Texts in Conversation
In 4Q213 from the Dead Sea Scrolls, Levi describes wisdom as a treasure that brings honor. Wisdom of Solomon uses the same treasure image, but makes friendship with God the reward for acquiring wisdom.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
4Q213 1:17-21
Aramaic Levi a
Dead Sea Scrolls, Biblical Retellings
17 [like a scoundrel in it … for all of them] give him honor in it, since all wish 18 [to learn his wisdom. His friends] are many, and those who wish him well are great ones. 19 [And on a seat of honor they seat him,] to hear the words of his wisdom. 20 [Great wealth of honor is his wisdom for] those who know it, and a fine treasure 21 [for all who acquire it. If] mighty [kings come,] and a [great] people [and an army and horsemen]
Wisdom of Solomon 7:11-15
Deuterocanon
11 All good things came to me along with her, and countless riches are in her hands. 12 I rejoiced in them all because wisdom leads them, though I didn’t know that she was their mother. 13 What I learned without deceit, I share without envy. I don’t hide her riches. 14 For she is an unfailing treasure for people, and those who use it gain friendship with God, commended to him by the gifts that come from instruction. 15 May God grant me to speak with judgment, and to think thoughts worthy of what has been given to me, because he is the guide even of wisdom and the one who corrects the wise.
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Notes and References
“... A dominant image in this passage is wisdom as a city, particu-
larly as a city that cannot be conquered or plundered. This image
is rather unusual. Later in the text, wisdom is described as price-
less: see 13:13 and commentary there. [...] “Treasure” is
often used of the fruit of wisdom or of righteous action: see Wisdom
7:14, ben Sira 29:11 and 29:12; compare 2 Enoch 50:5.374 Wisdom
is also described as a treasure in 13:10 as in Isaiah 33:6 and Wis-
dom 7:14 [...] In biblical wisdom literature, wisdom is often
compared to gold, said to be better than gold, but it is not said to
be gold. In many other passages it is compared with precious met-
als and jewels: see Job 28:18, Proverbs 8:11 and 16:16. ...”
Greenfield, Jonas C.
The Aramaic Levi Document: Edition, Translation, Commentary
(p. 203, 213) Brill, 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.
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