LXX Proverbs 3:15
Septuagint
13 Happy is the person who finds wisdom, and the mortal who sees insight, 14 for it is better to trade for it than for treasures of gold and silver. 15 She is more precious also than costly stones; nothing evil shall resist her. She is well known to all who approach her, and all that is precious is not worth as much as she. 16 For length of life and years of life are in her right hand, and wealth and glory are in her left hand; 16 a from her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy on her tongue.
Date: 1st Century B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
Wisdom of Solomon 6:12
Deuterocanon
10 For they will be made holy who observe holy things in holiness, and those who have been taught them will find a defense. 11 Therefore set your desire on my words; long for them, and you will be instructed. 12 Wisdom is radiant and unfading, and she is easily discerned by those who love her, and is found by those who seek her. 13 She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her. 14 One who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty, for she will be found sitting at the gate.
Date: 100-50 B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
Notes and References
"... The unit is held together by an inclusion (verse 7: ask ... given, and verse 11: given ... ask). It opens with an exhortation: ask ... be given, search ... find, knock ... be opened. This language is typical of speech about prayer. Compare Jeremiah 29:12-14: call ... hear; search ... find; seek ... find; Isaiah 65:1: sought ... ask ... found ... seek; b. Megillah 12b: 'he knocked at the gates of mercy and they were opened to him.' ... Just as all six sentences of the Lord's Prayer are petitions, so here prayer is understood as asking. It is assumed that disciples appear before God as 'humble receivers from a generous Father.' Is this an affirmation of the efficacy of unrestricted prayer? Or is its meaning more restricted by the context? The latter, I think, in this context. The language is typical of prayers for wisdom. Consider, for example, Proverbs 8:17 - Wisdom says: 'those who seek me diligently find me'; Wisdom of Solomon 6:12 - Wisdom 'is found by those who seek her'; James 1:5 - 'If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.' The language seems to say that those who ask for divine wisdom will be heard and given this treasure ..."
Talbert, Charles H.
Reading the Sermon on the Mount: Character Formation and Decision Making in Matthew 5-7
(p. 134) University of South Carolina Press, 2004
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
Your Feedback:
User Comments
Anonymous comments are welcome. All comments are subject to moderation.