Where can Wisdom be found? The Sage's Language in the Bible and in Ancient Egyptian Literature

541 Pages·2017·28.2 MB·English

Zurich Open Repository and
Archive
University of Zurich
University Library
Strickhofstrasse 39
CH-8057 Zurich
www.zora.uzh.ch
Year: 1993
Where can Wisdom be found? The Sage’s Language in the Bible and in
Ancient Egyptian Literature
Shupak, Nili
Abstract: InthecomparativestudyofEgyptianandBiblicalliteratureemphasishasbeenlaidoncontent
andideas, whiletheformalandterminologicalaspectshavebeenneglected. Thepresentworkdealswith
the semantics of terminology in Biblical wisdom literature as compared to that of the Egyptians and
centers, therefore, on a somewhat abandoned aspect of the comparative research of the Biblical and
Egyptian writings. The work has three primary objectives: (a) to draw up a glossary of Egyptian
wisdom terms, a task as yet not undertaken elsewhere; (b) to elucidate the semantics of these terms; (c)
toclarifytheBiblicalwisdomtermsinrelationtotheirEgyptianparallels. Thefreshcomparativeinquiry
into Hebrew and Egyptian wisdom vocabulary sheds light on some general problems intrinsic to Biblical
wisdom, e.g.: Does the Hebrew sage (hākām) signify a function or a quality? Did Hebrew wisdom evolve
from a secular to a religious stage? What was the Sitz im Leben of Biblical wisdom?
Posted at the Zurich Open Repository and Archive, University of Zurich
ZORA URL: https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-151739
Monograph
Published Version
Originally published at:
Shupak, Nili (1993). Where can Wisdom be found? The Sage’s Language in the Bible and in Ancient
Egyptian Literature. Fribourg, Switzerland / Göttingen, Germany: University Press / Vandenhoeck
Ruprecht.
Nili Shupak Where can Wisdom be found?
ORBIS BIBLICUS ET ORIENTALIS
Published by the Biblical Institute of the University
of Fribourg Switzerland
the Seminar für Biblische Zeitgeschichte
of the University of Münster i.W. Federal Republic of Germany
and the Schweizerische Gesellschaft
für orientalische Altertumswissenschaft
Editor: Othmar Keel
Coeditors: Erich Zenger and Albert de Pury
The Author:
Nili Shupak, born in Haifa, studied Old Testament, Egyptology and Archae
ology at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem (1967ff.). She spent two years at
the Egyptological Institute of the University of Tübingen as a research fellow
of DAAD (1978-1979). Dr. Shupak obtained her Ph. D. in Biblical Studies at
the Hebrew University (1984). She worked as an Assistant in the Biblical
Studies Department at Ben-Gurion University in Beer-Sheba as well as in the
Israel Museum in Jerusalem (1968-1973). Since 1975 she teaches at the
University of Haifa where she is a Senior Lecturer in the Departments of
Biblical Studies and the History of Israel. As a visiting Assistant Professor she
taught atthe Jewish Theological Sem inary of America in New York (1989). Her
research interests lie in the field of the linguistic, cultural and historical
contacts between Ancient Egypt and Israel, on which she has published
numerous articles in various periodicals and encyclopaedias. She published
as well an lntroduction to the O/d Testament Wisdom Literature in the series
«The Open University» (Hebrew) (1990). At present she is engaged in
preparing the publication of a Corpus of Egyptian Wisdom texts.
Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis 130
Nili Shupak
Where
can Wisdom
be found?
The Sage s Language in the Bible
1
and in Ancient Egyptian Literature
University Press Fribourg Switzerland
Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht Göttingen
Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP-Einheitsaufnahme
Shupak, Nili: Where ca.n wisdom be found?: the sage's language in the Bible
and in ancient Egyptian literature / Nili Shupak. - Freiburg/Schweiz: Univ.
Verl.; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht, 1993
(Orbis biblicus et orientalis; 130)
ISBN 3-525-53765-4 (Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht)
ISBN 3-7278-0899-3 (Univ.-Verl.)
NE:GT
Die Druckvorlagen wurden von der Verfasserin
als reprofertige Dokumente zur Verfügung gestellt
© 1993 by University Press Fribourg Switzerland
Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht Göttingen
Paulusdruckerei Freiburg Schweiz
ISBN 3-7278-0899-3 (University Press)
ISBN 3-525-53765-4 (Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht)
Digitalisat erstellt durch Florian Lippke, Departement
für Biblische Studien, Universität Freiburg Schweiz
In~ of
m71 belovetl a•nt
Rene& Nu, -Te&lmor

