Old Testament Wisdom (Rev

In the book Old Testament Wisdom: An Introduction, James L. Crenshaw comprehensively presents an examination of the wide variety of wisdom literature imbedded in the writings of the Old Testament. Crenshaw prefaces this book by explaining that his years of teaching and studying Old Testament wisdom has helped him recognize the need for an "adequate introductory textbook" for use in the classroom. After surveying the vast amount of literature that has been written on the subject of Old Testament wisdom, Crenshaw elucidates the essentiality of an even greater illumination of the depth of meaning in Israelite wisdom. He explains that "this book is an attempt to clarify that `certain indescribable quality,'" which the tradition of Israelite wisdom literature possesses and conveys as a literary corpus (25). This critical review will outline Crenshaw's main discussions in Old Testament Wisdom. It will also attempt to determine the merit of this book according to its general purpose as an introductory text to the study of Old Testament wisdom. In his introduction Crenshaw attempts to provide a definition of the traditional expression of Israelite wisdom. Among the difficulties of a study on wisdom literature, Crenshaw notes the vexing problem of defining the parameters of the existential phenomena. Nonetheless, he attempts to capture the essence of wisdom by illustrating it as "`the ability to cope,' `the art of steering'; it is `practical knowledge of the laws of life and of the world, based on experience'; wisdom constitutes `parents' legacy to their children'; it is `the quest for self-understanding and for mastery of the world'" (16). Here, Crenshaw lays the groundwork for his complex study of the highly expressive compositions of the sages of Israel in the context of the ancient Near East. In the first chapter entitled, "The World of Wisdom," Crenshaw introduces the reader to that which he explicitly alludes to in his title. Beginning with a brief analysis of the Hebrew derivatives and function of wisdom language, he shows how its common usage reflects that the wisdom writings are a product of an elite class. In order to make distinctions between the various literary forms which comprise the modes of expression and discourse in the wisdom books of Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Sirach, and the Wisdom of Solomon, Crenshaw uses the following eight genres as categories: "proverb, riddle, allegory, hymn, dialogue, autobiographical narrative, noun lists, and didactic narrative" (37). The first chapter also provides a brief and reserved discussion concerning the influence of wisdom literature upon other canonical books of the Old Testament. At the beginning of the second chapter, "The Sapiential Tradition," Crenshaw focuses his attention on King Solomon, maintaining from the outset that he is "Israel's greatest sage"(42). In order to gain an understanding of the emergence of the sapiential tradition he examines the role of Solomon as a ro

I do not even remember where I purchased this book at but it has been an invaluable tool for both OT and NT studies in my pursuit of understanding the ancient wisdom traditions. The title of the book can be pleasantly deceiving. Crenshaw goes well beyond the wisdom tradition found in the biblical books of Ecclesiates, Psalms, Proverbs, and Job. He takes a broader perspective and includes apocrapha writings as well as Egyptian and Mesopotamian literature. I have found this book to be a very thorough, concise, and well orgainized book, much appreciated for students working under time constraints. This book has proven to be invaluable for exegesis of both OT and NT passages that make reference to ancient wisdom traditions. It is simple to read and has a great biblography that aids in indepth study of the word.