Wisdom of Solomon 10: A Jewish Hellenistic Reinterpretation of Early Israelite History through Sapiential Lenses

260 Pages·2011·12.152 MB·English

by  Andrew T. Glicksman

Andrew T. Glicksman
Wisdom of Solomon 10
Deuterocanonical and
Cognate Literature
Studies
Edited by
Friedrich V. Reiterer, Beate Ego, Tobias Nicklas
Volume 9
De Gruyter
Andrew T. Glicksman
Wisdom of Solomon 10
A Jewish Hellenistic Reinterpretation
of Early Israelite History
through Sapiential Lenses
De Gruyter
ISBN 978-3-11-024764-0
e-ISBN 978-3-11-024765-7
ISSN 1865-1666
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Glicksman, Andrew T.
Wisdom of Solomon 10 : a Jewish Hellenistic reinterpretation of early
Israelite history through sapiential lenses / Andrew T. Glicksman.
p. cm. — (Deuterocanonical and cognate literature studies ; v. 9)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-3-11-024764-0 (hardcover 23 x 15,5 : alk. paper)
1. Bible. O.T. Apocrypha. Wisdom of Solomon X — Criticism, inter
pretation, etc. 2. Bible. O.T. Apocrypha. Wisdom of Solomon X —
Historiography. I. Title.
BS1755.52.G55 2011
229'.306—dc22
2010044294
Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche
Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data are available in the Internet
at http://dnb.d-nb.de.
© 2011 Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin/Boston
Printing: Hubert & Co. GmbH & Co. KG, Göttingen
co Printed on acid-free paper
Printed in Germany
www.degruyter.com
For Emily and Anthony