CONTENTS
List of Tables........... ... . . .. ... . .. . .. .. .. . . .. . ... .. . .. . ... . .. . .. .. . .. . . . . . .. . .. . . .. . . . . .. . XV
Acknowledgements........................................................................ XVII
Abbreviations and Symbols............................................................ XIX
Glossary........................................................................................ XXV
Geleitwort by Professor H. Brunner ................................................ XXVII
INTlODUCTION ... ...... ...... ...... ...... ............ ............ ............ ...... ...... ... ... 1
COlPUS.......................................................................................... 12
CHAPTEl ONE: INSTlUCTION UD TEACHING TElUS... ...... ...... ............ ..... 31
I. ab3y.t- mu,iir.............................................................................. 31
II. mtr{t) - tok4f&at........................................................................... 34
III. tp rtl - m~toi, tori...................................................................... 39
ExcursUB: torli, mi~w,i in Biblical wisdom - of God or
wise man? ..................................................................................... 40
•~r - •e~
IV. ,i .................................................................................... 42
CHAPTEl TWO: TEACHING UD LE.UIING .lCTIVITIES.............................. 46
I. Verbs Connected with the Providing of Instruction and the
Method of Teaching. ..................................................................... . 46
II. Verbs Associated with Acquisition of Instruction and the
Method of Learning ..........•........................•.......•.•......................... 51
A. Verbs with Double Meaning ................................................. . 51
B. Verbs of Obedience, Observance and Assimilation of
Instruction ........................................................................... . 60
C. Verbs of Understanding and Knowledge ............•............•...... 62
D. Verbs of Quest and Pondering ............................................. . 69
III. Summary of the Methods of Learning and Acquisition of
lnstruction .................................................................................... . 72
VIII WHERE CAN WISDOM BE POUND?
CHA.PTEl THlEE: THE IEG!TIVE HUllUf TYPE -TU.ITS .&.11D BEHA.VIOl... 78
I. Attitude towarda Teaching and Learning............................... ......... 78
In Egyptian
A. lnattention and Diaobedience............................. .. ......... .... 78
,jm in the negative
B. Neglect and Abandonment of Learning and Wisdom ...... 79
(a) Verba relating directly to the worda of the teacher
uni, mi....................
and to wisdom: !9', m~~9, 79
(b) A verb not relating directly to the in(cid:127)truction and
word(cid:127) of the teacher but belonging to the
(cid:127)emantic field of abandonment, neglect: thi •••••••••. 82
Summary of the distribution of the verb1......................... 84
In the Bible
A. lnattention and Disobedience............................................ 85
im' in the negative
B. Neglect and Abandonment of Learning and Wisdom ...... 85
•d, 1,or, ntA, nU, pr', ilch, •.11> 'ör11h and (cid:127)ynonyms,
q;,, · ·
l>wz, n',, ~•,,
C. Verb(cid:127) lndi~ting a N~gative Attitude toward(cid:127) Teaching
Without an Egyptian Equivalent...................................... 88
II. Trait(cid:127) Relating to the Educational and Other Level(cid:127)••••••••••••••••••••• 89
A. Idlenea............................................................................. 89
In Egyptian....................................................................... 89
101/,}!q
In the Bible....................................................................... 90
•, l remi1111a
• 1
B. Deafne(cid:127)a u a Metaphor.................................................... 91
In Egyptian....................................................................... 91
•!11, itl11, m,jr.t tlnrg
In the Bible....................................................................... 92
hri
m.
Negative Characteristic(cid:127) and Action(cid:127) Relating to Way of Life and
General Behavior ..................................................................... 93
A. Fal(cid:127)ehood.......................................................................... 93
In Egyptian....................................................................... 93
(,)•,49, grg
In the Bible....................................................................... 97
iqr, bl>, rmA, l~i
Compariaon between the finding(cid:127) in Hebrew and
Egyptian........................................................................... 102
B. Covetou(cid:127)ne(cid:127)(cid:127), De(cid:127)ire......................................................... 105
In Egyptian....................................................................... 106
'111A (il>), 9/', ,h, l&nt11
Summary..................................................................... 110
CONTENTS IX
In the Bible....................................................................... 112
1101&, ~mcl
The crocodile and covetouanea in Egypt and in the
Bible ................................................................................ 114
Comparative aummary of the aubject of covetouaneaa in
Egypt and in the Bible..................................................... 116
C. Anger, Strife..................................................................... 116
In Egyptian
1. Etymological and aemantic analyaia........................ 117
(a) Terms borrowed from the aemantic field of
heat aignifying a hot temper: imm, t310 ••••• 117
(b) Terms concerning quarrelling in word and
deed: itm, , tJt1J/jtj_t, rUwJ, inj_, 1911111,
,1,,9................................................
tAw, l!nn, 118
(c ) Expreaaiona of emotiona of anger and rage:
9tl, nini, ~'r, j,&j ........................................ 121
2. The connection between the world of nature and
11atrife11 and 11fury11 •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• :................ 122
3. Subject matter analysia: The "heated man II and
the motif of anger and atrife in the Egyptian
(cid:127)ourcea ................................................................... 129
Summary..................................................................... 131
In the Bible
1. Semantic determination of terma involving anger
and (cid:127)trife compared with the Egyptian .................. 132
(a) Term(cid:127) belonging to the aemantic field of
.11acl...................................
heat: ~mm, ~rla, 132
(b) Terms concerning (cid:127)trife: miclon, r,b,
,a, Ji'm..................................................
ma., 135
(c) Te~ referring to anger, fury: 'np ( 'a.p),
J1'p.....................................
A:a.•u, •br, fe!ep, 137
ria.~....................................
Addenda: rgn, 140
2. Subject matter analyai(cid:127) of terma referring to anger
and atrife in relation to the Egyptian ..................... 141
(a) The motif of anger and atrife in the
Biblical wiadom literature............................ 141
(b) Image(cid:127) from the realm of nature.................. 142
(c ) 'i i ~imli in the Biblical wiadom and the
accompanying expreaaiona............................ 144
CHA.PTEB. FOUl: THE POSITIVE HUIIA.I TYPE - TliITS UD PliCTICES
QUIETIESS, CA.LIIIESS, COOLIESS.......... ..•••.••.... .•••.. ............ ..... 150
In Egyptian
I. Semantic Analyaia of the Term(cid:127)....................................................... 150