Exegesis of Proverbs 8 - Research Paper Example

Exegesis of Proverbs 8 SURVEY The four-stanza New International Version of Proverbs 8 appears to be the most common form of the passage. The 36 free, non-rhyming verses that make up the entire passage are aligned in four separate stanzas, each of which does not have a uniform topic all throughout the verses except for the third one. The first stanza is made up of verses 1 until 11. The second is made up of verses 12 to 21, while the third is from 22 to 31. The fourth one is from 32 to 36. The first stanza is more like a direct call of wisdom to the faithful or to the reader of the passage, but is probably intended mostly to the “simple.” While the first three passages seem to have been spoken by a third-person narrator, the remaining verses from 4 to 11, and the rest of the entire passage as well, are all a first-person monologue of wisdom. The third person narrator begins the passage with a rather sarcastic introduction of wisdom: “Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?”1. This seems to be an admonition of a disobedient people. In fact, the writer of the Book of Proverbs is Solomon2 and one of his nine reasons for writing this particular book is “to give prudence to the simple”3. “Simple” here, if translated to Hebrew, means “gullible, without moral direction and inclined to evil”4. This therefore means that the speaker needs to be sarcastic perhaps in order to fully inculcate the message of wisdom in a people who are rather gullible and not that brilliant. Sarcasm may not exactly work well among the learned and they would feel admonished by such style of speaking, but this may work effectively among those of average and below average intelligence. Nevertheless, what those of above average intelligence may perceive as sarcasm may actually be perceived as mere strict admonition by those of mere average and below average intelligence. Besides, any word that comes from a king would definitely be highly revered and regarded as gospel truth. A sarcastic admonition from a king would presumably be even so much better and more effective in addressing a passage as important as Proverbs 8. In fact, verse 5 directly addresses the most probable audience of this part of the book: “You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it”5. The aforementioned verse is self-explanatory, and besides, why would Solomon talk about wisdom to the already wise and learned? However, although Proverbs 8 addresses the main audience, who are made up of “simple” and “foolish” people, the entire passage appears universal. Verse 4 of the first paragraph is actually a direct call of wisdom to all people: “To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind”6. Although Solomon is king only of Israel at the time that the Book of Proverbs is written, the aforementioned verse is intended not only for the people of his country but for “all mankind,” particularly those who are “simple”7. However, in the King James Version of the passage, the phrase “sons of man” is used instead of “all mankind.” “Sons of man,” in Hebrew, stands for the Hebrew phrase “benim adam,” which means “sons of Adam” – which may actually mean everyone in this world, since everyone is believed to have descended from Adam8. The “son of man,” however, may refer to Jesus Christ, as in the Gospel of Mark: “But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”9. The advice of Wisdom, therefore, may not necessarily be for all people on Earth, but that one heeds Wisdom for the greater glory of Christ. This direct call of wisdom to all mankind is in fact repeated in the fourth stanza as concluding remarks: “Now then, my children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways”10. The only difference of this verse from verse 4 is the word “children,” which is a rather more of a term of endearment than a rather neutral word like “people.” This may also mean that the “people” addressed by Solomon at the beginning of the passage are actually Wisdom’s own “children,” and if ever Wisdom sounds critical and admonishing at any part of the passage, it may just simply mean that she is a parent trying to teach her children her simple ways. Wisdom reveals and sums up the simple truth about her ways – the love for “what is true” and the hatred against “wickedness”11. In fact, she reiterates this point in verse 20: “I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice”12. Wisdom, therefore, distinguishes between truth and wickedness, and not necessarily about “good” and “wickedness.” The third stanza somehow establishes the credibility of Wisdom by stating and emphasizing to the reader that she is “the first of [God’s] works”13. Wisdom then proceeds to narrate the events that have taken place during creation for these are these are the very events that Wisdom has seen