When Old Testament Wisdom first appeared in 1981, it was praised and widely adopted as a tool that equipped students of the Bible to understand the wisdom literature of the Old Testament (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Sirach, and Song of Solomon). At that time, new perspectives on biblical theology, an increasing awareness of ancient Near Eastern texts resembling biblical wisdom, and an emerging interest in ethnic proverbs were just the beginning of what was to become a dramatic outpouring of scholarship on wisdom literature.
In this expanded edition, James Crenshaw takes stock of the wealth of new material produced by contemporary interpreters. Liberation and feminist critics, scholars in comparative religion, specialists in devotional theology, and researchers exploring educational systems in the ancient Near East all have enriched our understanding of wisdom literature in recent years, and all receive insightful treatment in this new volume. Now as before, Crenshaw's Old Testament Wisdom is an invaluable asset for anyone wishing to understand the rich and complex legacy of wisdom literature.
"Crenshaw is one of the leading specialists in the Old Testament Wisdom literature.
Probably represents the best contemporary introduction to the literature.
Important, provocative, readable."
—The Princeton Seminary Bulletin
Additional Details
- Title: Old Testament Wisdom: An Introduction (Revised and Enlarged Edition)
- Author: James L. Crenshaw
- Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
- Date: 1998
- Pages: 240
Please note: When placing your pre-order, you must choose whether to receive the product via download or CD-ROM. Use the "Delivery" buttons above to make your selection.
Benefits of the Logos Bible Software Edition
As always, the full text of the electronic edition may be searched for words, phrases, Bible references, or complex combinations of terms. Searches can also be limited to Hebrew words, for example. You can include this title alongside all your other books in Passage Guide searches and find any place the author references the Bible passage you're studying.
Bible references are tagged as hotspots, so one click opens whatever Bible version you may own directly to the verse cited. Pausing the mouse pointer over a Bible reference or an abbreviation will preview the Bible verse or decrypt the abbreviation.
The subject index is converted to topics, allowing you to browse or search by topic (e.g., family, death, or Abraham).
Praise for the Print Edition
"James Crenshaw refers to the current scholarly literature on wisdom as 'an embarrassment of riches.' His own book is not only a part of those riches but a harvest of that bounty, generously made available to students and scholars in the field. While his book is clear and accessible to the student, pastor, and layperson, both the advanced student and the scholar will find an invaluable and amazingly complete guide to the best of current scholarship. This is an essential resource for anyone who wants to understand the Israelite wisdom tradition."
—Carol A. Newsom, Professor of Old Testament, Candler School of Theology, Emory University
"James Crenshaw is one of the foremost scholars of biblical wisdom literature. He is known for the breadth of his learning, the clarity of his writing, and the good judgment he applies to ancient texts. These qualities are evident in the present revision of Old Testament Wisdom, which goes well beyond the earlier edition and encompasses a wide range of recent publications on biblical wisdom."
—Michael V. Fox, Weinstein-Bascom Professor in Jewish Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison
About the Author
James L. Crenshaw is Robert L. Flowers Professor of Old Testament at The Divinity School, Duke University. Crenshaw is one of the leading interpreters of wisdom literature and has also published widely on biblical prophecy. His Old Testament Wisdom has introduced thousands of students to biblical wisdom, who can consult his commentaries, Ecclesiastes and Sirach, plus his essays, Urgent Advice and Probing Questions, and Education in Ancient Israel, for further insights. A former editor of SBL Monograph Series, and chair of the section on wisdom literature, he currently edits Personalities of the Old Testament. He taught at Vanderbilt Divinity School for 18 years and has been at Duke for 15. Presently, he is writing a book on theodicy for Oxford University Press.
Sample Page Scans from the Print Edition
