unit and General guidelines for deeper exegetical interpretation. His last chapter in this work not only sums up the entire book but is of the most help to the preacher. For just like a book on exegetical analysis, chapter 6, putting it all together colon from text to sermon, lays out for steps on how to preach a sermon in any of the wisdom books.
These four steps are a tried-and-true method, which can be found in other literature, but packed with the previous chapters understanding and other helpful to bits this chapter goes above and beyond most exegetical handbooks. The only downside to this work is its length. Before I praised its ability to be short and yet still impactful , yet there is rum for a deeper and wider study of some of the exegetical topics addressed in the wisdom books. Yet even with this small issue , the size will help a busy pastor to work through the text in a shorter amount of time . Therefore I recommend this text to preachers and teachers who wish to dive further into the text who have a basic understanding of the Hebrew language, and who desire to teach and preach exegeticaly. You will not be disappointed with this purchase.
This book was provided to me free of charge from Kregel Publishing in exchange for an unbiased, honest review.
Curtis looks at four different aspects of interpreting wisdom literature, in six chapters. In these chapters he discusses the themes that are found in each wisdom book as well as the wisdom books as a unit. He also discusses how to interpret each wisdom book as well as the unit and General guidelines for deeper exegetical interpretation. His last chapter in this work not only sums up the entire book but is of the most help to the preacher. For just like a book on exegetical analysis, chapter 6, putting it all together colon from text to sermon, lays out for steps on how to preach a sermon in any of the wisdom books.
These four steps are a tried-and-true method, which can be found in other literature, but packed with the previous chapters understanding and other helpful to bits this chapter goes above and beyond most exegetical handbooks. The only downside to this work is its length. Before I praised its ability to be short and yet still impactful , yet there is rum for a deeper and wider study of some of the exegetical topics addressed in the wisdom books. Yet even with this small issue , the size will help a busy pastor to work through the text in a shorter amount of time . Therefore I recommend this text to preachers and teachers who wish to dive further into the text who have a basic understanding of the Hebrew language, and who desire to teach and preach exegeticaly. You will not be disappointed with this purchase.
This book was provided to me free of charge from Kregel Publishing in exchange for an unbiased, honest review.
November 13, 2021
This is a helpful resource for the wisdom books of the Old Testament.
September 9, 2022
Strong work, succinct, scholarly, reverent, clear, and deep. I've taught Wisdom Literature several times at the college level, and this volume has landed in the course as one of the textbooks.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews