Proverbs

Longman calls Fox “a master interpreter.” In his excellent volumes, Fox examines Proverbs’ place in the intellectual history of ancient Israel. In volume one, he includes a survey of ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature. Then, in addition to his translation and commentary proper, he includes extended thematic essays on Proverbs 1–9, covering themes like the origins of personified wisdom, what wisdom is, and where wisdom can be heard. In volume two, Fox gives special attention to comparable sayings in other wisdom books, particularly from Egypt, and makes extensive use of medieval Hebrew commentaries, which receive scant attention in previous Proverbs commentaries. [Full Review]