The Wisdom of Solomon: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary

The Wisdom of Solomon: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary / David Winston......Page 1
Preface......Page 12
Contents......Page 14
Principal Abbreviations......Page 18
Greek and Latin Authors......Page 23
Translations of Classical Texts......Page 24
INTRODUCTION......Page 26
I. Contents......Page 29
II. Structure......Page 34
III. Authorship: Single or Composite......Page 37
IV. Language and Style......Page 39
V. Genre......Page 43
VI. Date......Page 45
1. Preexistence and Immortality of the Soul......Page 50
2. Eschatology......Page 57
3. Torah and Sophia......Page 58
4. Logos and Sophia......Page 63
5. Pursuing Wisdom......Page 65
6. The Nature and Efficacy of Wisdom......Page 67
7. Universalism and Particularism......Page 68
8. Freedom and Determinism......Page 71
VIII. Wisdom of Solomon and Philo of Alexandria......Page 84
IX. Purpose......Page 88
X. Manuscripts and Versions......Page 89
XI. Status and Influence......Page 91
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 95
i. Pre-Nineteenth Century......Page 117
ii. Nineteenth Century......Page 118
iii. Twentieth Century......Page 119
TRANSLATION and NOTES......Page 122
A. Wisdom's Gift of Immortality (1-6:21)......Page 123
I. Exhortation to Justice which brings immortality (1:1-15)......Page 124
II. Speech of the wicked who have covenanted with Death (1:16-2:24)......Page 136
III. Sufferings of the immortal just only a trial (3:1-12)......Page 149
IV. Sterility of the virtuous will ultimately be converted to fruitfulness (3:13-4:6)......Page 155
V. Early death a token of God's solicitous care (4:7-20)......Page 161
VI. Vindication of the just and Final Judgment (5:1-23)......Page 169
VII. Exhortation to Wisdom which is easily found and brings immortality and sovereignty (6:1-21)......Page 176
B. The Nature and Power of Wisdom and Solomon's Quest for Her (6:22-10:21)......Page 183
VIII. The nature of Wisdom and her mysteries will be revealed (6:22-25)......Page 184
IX. Solomon is only a mortal (7:1-6)......Page 187
X. Solomon prefers Wisdom above all else (7:7-14)......Page 192
XI. God is sole source of all-encompassing Wisdom (7:15-22a)......Page 197
XII. Nature of Wisdom: her twenty-one attributes (7:22b-24)......Page 203
XIII. Fivefold metaphor describing Wisdom's essence and her unique efficacy (7:25 - 8:1)......Page 209
XIV. Solomon sought to make Wisdom his bride (8:2-16)......Page 216
XV. Wisdom a sheer gift of God's Grace (8:17-21)......Page 222
XVI. Without Wisdom no human enterprise can succeed (9:1-6)......Page 225
XVII. Without Wisdom Solomon could not reign (9:7-12)......Page 228
XVIII. Divine Wisdom brought men salvation (9:13-18)......Page 231
XIX. From Adam to Moses (10:1-14)......Page 235
XX. The Exodus (10:15-21)......Page 244
C. Divine Wisdom or Justice in the Exodus (11-19)......Page 249
XXI. First Antithesis: Nile water changed to blood, but Israelites obtained water from the desert rock (11:1-14)......Page 250
XXII. God's Mercy toward the Egyptians and its causes (His Might the source of his merciful love) (11:15-12:2)......Page 255
XXIII. God's Mercy toward the Canaanites and its causes (12:3-18)......Page 262
XXIV. God's Mercy a model lesson for Israel (12:19-22)......Page 268
XXV. Return to theme of measure for measure and transition to second Excursus (12:23-27)......Page 270
XXVI. Mindless nature worship (13:1-9)......Page 272
XXVII. Wretched wooden-image making (13:10-14:11)......Page 283
XXVIII. Origin and evil consequences of idolatry (14:12-31)......Page 294
XXIX. Israel's immunity from idolatry (15:1-6)......Page 306
XXX. Malicious manufacture of clay figurines (15:7-13)......Page 310
XXXI. Folly of Egyptian idolatry (15:14-19)......Page 314
XXXII. Second Antithesis: Egyptians hunger through animal plague, but Israel enjoys exotic quail food (16:1-4)......Page 317
XXXIII. Third Antithesis: Egyptians slain by locusts and flies, but Israel survives a serpent attack through the bronze serpent, symbol of salvation (16:5-14)......Page 319
XXXIV. Fourth Antithesis: Egyptians plagued by thunderstorms, but Israel fed by a rain of manna (16:15-29) 297......Page 322
XXXV. Fifth Antithesis: Egyptians terrified by darkness, but Israel illuminated with bright light and guided through desert by a pillar of fire (17:1-18:4)......Page 327
XXXVI. Sixth Antithesis: Egyptian firstborn destroyed, but Israel protected and glorified (18:5-25)......Page 338
XXXVII. Seventh Antithesis: Egyptians drowned in the sea, but Israel passes safely through (19:1-9)......Page 348
XXXVIII. Retrospective review of God's wonders through which Nature was refashioned for Israel (19:10-12)......Page 351
XXXIX. Egypt more blameworthy than Sodom (19:13-17)......Page 352
XL. Transposition of the elements (19:18-21)......Page 355
XLI. Concluding doxology (19:22)......Page 358
Ancient Authors......Page 359
Subjects......Page 362
Scriptural References......Page 367
Pseudepigrapha, Qumran, and Rabbinic Literature......Page 378
Key to the Text......Page 385