Old Testament Wisdom has introduced thousands of students to biblical wisdom. Now you can add it to your digital library and benefit from this fantastic resource, as well!
As an introduction to the study of wisdom literature in the Bible, Old Testament Wisdom is perfectly suited to the student or armchair theologian. This textbook is listed on a multitude of syllabi and bibliographies for Old Testament studies, from institutions as diverse as Fuller Theological Seminary, Ashland Theological Seminary, Hartford Seminary, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and Yale Divinity School. In fact, if you enrolled in an introductory course on OT wisdom literature today, chances are Crenshaw's text would be either required or recommended reading.
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
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
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.