Ecclesiastes (Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 23a | WBC)

by Roland E. Murphy

Publisher:

Word

, 1992

Overview

Delve into the perplexing book of Ecclesiastes and study its textual history, historical context, and place in Israel’s wisdom tradition, with Roland Murphy. Revealing vast knowledge of past and present studies on Ecclesiastes, Murphy surveys the broad range of conflicting ideas about this book in historical and contemporary scholarship, dissecting all the major theories of authorship, dating, sociological setting, and linguistic analysis.

The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology. These widely acclaimed commentaries serve as exceptional resources for the professional theologian and instructor, the seminary or university student, the working minister, and everyone concerned with building theological understanding from a solid base of biblical scholarship.

Contents

Top Highlights

“The underlying and pervasive criterion for his judgment is the fact of death; it casts a fatal shadow over all human existence. The wise man dies as well as the fool (2:10)!” (Page lix)

“For this reason I think ‘absurd’ in the sense of incomprehensible is an adequate equivalent of the term” (Page lix)

“The desperate claim of ‘vanity’ is written up and down the entire book. There is not, Qoheleth avows, a single unspoiled value in this life. Riches, toil, wisdom, life itself—all these are examined and found wanting.” (Page lix)

“c. Qoheleth avowed that he himself failed in the quest for wisdom; she was too distant, too deep (7:23–24).” (Page lxii)

“The number three has no particular significance as opposed to two; the point is plurality.” (Page 42)

Product Details

• Title: Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 23A: Ecclesiastes
• Author: Roland E. Murphy
• Series: Word Biblical Commentary
• Volume: 23A
• Publisher: Word
• Print Publication Date: 1992
• Logos Release Date: 2002
• Pages: 170
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subjects: Bible › Commentaries--Collected works; Bible. O.T. Ecclesiastes › Commentaries
• ISBNs: 9781418503703, 1418503703
• Resource ID: LLS:29.26.3
• Resource Type: Bible Commentary
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-28T20:02:00Z

About Roland E. Murphy

Roland Murphy (1917–2002) was George Washington Ivey Professor of Biblical Studies Emeritus at Duke University and adjunct professor of biblical studies at the Washington Theological Union. He contributed to the Song of Songs volume in Hermeneia on CD-ROM 2.0 (43 Vols.)