Proverbs: A Commentary (The Old Testament Library) 0664228534, 0664221319, 9780664228538

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ISBN 0-664-22853-4

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PROVERBS

THE OLD TESTAMENT LIBRARY Editorial Advisory Board JAMES L. MAYS CAROL A. NEWSOM DAVID L. PETERSEN

Richard J. Clifford

IPROVJERI83§ A Commentary

Westminster John Knox Press LOUISVILLE LONDON ·LEIDEN

© 1999 Richard J. Clifford

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information, address Westminster John Knox Press, 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202-1396. Book design by Jennifer K. Cox First edition Published by Westminster John Knox Press Louisville, Kentucky This book is printed on acid-free paper that meets the American National Standards Institute Z39.48 standard. § PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Clifford, Richard J. Proverbs : a commentary I Richard J. Clifford. - 1st ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-664-22131-9 (alk. paper) I. Bible. O.T. Proverbs-Commentaries. I. Title. BS1465.3.C57 1999 98-50850 223' .7077-dc21

CONTENTS

Preface

vii

Abbreviations

ix

Select Bibliography

xiii 1

Introduction 1. Date of Composition and Editing

3

2. Historical Context

6

3. The Wisdom Literature That Proverbs Inherited

8

4. Distinctive Ideas

19

5. The Background and Function of Personified Wisdom and Her Rival

23

6. The Hebrew Text and Versions of Proverbs

28

7. The Influence of Proverbs on Later Literature

30

8. The Meaning of Proverbs Today

32

COMMENTARY I :1-7 1:8-19 1:20-33 2:1-22 3:1-12 3:13-20 3:21-35 4:1-9 4:10-19 4:20-27

Introduction to the Book Lecture I: The Deadly Alternative to Parental Wisdom Wisdom Poem I: The Risk of Spurning Me Lecture II: Seek Wisdom and Yahweh Will Keep You Safe Lecture III: Trust in God Leads to Prosperity Interlude: Wisdom's Benefits and Prestige Lecture IV: Justice toward the Neighbor Brings Blessing Lecture V: A Father's Example Lecture VI: Two Ways of Living Life Lecture VII: With Your Whole Being Heed My Words and Live

33 36 40 44 49 53 56 59 62 64

vi

5:1-23 6:1-19 6:20-35 7:1-27 8:1-36

9:1-18 10:1-22:16 22: 17-24:22 24:23-34 25-29 30:1-14 30:15-33 31:1-9 31:10-31

Contents

Lecture VIII: The Wrong and the Right Woman Interlude: Four Short Pieces Lecture IX: The Dangers of Adultery Lecture X: The Deceptive Woman Wisdom Poem II: Become My Disciple and I Will Bless You Excursus I: The Interpretation of Prov. 8:22 in Early Judaism and Christianity Excursus II: The Translation of 'amon in v. 30 Wisdom Poem III: The Two Women Invite Passersby to Their Banquets The Proverbs of Solomon The Words of the Wise Further Words of the Wise Further Proverbs of Solomon, Collected by the Servants of King Hezekiah The Words of Agur, and Four Sorts of Scoundrels Numerical Sayings The Words to Lemuel, King of Massa Hymn to the Capable Wife

Index of Ancient Sources

66 73 77 82 90 98 99 101 109 199 216 219 256 265 268 271

279

PREFACE

Two sentences from the great eighteenth-century English aphorist Samuel Johnson can serve as a motto to Proverbs and to this commentary. "Men more frequently require to be reminded than informed." 1 The book of Proverbs does not primarily provide information; its instructions are remarkably empty of "content" and its maxims, when rephrased, are often trite. Rather, it informs by giving its readers a perspective. To quote Johnson on the achievement of Alexander Pope: "New things are made familiar, and familiar things are made new." 2 Proverbs is about vision and action. When I began the commentary, I assumed the most productive approach would be through philology, text criticism, and comparison with other literatures. These have their place, of course, but it turned out that the most productive way was through the rhetoric-how did the instructions and maxims engage its audience? By a typical Proverbs paradox, the common accusation against the book-that it is banal-turned out to be a key to understanding it. If a verse seemed banal, I knew I had not understood it, and so I returned to it. Many translations in this commentary are no doubt banal, but the blame for that belongs to the translator, not the original author. The compression and wit of Proverbs mean that the translation is virtually a commentary in itself. Readers who do not know Hebrew may find it helpful to compare the translation with other translations. The textual notes presuppose some knowledge of Hebrew and the ancient versions; they can usually be skipped by the general reader. The authors of Proverbs were suspicious of knowledge gained by an individual's unaided efforts and welcomed reproof as a sure path to wisdom. I wish to thank my "reprovers" and providers of information, among whom are Michael Y. Fox, John Huehnergard, John S. Kselman, S.S., Jon D. Levenson, Paul Y. Mankowski, S.J., Roland E. Murphy, 0. Carm., Daniel C. Snell, ChoonLeong Seow, Eugene Ulrich, Raymond C. Van Leeuwen, and Jan de Waard. 1. Rambler, no. 2, cited in W. J. Bate, Samuel Johnson (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1977), 291. 2. Samuel Johnson, Lives of the Poets, essay on Pope.

viii

Preface

Needless to say, they should not be held accountable for the opinions expressed in the book. I also thank Cynthia Thompson, who first proposed this project to me, and Jon Berquist, her successor. Catherine Playoust superbly edited much of the manuscript. Finally, I want to thank my fellow Jesuits and the Society of Jesus, who have always provided unstinting support and encouragement.

