Riddles and Revelations: Explorations into the Relationship between Wisdom and Prophecy in the Hebrew Bible

A comprehensive examination of the links between wisdom literature and prophecy. The book is divided into four sections. The first addresses methodological concerns such as identifying “wisdom,” identifying potential sociological spheres for wisdom and prophecy in the ancient Near East, and recognizing potential textual relationships. The second examines the role of wisdom in the prophetic corpus more broadly in a book-by-book analysis of biblical texts, first examining the role of wisdom in the prophetic corpus of the Hebrew Bible.

The third section looks at elements of prophecy within the traditional wisdom books such as Job, Proverbs and Qoheleth. Finally, the book continues the conversation by providing two concluding chapters that evaluate, critique, engage, and raise new questions that Hebrew Bible scholars will need to wrestle with as the search for the relationship between wisdom and prophecy moves forward.

• Table of contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• Abbreviations
• Introduction
• Part I. Methodology
  • 1. Prophet and Sage in Dialogue: History and Methodology – Russell L. Meek, Louisiana College, USA.
  • 2. 'Wisdom' as Mask and Mirror – Will Kynes, Whitworth University, USA.
  • 3. Methods, Muddles, and Modes of Literature – Mark Sneed, Lubbock Christian University, USA.
  • 4. Overlap? Influence? Allusion? The Importance of Asking the Right Questions – Stuart D. Weeks, University of Durham, UK.
  • 5. The Relationship of Prophecy and Wisdom in the Ancient Near East – John Hilber, Cornerstone University, USA.
• Part II. Wisdom among the Prophets
  • 6. Spiritual Blindness and Wisdom Traditions in the Book of Isaiah - Eric Ortlund, Briercrest College and Seminary, USA.
  • 7. The Structural Role of Wisdom in Jeremiah - Leslie Allen, Fuller Theological Seminary, USA.
  • 8. Things Unseen: Wisdom in the Book of Ezekiel - William R. Osborne, College of the Ozarks, USA.
  • 9. Daniel as Wisdom in Action - Andrew Steinmann, Concordia University Chicago, USA.
  • 10. Where Shall Wisdom be Found (in the Book of the Twelve)? - Daniel Timmer, University of Sudbury, USA.
• Part III. Prophecy among the Sages
  • 11. A Prophet in the Sage's House - Ryan O'Dowd, Cornell University, USA.
  • 12. You Can't Get a Sage to Do a Prophet's Job: Overcoming Wisdom's Deficiencies in the Book of Job - Martin Shields, University of Sydney, Australia.
  • 13. Qohelet as Eschatological or Anti-Apocalyptic Sage? Hebel, the Evil Day, and Divine Judgment in the Book of Ecclesiastes - Richard Schultz, Wheaton College, USA.
  • 14. But Where Should Apocalyptic Be Found? The Book of Job as Key to von Rad's Theory - Timothy Johnson, Philadelphia Biblical University, USA.
• Part IV. Conclusions
  • 15. Reflections on Methodology - Katharine J. Dell, University of Cambridge, UK.
  • 16. Reflections on Wisdom among the Prophets - Mark J. Boda, McMaster University, Canada.
  • 17. Reflections on Prophecy among the Sages - Tremper Longman III, Westmont College, USA.
• Index