The Books of Wisdom & Poetry
These books are often interchangeably referred to as wisdom books or poetry
books.nThere are five books of wisdom: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song
of Solomon.
~Job is the story of a man who suffered much from the devil. But even though he had
many troubles, he still remained faithful to God.
~Psalms are poems and songs written by King David and others. These poems praise
God for His goodness, power, and glory.
~Proverbs is a book of wise sayings. It was written primarily written by King Solomon.
~Ecclesiastes was written entirely by King Solomon. It tells about a man who tried to
find happiness in riches, love, power, fame, and learning. He found that none of these
could bring true happiness. He learned that true happiness can only come from knowing
God and keeping his commandments.
~Song of Solomon is a love song.
Learning Objectives
- Classify and discuss the primary function and themes of Wisdom literature
- Appreciate the complexities of human suffering through the book of Job
- List and evaluate various counsel offered by the wisdom literature
- Create personal poetry/prose/psalm/song that incorporates meaningful lessons
presented through readings
Reading
Old Testament - Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon
Textbook: Encountering chapters 19-23
Videos - as provided
REB QUESTIONS
Please answer each question as thoroughly and insightfully as you can by
referencing reading and videos. Show me your ability to synthesize your knowledge
from all of the things you are covering in the course. Write in complete sentences.
Proofread. Cite any information you use. Upload your work as a document. Thank
you.
1. Why is poetry a good way to write about wisdom for the Hebrew people?
2. What do we learn about the problem of evil (theodicy) from Job? What aspects of
God’s character are challenged by the presence of evil in the world?
3. Why are the psalms comforting and helpful for so many? What do they do for those
who read them? What do they teach people in modern life to do?
4. From the Near Eastern readings, choose two examples of poetry or wisdom that
would echo similar sentiments found in the readings from this section.