Death and Idols in the Wisdom of Solomon

Department

Christian Studies

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Spring 2016

Abstract

This note considers the implications of the textual variant ‘qa/natov’ in Wis. 14:13-14. Whether ‘death’ serves as the explicit subject of v. 14 or as a given idea associated with ‘idols’, it makes the parallels between 14:10-14 and chs. 1-2 even more conspicuous and thereby underlines a pattern of thinking about creation and corruption that continues throughout Wisdom. Whereas in chs. 1-2, death entered by the hands of humanity and through the envy of the Devil, in 14:10-14, death entered by hand-made idols and through the conceit of evil people. The inclusion of the textual variant not only shows solidarity of thought but also clarity and expansion.

Publication Title

Journal of Jewish Studies

Publisher Statement

Copyright 2016 Journal of Jewish Studies published by Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies. Visit http://www.jjs-online.net/archives/article/3257 for more information. View the article at https://doi.org/10.18647/3527/jjs-2022.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.18647/3527/jjs-2022

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