ABBREVIATIONS

AB ABD

AEL Alonso Schakel

ANET

Barucq

BHS BM BWL BZAW Cant. CBQ Cohen

Delitzsch Ehrlich

E

Anchor Bible The Anchor Bible Dictionary, ed. D. N. Freedman (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1992). 6 vols. M. Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature, 3 vols. (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1975-80) L. Alonso Schakel and J. Vilchez Lindez, Proverbios (Nueva Biblia Espanola, Sapienciales I. Madrid: Ediciones Cristiandad, 1984) Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament, 3d ed., ed. J. B. Pritchard (Princeton, NJ.: Princeton University Press, 1969). A. Barucq, Le livre des Proverbes (Sources bibliques; Paris: Gabalda, 1964) Biblia hebraica stuttgartensia, ed. K. Elliger and W. Rudolph (Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelstiftung, 1977) B. R. Foster, Before the Muses: An Anthology ofAkkadian Literature (Bethesda, Md.: CDL, 1993). 2 vols. W. G. Lambert, Babylonian Wisdom Literature (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1960) Beihefte zur Zeiftschrift ftir die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft Canticles/Song of Songs Catholic Biblical Quarterly H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena in the Light of Akkadian and Ugaritic (SBLDS 37; Missoula: Scholars Press, 1978) F. Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Proverbs of Solomon, 2 vols. (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1874-75) A. B. Ehrlich, Randglossen zur hebriiischen Bibel: textkritisches, sprachliches und sachliches (Hildesheim: Olms, 1968; reprint of 1913 edition). Vol. 6. English versions

x

FS Gemser G

GKC

HALAT IBHS JB JBL J-M

JPSV

JSOT KAI

KTU

Mc Kane MT Meinhold NAB NRSV OTP PlOger Rahlfs REB

s

Abbreviations Festschrift (for) B. Gemser, Spriiche Salomos, 2d ed. (Handbuch zum Alten Testament; Tubingen: J.C.B. Mohr [Paul Sieback], 1963) Greek translation, the Septuagint Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar as Edited and Enlarged by the Late E. Kautsch, 2d English ed., revised by A. E. Cowley (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1910). W. Baumgartner, Hebriiisches und aramiiisches Lexikon zum Alten Testament, 3d ed. (Leiden: Brill, 1967-1990). 4 vols. B. K. Waltke and M. O'Connor, An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax (Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns, 1990). Jerusalem Bible Journal of Biblical Literature Paul Jouon, A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew, Subsidia biblica 1411, translated and revised by T. Muraoka (Rome: Pontifical Biblical Institute, 1991 ). 2 vols. Jewish Publication Society Version = TANAKH: The Holy Scriptures (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1985) Journal for the Study of the Old Testament H. Donner and W. Rollig, Kanaaniiische und aramiiische lnschriften, 2nd ed. (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 1968). 3 vols. M. Dietrich, 0. Loretz, and J. Sanmartin, eds., The Cuneiform Alphabetic Texts from Ugarit, Ras Jbn Hani and Other Places (2d, enlarged edition; Abhandlungen zur Literatur Alt-Syrien-Palastinas und Mesopotamiens 8; Munster: Ugarit-Verlag, 1995). W. McKane, Proverbs: A New Approach (Old Testament Library; Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1970) Masoretic text, the text pointed (or vocalized) by Jewish scholars (Masoretes) from the sixth to the ninth century C.E. A. Meinhold, Die Spriiche (Zurcher Bibelkommentare 16; Zurich: Theologischer Verlag, 1991). 2 vols. New American Bible New Revised Standard Version J. H. Charlesworth, ed., The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, 2 vols. (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday & Co., 1985) 0. PlOger, Spriiche Salomos (Proverbia) (Biblischer Kommentar 17; Neukirchen: NeukirchenerVerlag, 1984). Septuaginta, ed. A. Rahlfs (Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelstiftung, 1939) Revised English Bible Syriac, the Peshitta version

Abbreviations

SBLDS Skehan

T

Toy

xi

Society of Biblical Literature Dissertation Series P. W. Skehan, Studies in Israelite Poetry and Wisdom (CBQ Monograph Series 1; Washington: Catholic Biblical Association, 1971). Targum C. H. Toy, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Proverbs (International Critical Commentary; New York: Scribners, 1908).

TVAT

Texte aus der Umwelt des Alten Testaments

v

Vulgate

VT

Whybray

Vetus Testamentum Proverbs (New Century Bible Commentary; Grand Rapids:

ZAH ZAW

Zeitschrift fur Althebriiistik Zeitschrift fur die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft

Eerdmans, 1994).

