The Discourse of Wealth and Poverty in the Book of Proverbs

Abstract

The Discourse of Wealth and Poverty in the Book of Proverbs argues that the discourse of wealth and poverty in Proverbs is more coherent than is usually thought, and is actually comprised of three distinct, but related subdiscourses of wealth and poverty. The key to discerning the three sub-discourses is recognizing the figurative interpretive possibilities of aspects of the text and the fact that a reading of the book as a whole requires, as a trope or figure does, a significant interpretive act. The book contains an Introduction that includes a discussion of “proverbs and metaphor,” an initial chapter that reviews major studies of wealth and poverty in Proverbs followed by three chapters that examine particular passages in Proverbs in depth. A conclusion reviews the work’s major conclusions and suggests a possible social-historical setting for the book. Scholars and students of biblical wisdom literature will find this study particularly useful.

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