herself. She also proudly says that she was “constantly at [God’s] side” when He created the world14. After repeating her direct call to humankind, Wisdom then concludes the passage and her speech by stating two things – the reward for heeding her admonitions and guidance, as well as the punishment for not following her ways. For the reward, Wisdom says, “For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord”15. On the other hand, for the punishment, Wisdom warns, “But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love death”16. This means that those who heed Wisdom will find life and the Lord’s favor, and will naturally live a life full of great blessings, one of which is wealth17. However, if one disobeys Wisdom, then one is expected to experience a dangerous life that is close to death. Although this particular verse may be implying physical death and harm, the King James Version of the passage implies a rather spiritual form of death: “But he that sinneth against wrongeth his own soul”18. Comparing the word “sinneth” used in the KJV with the phrase “fail to find me” in the NIV, one may think that the KJV considers this disobedience to Wisdom seriously but in fact “‘sinneth against me’ should really mean…‘fails to find me.’”19. The New American Standard Bible also states this punishment differently: “But he who sins against me injures himself”20. Injuring oneself somehow implies that it is the individual himself who is responsible for causing harm himself considerable harm if ever he decides not to listen to Wisdom. Based on the aforementioned observations as well as the text of Proverbs 8 itself, Wisdom is something which is not divorced from God and is therefore associated with God in whatever way. Wisdom brings God’s truth and remains obedient to Him for, although created first, she is simply one of His creations. CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS The Book of Proverbs, which include Proverbs 8 – which is the passage in focus, was set during the “post-exilic period during the time of the Persian empire”21. The wisdom of the Israelites underwent growth and development before reaching this time, with the earliest stage during the pre-exilic period and the second stage during the monarchic period. The third stage of development was after the exile and it was during this time that the final form or draft of the Book of Proverbs was produced, and this was also “the most productive time for Wisdom Literature in Israel”22. Moreover, it was also during this time that responsibility and family solidarity was emphasized. The Book of Proverbs therefore had the primary function of “[preparing] the youth for living morally responsible lives”23. Proverbs 8, therefore, may be simply one way of parents to teach their children during the post-exilic period in Israel. Wisdom, however, although it addresses the readers as “children,” does not necessarily stand for the parents but may rather mean the wisdom of the parents of Israel during that time. Proverbs 8, or the call of Wisdom is actually made up of four stanzas that, although inconsistent in its contents, can still be reduced in an outline form. First of all, the first and second stanzas are similar in outline and content. Apart from the third person narrator’s words, the first stanza is made up of the direct call of wisdom to “all mankind” and her proclamation of her allegiance to the truth and a declaration of her value as something greater than previous metals or material things. The second stanza is a rather more elaborate form of the first. This is a stanza which is all about what Wisdom likes and what she can do, as she shows in verses 12 and 13. She then clearly reiterates in verses 14 to 17 what she can do for the rulers of the state – that she can give them advice in their political affairs. What follows is a series of lines that define Wisdom’s role in providing wealth as a reward for someone who is obedient to her: “With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity”24. The third stanza is rather clearly consistent when it comes to its content as it simply states Wisdom’s connection with God and the fact that she is “the first of His works”25. In fact, according to the verses of the third stanza, Wisdom “was there when he set the heavens in place”26. The heavens were the first to have been created by God in the Book of Genesis and thus, Wisdom in Proverbs 8 may mean the wisdom that God had when He created the universe and the world. Nevertheless, whether this Wisdom in Proverbs 8 would stand for God’s wisdom or for anything else, the fact remains that Wisdom is closely or directly associated with God. FORMAL ANALYSIS Proverbs 8 is a form of poetry composed of 36 verses and a total of 75 lines because although each verse has two lines each, three of them – verses 29, 30 and 34 – contain