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

I. Commentaries in Series

Alonso Schokel, L., and J. Vilchez. Proverbios, 1984. Nueva Biblia Espanola. Sapienciales I. Madrid: Ediciones Cristiandad, 1984. Barucq, A. Le livre des Proverbes. Sources bibliques. Paris: J. Gabalda, 1964. Cohen, A., and A. J. Rosenberg. Proverbs, 1985. Soncino Books on the Bible. Delitzsch, F. Proverbs of Solomon. C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1875. Ehrlich, A. B. "Die Sprtiche," in Randglossen zur Hebriiischen Bibel, vol. 6. Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs, 1913. Fox, M. Proverbs. Anchor Bible. New York: Doubleday & Co. Forthcoming in 1999. Gemser, B. Spriiche Salomos, 1963. Handbuch zum Alten Testament. Ttibingen: J.C. B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 1963 Kidner, D. The Proverbs. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. London: Tyndale Press, 1964. McKane, W. Proverbs: A New Approach. Old Testament Library. London: SCM Press; Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1970. Meinhold, A. Die Spriiche. Ztircher Bibelkommentare 16. Zurich: Theologischer Verlag, 1991. Murphy, R. E. Proverbs. Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas, Tex.: Word, 1998. Oesterley, W. 0. E. The Book of Proverbs. Westminster Commentaries. London: Methuen & Co., 1929. PlOger, 0. Spriiche Salomos (Proverbia). Biblischer Kommentar 17. Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 1984. Ringgren, H. Spriiche. Das Alte Testament Deutsch 16/1. Ttibingen: Vandenhoek & Ruprecht, 1962. Scott, R. B. Y. Proverbs, Ecclesiastes. Anchor Bible 18. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday & Co., 1965. Toy, C. H. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Proverbs. International Critical Commentary. New York: Scribners, 1908.

xiv

Select Bibliography

Van Leeuwen, R. C. "The Book of Proverbs." The New Interpreter's Bible. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997. Whybray, R. N. Proverbs. New Century Bible Commentary. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994. II. Monographs

Baumann, G. Die Weisheitsgestalt in Proverbien I-9: Traditionsgeschichtliche und theologische Studien, 1996. Blenkinsopp, J. Wisdom and Law in the Old Testament: The Ordering of Life in Israel and Early Judaism. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1995. Bostrom, L. The God of the Sages: The Portrayal of God in the Book of Proverbs. Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell International, 1990. Bryce, G. A Legacy ofWisdom. Lewisburg, Pa.: Bucknell University Press, 1979. Camp, C. V. Wisdom and the Feminine in the Book of Proverbs. Decatur, Ga.: Almond Press, 1985. Cook, J. The Septuagint of Proverbs: Jewish and/or Hellenistic Proverbs? Concerning the Hellenistic Colouring of LXX Proverbs, Supplements to VT 69. Leiden and New York: Brill, 1997. Fontaine, C. Traditional Sayings in the Old Testament. Sheffield: Almond Press, 1982. Golka, F. W. The Leopard's Spots: Biblical and African Wisdom in Proverbs. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1993. Lang, B. Wisdom and the Book of Proverbs: An Hebrew Goddess Redefined. New York: Pilgrim Press, 1986. McCreesh, T. P. Biblical Sound and Sense: Poetic Sound Patterns in Proverbs I 0-29. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1991. Maier, C. Die ''fremde Frau" in Proverbien I-9: Eine exegetische und sozialgeschichtliche Studie. Gottingen: Vandenhoek & Ruprecht, 1995. Murphy, R. E. The Tree of Life: An Exploration of Biblical Wisdom Literature. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996. Perry, T. A. Wisdom Literature and the Structure of Proverbs. University Park, Pa.: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1993. von Rad, G. Wisdom in Israel. Nash ville: Abingdon Press, 1972. Skehan, P. W. Studies in Israelite Poetry and Wisdom (CBQ Monograph Series 1; Washington, D.C.: Catholic Biblical Association, 1971). Washington, H. C. Wealth and Poverty in the Instruction ofAmenemope and the Hebrew Proverbs. Ann Arbor, Mich.: U.M.I., 1994. Weeks, S. Early Israelite Wisdom. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1994. Westermann, C. Roots of Wisdom: The Oldest Proverbs of Israel and Other Peoples. Louisville, Ky.: Westminster John Knox Press, 1995.

Select Bibliography

xv

Whybray, R. N. Wealth and Poverty in the Book of Proverbs. Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1990. - - - . The Book of Proverbs: A Survey of Modern Study, Leiden and New York: Brill, 1995. III. Articles Aletti, J.-N., "Seduction et parole en Proverbes I-IX, VT27 (1977): 129-44. Alter, R. "The Poetry of Wit," The Art of Biblical Poetry. New York: Basic Books, 1985. - - - . "Antologia o opera unitaria? Elementi intratestuali del Libro