Acknowledgements
This monograph is a reworking of my doctoral dissertation, which I
submitted to the School of Theology and Religious Studies at The
Catholic University of America in December 2009. While this work is
ultimately my own, there are many to whom I am deeply indebted for
their guidance and support.
The completion of my degree and the first version of this study
were possible due to a Johannes Quasten scholarship provided by The
Catholic University of America and, later, the Patrick W. Skehan-Louis
F. Hartman Scholarship and stipend granted by the Catholic Biblical
Association of America I thank both tor their generosity.
Next, I extend heartfelt gratitude to my dissertation committee.
Most especially, I thank my dfrector Dr. Alexander A. Di Leila, O.F.M.,
who is a model of erudition and scholarly precision. Also, I thank my
readers Dr. Christopher T. Begg and Dr. Francis T. Gignac. S.J., for their
careful corrections and insightful comments. Fr. Gignac played an
important role in procuring funding for my entire graduate education. I
greatly appreciate all his assistance on my behalf and his
encouragement to publish this study.
In addition to my committee, I thank the many teachers and
professors who instilled in me a love for Sacred Scripture. The number
of those who have influenced me as a scholar is too great to list here,
but several deserve special mention, namely, Dr. Michael Weigl during
my graduate studies and also my former undergraduate professors and
current colleagues at the University of Dallas: Dr. Mark Goodwin, Dr.
John Norris,md Dr. Jerome Walsh.
I also thank those who were instrumental in moving this study
towards publication. Thank you to Dr. Erik Eynikel for his friendship
and assistance, and to Dr. Friedrich Reiterer, Dr. Beate Ego, and
especially Dr. Tobias Nicklas for accepting my manuscript for
publication and offering helpful suggestions for its improvement I also
thank Angelika Hermann for hef guidance in preparing the final
version.
Lastly, I wish to thank my entire family, without whose love and
support my career in biblical studies and the completion of this work
viii Acknowledgements
would not have been possible. Thank you to my parents, Howard and
Bernarda Glicksman, who sacrificed much for my upbringing and
education and always encouraged me to pursue my true passion Most
of all, words cannot fully express the debt of gratitude I owe my wife,
Emily. Not only did she patiently endure many years of graduate
school by my side with unflagging love and support but also assisted in
proofreading and commenting upon the many drafts of this study. Just
as Lady Wisdom ". . . is the refulgence of eternal light, the spotless
mirror of the power of God, the image of his goodness!" Emily reflects
divine wisdom, light, and goodness to me. I dedicate this revised work
to her and our son? Anthony.
July 2011 Andrew T. Glicksman
University of Dallas
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements vii
Abbreviations xiii
Chapter 1: General Introduction 1
1.1 A Brief Overview of Recent Important Studies on the
Wisdom of Solomon 1
1.2 Reasons for the Present Study 3
1.3 Methodology 4
Chapter 2: Preliminary Literary and Historical Matters 6
2.1 Authorship and Composition 6
2.2 Geographical Setting! 12
2.3 General Historical situation and Date of Composition 14
2.4 Intended Audience and Purpose of Composition 24
2.5 Conclusion 30
Chapter 3: Structural and Poetical Analysis 32
3.1 Discussion of Textual Witnesses 32
3.2 Greek Text of Wisdom 10:1-11:1 34
3.3 English Translation of Wisdom 10:1-11:1 37
3.4 Theories concerning the Structure
of the Wisdom of Solomon 39
3.5 Limits of the Composition in Wisdom 10 43
3.6 Placement and Role of Wisdom 10:1-11:1 within
the Larger Structure 47
3.7 The Wisdom of Solomon: Poetry or Prose? 53
3.8 Wisdom 10:1-11:1 as Greek Rhythmic Prose
with Hebrew Poetic Structure 56
3.9 Internal Structure of Wisdom 10:1-11:1 56
3.10 Conclusion 62
X Table of Contents
Chapter 4: Genre and Form 64
4.1 Definition and Discussion of "Genre" and "Form" 64
4.2 Genre of the Wisdom of Solomon and Its Subsections 66
4.3 Genre of Wisdom 10:1-11:1 and Its Surrounding Context 73
4.3.1 Wisdom 6-10 and Other Depictions of Lady Wisdom
in the Old Testament !.. 74
4.3.2 Wisdom 10 and Old Testament Hymns Praising
God's Deeds in Israelite History ..„ ! 77
4.3.3 Encomium as a Literary Genre.. 80
4.3.3.1 Wisdom 6-10 as an Encomium 82
4.3.3.2 Role of Wisdom 10 in the Encomium in Wisdom 6-10 88
4.3.4 Aretalogy as a Literary Genre 89
4.3.4.1 Wisdom 6-10 as an Aretalogy 91
4.3.4.2 Wisdom 10 as an Aretalogy 94
4.3.5 Exempla or Beispielreihe as a Literary Genre 95
4.3.5.1 Wisdom 10 as a Beispielreihe 96
4.3.5.2 Wisdom 10 Compared to Other Beispielreihen 98
4.4 Wisdom 10:1-11:1 and Its Relationship to the Form
and Genre of Wisdom 11-19 99
4.5 Conclusion 100
Chapter 5: Exegesis 102
5.1 Relevant Judeo-Christian Hellenistic Literature 103
5.2 Relevant Greco-Roman Isis Texts 104
5.3 Preliminary Remarks concerning Isis and
Lady Wisdom in Wisdom 10 105
5.4.1 Strophe I: Wisdom 10:1-5 106
5.4.2 Strophe II: Wisdom 10:6-9 117
5.4.3 Strophe III: Wisdom 10:10-12 123
5.4.4 Strophe IV: Wisdom 10:13-14 130
5.4.5 Strophe V: Wisdom 10:15-11:1 134
5.5 Conclusion 146
Chapter 6: Hermeneutical Method 149
6.1 Principles for Evaluating Hermeneutical Method 149
6.2 Evaluation of the Hermeneutical Method in
Wisdom 10 152
6.2.1 Vocabulary and Imagery in Wisdom 10 152
6.2.2 Selection of Details in Wisdom 10 154
6.2.3 Arrangement of Material in Wisdom 10 157
6.2.4 Application of the Biblical Text in Wisdom 10 158