An introduction to the poetic books of the Old Testament : (the wisdom and songs of Israel) /
C. Hassell Bullock.
- Chicago, IL : Moody, 1979.
- 280 p. ; hbk ; 24 cm.
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
Chapter 1 : Introduction -- The poetic books -- Wisdom in the Old Testament : Wisdom as skills and arts ; Literary wisdom ; The addressees of wisdom ; The scribe ; Wisdom and the temple cult ; Wisdom and the prophets. -- The poetic books and wisdom -- Wisdom and the Ancient Near East : Hymns ; Proverbs ; Reflective literature. -- Wisdom in the Apocrypha -- Hebrew poetry. Chapter 2 : Theology in the wisdom books -- The doctrine of God : God as Creator ; God the originator of wisdom ; The fear of the Lord and wisdom. -- The doctrine of man : Individualism ; Generic man. -- Emphases and non-emphases in wisdom : Emphases : Retributive justice ; Universalism ; Law. Non-emphases : History ; The cult ; Divine mercy. -- Immortality in wisdom and the Psalms. Chapter 3 : The book of Job -- The central issue -- Introductory matters : Purpose ; Date ; Provenance and authorship ; The literary structure. -- Hermeneutical issues : The literary unity of Job ; Mythology and Job ; The Satan of the prologue ; Job and the New Testament. -- Analysis --A note on the Targum of Job from Qumran Cave 11. Chapter 4 : The Psalms -- Introductory matters : Title ; Number of the Psalms ; The development and completion of the Psalter -- Structure of the book -- Classification of the Psalms -- Title of the Psalms -- Hermeneutical considerations : Procedural principles. -- Theological content : The Psalms as a repository of Israel's faith ; The praise of God in the Psalms ; God in the Psalms ; Man in the Psalms ; Creation and redemption in the Psalms. -- Some basic types of study : Hymns ; Penitential Psalms ; Wisdom Psalms ; Messianic Psalms ; Imprecatory Psalms ; "Enthronement" Psalms. -- The use of the Psalms in the Temple, Synagogue and Church -- The Psalms scroll of Qumran Cave 11. Chapter 5 : Proverbs -- Introductory matters : Title ; Nature and purpose of Proverbs ; Literary structure and growth of the book -- The Septuagint order of the text ; Date and authorship ; Canonicity ; Poetic structure of Proverbs. -- Hermeneutical considerations -- Analysis. Chapter 6 : Ecclesiastes -- Introductory matters : Title ; Literary Structure ; Purpose and meaning ; Authorship, date and provenance ; Canonicity. -- Hermeneutical considerations -- Expository comments -- Fragments of Ecclesiastes from Qumran Cave IV. Chapter 7 : The Song of Songs -- Hermeneutical approaches : The allegorical method ; The typological method ; The mythological method ; The literal method -- Introductory matters : The nature and purpose of the book ; Literary structure Date, authorship and provenance ; Canonicity of the Song. -- Expository comments -- A reflective postscript.