three lines each. There is no rhyme among the lines but it is clear that the lines are of similar length, except for the first line of verse 22: “The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works”27, and the second line of verse 27: “…when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep”28. Overall, there are four stanzas, with the first from verses 1 to 11, the second from 12 to 21, the third from 22 to 31, and the last from 32 to 36. Based on the general outline stated in the preceding section, the text rather flows irregularly in the first two stanzas. Although the first stanza is basically dedicated to the call of Wisdom to mankind as well as to her intrinsic value, these statements are echoed by the second stanza. The second stanza therefore simply adds to the details of the first although it reiterates the fact that Wisdom “[walks] in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice”29. However, the second stanza contains two new details – that Wisdom counsels political leaders30, and that, once possessed, she brings about wealth31. The third stanza somehow disrupts the flow of details from the first and second and thus creates another mood by introducing Wisdom as the first of God’s creations. This is abruptly cut as the stanza ends and the shift turns to a repetition of the first stanza – Wisdom addressing the people again, but this time in a rather more loving manner. The interesting part is that the fourth and final stanza ends with the rewards of possessing Wisdom as well as the consequences of not having it. As the passage concludes, the statement about the rewards and punishment therefore ultimately creates the point for Wisdom and defines the purpose of the entire passage: to those who will heed Wisdom, they will “find life”32, and to those who do not find her, they will have “death”33. DETAILED ANALYSIS Proverbs 8 Wisdom’s Call  1 Does not wisdom call out?  CALL OF WISDOM I (v. 4-11)    Does not understanding raise her voice?  2 At the highest point along the way,     where the paths meet, she takes her stand;  3 beside the gate leading into the city,     at the entrance, she cries aloud:  4 “To you, O people, I call out;     I raise my voice to all mankind.  5 You who are simple, gain prudence;  ADMONITION (v. 5)    you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.[a]  6 Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say;     I open my lips to speak what is right.  LOVE FOR TRUTH I (v. 6-9) 7 My mouth speaks what is true,     for my lips detest wickedness.  8 All the words of my mouth are just;     none of them is crooked or perverse.  9 To the discerning all of them are right;     they are upright to those who have found knowledge.  10 Choose my instruction instead of silver,  VALUE I (v. 10-11)    knowledge rather than choice gold,  11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies,     and nothing you desire can compare with her.  12 “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;  WHAT WISDOM LOVES    I possess knowledge and discretion.  13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil;  WHAT WISDOM HATES    I hate pride and arrogance,     evil behavior and perverse speech.  14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine;  COUNSEL (v. 14-16)    I have insight, I have power.  15 By me kings reign     and rulers issue decrees that are just;  16 by me princes govern,     and nobles—all who rule on earth.[b]  17 I love those who love me,     and those who seek me find me.  18 With me are riches and honor,  WEALTH AS REWARD I    enduring wealth and prosperity.  19 My fruit is better than fine gold;  VALUE II    what I yield surpasses choice silver.  20 I walk in the way of righteousness,  LOVE FOR TRUTH II    along the paths of justice,  21 bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me  WEALTH AS REWARD II    and making their treasuries full.  22 “The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works,[c][d]  FIRST CREATION (v. 22-31)    before his deeds of old;  23 I was formed long ages ago,     at the very beginning, when the world came to be.  24 When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,     when there were no springs overflowing with water;  25 before the mountains were settled in place,     before the hills, I was given birth,  26 before he made the world or its fields     or any of the dust of the earth.  27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,     when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,  28 when he established the clouds above     and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,  29 when he gave the sea its boundary     so the waters would not overstep his command,  and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.   30 Then I was constantly[e] at his side.  