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17 - Egyptian Wisdom

from Part III - Wisdom Literature beyond the Hebrew Bible

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2022

By
Michael V. Fox  and
Suzanna R. Millar
Edited by
Katherine J. Dell
Edited in association with
Suzanna R. Millar  and
Arthur Jan Keefer
Katherine J. Dell
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge
Suzanna R. Millar
Affiliation:
University of Edinburgh
Arthur Jan Keefer
Affiliation:
Eton College
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Summary

Moving into the wider world of the ancient Near East, Michael Fox and Suzanna R. Millar examine Egyptian wisdom literature. They begin with an overview of extant examples from the Old Kingdom to the Late Period, and then turn to some major themes and issues. They consider Ma’at (the regulating force of truth/justice), character development (particularly as expressed through polar character types), pedagogy (including the debate about who is capable of learning), and transmission (through the generations in oral and written forms). The second half of the chapter assesses some commonly proposed examples of Egyptian influence on biblical wisdom literature, namely the influence of Amenemope on Prov 22:17–23:11 and elsewhere in Proverbs, Egyptian parallels to Proverbs 8, Egyptian parallels to Prov 23:12–24:22, an alleged precursor to Job 38–39 in Egyptian onomastica, and connections between Ben Sira and the Demotic Instruction Phibis.

Keywords

EgyptMa'attruthjusticecharactertransmissionAmenemopeProverbsJobBen Sirademotic
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Companion to Biblical Wisdom Literature , pp. 323 - 343
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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References

Further Reading

Assmann, Jan. Ma’at: Gerechtigkeit und Unsterblichkeit im Alten Ägypten. München: 1990.Google Scholar
Fox, Michael V. ‘World Order and Ma’at: A Crooked Parallel’. JANESCU 23 (1995): 37–48.Google Scholar
Fox, Michael V. ‘From Amenemope to Proverbs’. ZAW 126.1 (2014): 76–91.Google Scholar
Lichtheim, Miriam. Ancient Egyptian Literature. 3 vols. Berkeley: 1973–1980.Google Scholar
Lichtheim, Miriam. ‘Didactic Literature’. Ancient Egyptian Literature: History and Forms. Edited by Loprieno, A.. Probleme der Ägyptologie. Leiden: 1996.Google Scholar
Lichtheim, Miriam. Moral Value in Ancient Egypt. OBO 155. Göttingen: 1997.Google Scholar
Shupak, Nili. Where Can Wisdom Be Found? The Sage’s Language in the Bible and in Ancient Egyptian Literature. OBO 131. Göttingen: 1993.Google Scholar

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