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  • From: bhebrew AT shields-online.net
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Ecc 9:14
  • Date: Sat, 13 Jul 2013 10:39:15 +1000

There's a long history of attempts to find some sort of historical background
for these feasibly historical illustrations in Qohelet (perhaps most recently
see Jennie Barbour, The Story of Israel in the Book of Qohelet, who sees here
an allusion to the siege of Jerusalem in 701 and the wise man as Isaiah), but
there has been no consensus at all and every suggestion I've seen runs into
problems one way or another.

Furthermore, however, reading this as a piece of wisdom literature would tend
to suggest to me that it is a parable (and the points Chris makes about the
scenario would lead in this direction). The point is not really whether it
has any solid historical antecedent, but to make the point. In light of 9:16
I think the parable records the downfall of the "small city" through its
failure to heed the sage's wisdom because he was poor.

Martin Shields,
Sydney, Australia.




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