I was filled with delight day after day,     rejoicing always in his presence,  31 rejoicing in his whole world     and delighting in mankind.  32 “Now then, my children, listen to me;  CALL OF WISDOM II (v. 32-36)    blessed are those who keep my ways.  33 Listen to my instruction and be wise;     do not disregard it.  34 Blessed are those who listen to me,  LIFE AS REWARD (v. 34-35)    watching daily at my doors,     waiting at my doorway.  35 For those who find me find life     and receive favor from the LORD.  36 But those who fail to find me harm themselves;  DEATH AS PUNISHMENT    all who hate me love death.” In the passage, Wisdom equates the good things with “prudence,” “knowledge,” and “discretion”34, as well as “insight” and “power”35 and “righteousness” and “justice”36. In the King James Version, “judgment replaces “justice”37. This could therefore imply that it is not only the all-positive word “justice” that Wisdom tries to acknowledge but the rather neutral word “judgment,” which may imply that when God makes judgment, he does not necessarily do so in the context of human justice or the justice that humans know. Nevertheless, Wisdom associates herself with the “truth”38. What is then the implication of Wisdom identifying herself with the “truth”? Wisdom’s love for truthfulness may have therefore been based on the Eighth Commandment that God has given Moses on Mount Sinai after the exodus in the Old Testament: “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor”39. Moreover, in the New Testament, Wisdom’s love for the truth may have been based on the words of Jesus Christ in John 8:32: “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Wisdom is therefore either a personification of the Wisdom of God the Father or that of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, the aforementioned things are the positive immaterial aspects of Wisdom although she does not imply whether these are the very things that she desires for her children to have. However, the fact that Wisdom possesses these things – prudence, knowledge, discretion, insight, power, righteousness and justice – greatly implies her authority in these matters and therefore adds to the credibility of her words. Moreover, Wisdom somehow implies through her words that she is in favor of “riches and honor” as well as “wealth and prosperity”40. In fact, she clearly states that those who possess wisdom are bestowed with “a rich inheritance” and “full” treasuries41. Nevertheless, these material rewards are not the same as wisdom itself for wisdom is greater than “silver,” “gold,” and “rubies”42. According to Davidson, Proverbs 8 also alludes to several texts in the both the Old Testament and the New Testament as well as in the Apocrypha or the Deuterocanonicals43. In the Old Testament, it is mainly the first chapter of the Book of Genesis that has a bearing to Proverbs 8, particularly the third stanza of the latter, where Wisdom is discussed in the creation44. The only difference, however, between Proverbs 8 and Genesis 1 is that, while the latter discusses a rather organized process of God’s creation, Proverbs 8 mentions only the creation of water, earth, heavens and clouds. Moreover, while the Book of Genesis talks about the physical creation of the universe, the third stanza of Proverbs 8 clearly reiterates that God created Wisdom first and so she was “the first of his works”45. The Deuterocanonicals also mentions Wisdom in the way Proverbs 8 has. For example, in the Deuterocanonical book of Sirach, in Chapter 24, Wisdom talks once more about his position when she mentions “I dwelt in high places, and my throne is in a cloudy pillar”46. One remembers the third person narrator saying the same thing in Proverbs 8:2: “At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand.” The Book of Baruch also mentions again the role of Wisdom in creation47. However, in the Book of Proverbs, Wisdom seems to be only a beholder or observer of what God the Creator was doing and is in fact doing the narration in the whole third stanza: “I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep”48. On the other hand, in the Book of Baruch, it is the third person narrator Baruch who speaks about God and the fact that He alone has Wisdom: “No one knows the way to her, or is concerned about the path to her…This is our God; no other can be compared to him”49. Both these aforementioned passages, in fact, also reflect the Book of Job, where God Himself addresses the same thing about Wisdom: “Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell?...God understands the way to it, and he alone knows where it dwells”50. Although the narrators for all three verses mentioned are different, the same thing remains true about Wisdom – that she has always been associated with God the Father who created the heavens and the earth, and that she alone has seen