Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Thomas L. Thompson" <tlt AT teol.ku.dk>]

Dear Raymond de Hoop,
What is wrong? an excellent question. However, it should be observed that
Mr. Humpal's argument is not really very far from your own, though his
conclusions stand opposed to yours. That it is Solomon writing in Qohelet
comes from the text: information which he views as potentially historical if
proven not entirely impossible and which you call pseudepigraphy. However,
to support your genre identification you refer to the early-state formative
stages of a kingdom which had ideological interests in its literature. Yet,
there is neither historical nor textual support for your asserted historical
"kingdom" or its alledged ideology. Both contexts--yours and Mr.
Humpals--are literary contexts which have little to do with the critical
reading of either Qohelet or any other biblical book.

Sincerely,
Thomas

Thomas L. Thompson
Professor, University of Copenhagen


> Dave Humpal wrote:
> > It seems to me it can be explained as
> > unusual Hebrew written by someone with strong economic and philosophical
> > interests beyond the borders of Israel.  Solomon was the only King of
> Israel
> > with this kind of broad background.  At least that's a possible
> explanation!
> 
> 
> Raymond de Hoop responded:
> What is wrong with the supposition that we are dealing with pseudepigraphy
> in the book of Qoheleth? This was a common phenomenon in the ancient Near
> East, why should it not have been used in the bible?
> The philosophy of Qohelet does not fit the era of (David and) Solomon. The
> kingdom was a state in its formative stage or a so-called early state. The
> possible literary activity of that era was more concerned with ideological
> and legitimating aspects of that state than with the philosophy with which
> Qoheleth is troubling his mind.
> 
>