God’s creations at the exact time that they were created. This is the greatness of Wisdom. In the New Testament, Wisdom is alluded in the Gospel of John 1:1-3: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” These lines, where Wisdom is somehow equated with “the Word,” somehow imply that “the Word was God” and so Wisdom is God. Although this logically contradicts the statements about Wisdom in Proverbs 8 and the Deuterocanonicals, where Wisdom is considered separate from God and is often addressed through a female gender, the Gospel of John is somehow explained by the First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians. According to the Apostle Paul, “…but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God”51. Christ is therefore the Wisdom of God, and may be the Wisdom that has always been mentioned in Proverbs 8 and the other books of the Bible. SYNTHESIS The main point of Proverbs 8 seems to be more than the fact that it is a call for the children of Israel during the post-exilic period to be responsible for their lives52. The main point may indeed be practical and may be intended for the teaching of responsibility but more than that, Proverbs 8 is a glorification of Wisdom. This Wisdom is actually not clear whether it is the Wisdom of the Father or that of Jesus Christ, or Wisdom itself as an independent entity, or Jesus Christ Himself. Nevertheless, one thing is clear and certain – that Wisdom is closely and directly associated with God, and being the first of His works53, Wisdom was definitely thought of by God first, and was either considered essential to the creation of the world or was simply just special. The main point of the passage is therefore to introduce Wisdom as a direct association of God and as one quality which is inseparable from Him. Proverbs 8 is therefore a call to mankind for them to recognize what Wisdom is and what exactly a knowledge of it can do: to be able to give “life”54, and to be able to destroy “death”55. REFLECTION The significance of Chapter 8 of the Book of Proverbs to contemporary society is all about possessing Wisdom itself. The passage therefore accounts for a number of practical uses. First, the passage emphasizes humility. No amount of knowledge can ever replace Wisdom. This passage is therefore a call to the proud and knowledgeable to shut their mouths and instead bow down their heads to God in order to receive His wisdom. For even with knowledge, one may find “death”56, but with wisdom even a man who does not possess knowledge will certainly find “life”57. The humility that Proverbs 8 entails therefore encourages one to pay attention not only to scholarly books but to the Words of God in the Bible. Secondly, since Wisdom is closely associated with God and something which is never divorced from Him, Wisdom may be practically translated as “God’s Word.” Therefore, through Proverbs 8, one can realize the true spiritual value of God’s Word. God’s Word is therefore not only a mere passage in the Bible – God’s Word is alive and is personified as Wisdom. God’s Word is not merely a series of letters written down in the Bible – it is rather a Word that has witnessed the entire creation, and a Word that seeks the salvation of all mankind. Moreover, as “wisdom and creation are felt to be foreign to a true Israelite”58, there is therefore even a greater need to emphasize the meaning of Wisdom to non-Israelites. Moreover, Proverbs 8 affirms that “Yahweh brought ‘wisdom’ into existence, revealed it to man, and as Guarantor upholds this moral order”59. Wisdom, therefore, is and has always been inseparable from God. Thirdly, through the promises of riches and rewards60, Proverbs 8 teaches encouragement and makes every believer realize how much God loves us. This realization of love is actually already evident in the fact that Wisdom is calling to us. God therefore wants to give us life and He is giving us Wisdom as a way to that goal. “Book of Proverbs” http://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/book-of-proverbs-overview.html “Proverbs 1” http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs%201&version=NIV#fen-NIV-16405a “Proverbs 8” (Christiadelphian books) http://www.christadelphianbooks.org/agora/comm/20_prov/prov09.html Baruch http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=25942560 Bland http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/Ted_Hildebrandt/OTeSources/20-Proverbs/Text/Articles/Bland-Character-RJ.pdf Landes http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/myers/landes.pdf Davidson http://www.andrews.edu/~davidson/Publications/Messianic%20Prophecies/Proverbs%208.pdf Murphy http://www.ces.org.tw/download/wesleyhu/CES/Index_files/Wisdom%20and%20Creation%20-%20Murphy.pdf Waltke http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/ted_hildebrandt/OTeSources/20-Proverbs/Text/Articles/Waltke_ProverbsANE_BSac.pdf Notes 1. Proverbs 8:1, New International Version. 2. Prov. 1:1, NIV. 3. Prov. 1:4, NIV. 4. “Proverbs 8,” (n.d.), Christadelphianbooks.org, http://www.christadelphianbooks.org/agora/comm/20_prov/prov09.html (accessed Apr. 18, 2012). 5. Prov. 8:5, NIV. 6. Prov. 8:4, NIV. 7. Prov. 1:4, NIV. 8. “Proverbs 8,” Christadelphianbooks.org. 9. Mark 2:10, NIV. 10. Prov. 8:32, NIV. 11. Prov. 8:7, NIV. 12. Prov. 8:20, NIV. 13. Prov. 8:22, NIV. 14. Prov. 8:30, NIV. 15. Prov. 8:35, NIV. 16. Prov. 8:36, NIV. 17. Prov. 8:18, 21, NIV. 18. Prov. 8:36, King James Version. 19. “Proverbs 8,” Christadelphianbooks.org. 20. Prov. 8:36, New American Standard Bible. 21. Dave Bland, “The Formation of Character in the Book of Proverbs,” Restoration Quarterly 40, no. 4 (1998: 222), Gordon College, http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/Ted_Hildebrandt/OTeSources/20-Proverbs/Text/Articles/Bland-Character-RJ.pdf (accessed Apr. 18, 2012). 22. Ibid. 23. Ibid., 236. 24. Prov. 8:18, NIV. 25. Prov. 8:22, NIV. 26. Prov. 8:27, NIV. 27. Prov. 8:22, NIV. 28. Prov. 8:27, NIV. 29. Prov. 8:20, NIV. 30. Prov. 8:14-16, NIV, 31. Prov. 8:18, 21, NIV. 32. Prov. 8:35, NIV. 33. Prov. 8:36, NIV. 34. Prov. 8:12, NIV. 35. Prov. 8:14, NIV. 36. Prov. 8:20, NIV. 37. Prov. 8:20, KJV. 38. Prov. 8:7, NIV. 39. Ex. 20:16, NIV. 40. Prov. 8:18, NIV. 41. Prov. 8:21, NIV. 42. Prov. 8:10-11, NIV. 43. Richard M. Davidson, “Proverbs 8 and the Place of Christ in the Trinity,” Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 17, no. 1 (2006: 35), Andrews University, http://www.andrews.edu/~davidson/Publications/Messianic%20Prophecies/Proverbs%208.pdf (accessed Apr. 19, 2012). 44. George M. Landes, “Creation Tradition in Proverbs 8:22-31 and Genesis 1,” (n.d.: 287), Biblical Studies Organization, http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/myers/landes.pdf (accessed Apr. 19, 2012). 45. Prov. 8:22, NIV. 46. Sir. 24:4, Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition. 47. Davidson 34. 48. Prov. 8:27, NIV. 49. Baruch 3:9-4:4, (2011), Oremus Bible Browser, http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=25942560 (accessed Apr. 18, 2012). 50. Job 28:20, 23, NIV. 51. 1 Corinthians 1:24, NIV. 52. Bland 222. 53. Prov. 8:22, NIV. 54. Prov. 8:35, NIV. 55. Prov. 8:36, NIV. 56. Ibid. 57. Prov. 8:35, NIV. 58. Roland E. Murphy, “Wisdom and Creation,” Journal of Biblical Literature 104, no. 1 (1985: 4), China Evangelical Seminary, http://www.ces.org.tw/download/wesleyhu/CES/Index_files/Wisdom%20and%20Creation%20-%20Murphy.pdf (accessed Apr. 21, 2012). 59. Bruce K. Waltke, “The Book of Proverbs and Ancient Wisdom Literature,” Bibliotheca Sacra 136 (1979: 236), Gordon College, http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/ted_hildebrandt/OTeSources/20-Proverbs/Text/Articles/Waltke_ProverbsANE_BSac.pdf (accessed Apr. 21, 2012). 60. Prov. 8:18, NIV. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1 Corinthians. New International Version. Baruch 3:9-4:4. (2011). Oremus Bible Browser. http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=25942560 (accessed Apr. 18, 2012). Bland, Dave. “The Formation of Character in the Book of Proverbs.” Restoration Quarterly 40, no. 4 (1998: 222). Gordon College. http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/Ted_Hildebrandt/OTeSources/20-Proverbs/Text/Articles/Bland-Character-RJ.pdf (accessed Apr. 18, 2012). Davidson, Richard M. “Proverbs 8 and the Place of Christ in the Trinity.” Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 17, no. 1 (2006: 35). Andrews University. http://www.andrews.edu/~davidson/Publications/Messianic%20Prophecies/Proverbs%208.pdf (accessed Apr. 19, 2012). Exodus. New International Version. Job. New International Version. John. New International Version. Landes, George M. “Creation Tradition in Proverbs 8:22-31 and Genesis 1.” (n.d.: 287). Biblical Studies Organization. http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/myers/landes.pdf (accessed Apr. 19, 2012). Mark. New International Version. Murphy, Roland E. “Wisdom and Creation.” Journal of Biblical Literature 104, no. 1 (1985: 4). China Evangelical Seminary. http://www.ces.org.tw/download/wesleyhu/CES/Index_files/Wisdom%20and%20Creation%20-%20Murphy.pdf (accessed Apr. 21, 2012). “Proverbs 8.” (n.d.). Christadelphianbooks.org. http://www.christadelphianbooks.org/agora/comm/20_prov/prov09.html (accessed Apr. 18, 2012). Proverbs. King James Version. Proverbs. New American Standard Bible. Proverbs. New International Version. Waltke, Bruce K. “The Book of Proverbs and Ancient Wisdom Literature.” Bibliotheca Sacra 136 (1979: 236). Gordon College. http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/ted_hildebrandt/OTeSources/20-Proverbs/Text/Articles/Waltke_ProverbsANE_BSac.pdf (accessed Apr. 21, 2012). Read More