A Critical Analysis of the Figure of Wisdom in

Proverbs 8
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................................................. 3
2. THE BOOK OF PROVERBS ........................................................................................................................... 5
2.1. PROVERBS 8................................................................................................................................................. 8
3. WISDOM AND CREATION ............................................................................................................................ 8
3.1. INSTRUMENT OF CREATION .................................................................................................................. 8
3.2. PERSONIFICATION OF THE WORLD ORDER ..................................................................................... 9
4. PERSONIFICATION OF VIRTUES ............................................................................................................ 10
4.1. WISDOM VERSUS FOLLY ....................................................................................................................... 11
4.2. SHAPING DESIRE ..................................................................................................................................... 12
5. WISDOM AND DIVINITY ........................................................................................................................... 14
5.1. DIVINE HYPOSTASIS............................................................................................................................... 14
5.2. GODDESS .................................................................................................................................................... 16
5.3. MA’AT .......................................................................................................................................................... 16
5.4. ASHERAH ................................................................................................................................................... 18
5.5. GODDESS WISDOM ................................................................................................................................. 18
5.6. CAN WISDOM BE A GODDESS? ............................................................................................................ 19
6. CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................................ 20
7. BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................................................... 24

2
1. Introduction
It would not be remiss to say that the Old Testament provides an account of a society that is

patriarchal patrilineal, patrilocal, and patrimonial,1 and that the positive and negative roles

carried out by women are considered from the perspective of how they contribute to the men

involved.2 Women are considered, in effect, to be second-class citizens, and their control and

influence is, at a first glance, very much confined to the domestic sphere. If these claims are true,

then the Book of Proverbs has relevance in the light of contemporary feminist movement due to

the female figures mentioned in the book. But it certainly has a significance that also transcends

the positive and negative comments referring to women in modern gender discussions. This is

because there is much diversity within the content of Proverbs with a wealth of choices and

advice aimed at helping people to navigate the path of wisdom. For this reason I briefly look at

the context of the Book of Proverbs and the emergence of Wisdom Literature.

‘Lady Wisdom’ is portrayed as symbolically representative of the positive traits displayed by

wives and mothers in the society of ancient Israel. This makes the use of women as source and

epitome of wisdom stand out in the Book of Proverbs. Wisdom displays intelligence, strength,

prudence and good judgment. This female imagery is mentioned in chapters 1-9 and at the end of

the book in chapter 31. In Proverbs 8:22-31 Lady Wisdom is presented as a divine companion

and a source of order and success in life.3 I look at the origins of this personification of wisdom,

and the role it plays in Proverbs, particularly in chapter 8. The scholarly debate is quite heated

around the issues of Lady Wisdom understood as a goddess, and I bring these to light.

1
Camp, 1985, p.79.
2
Fontaine, 1992, p.146.
3
Coogan, 2009, p.377.

3
I also reflect on the implications of considering Lady Wisdom as a goddess from a pastoral point

of view. The roles of wife and mother give women a high status in this very context. Motherhood

in particular allowed them the exercise of some power, authority and influence in the ancient

Israelite community. The male fascination with femininity and fecundity inspired the emergence

of the figure of Wisdom, which is at times perceived as an intangible quality. This does not

necessarily mean that the author was necessarily driven by any intrinsic femininity of Wisdom,

or that women are wiser than men.

Proverbs 8 is written as poetry, a dominant form found in the Bible, and where used it should be

read with sensitivity to the genre, purpose and context of a specific chapter/section. The use of

the literary tool of personification is a figure of speech that brings to life an abstract concept and

confers it a vivid illustration.4 It also establishes a contrast with the reverse side to this behavior,

present in the figure of ‘Lady Folly’. In the context of the Book of Proverbs both Lady Wisdom

and Lady Folly have a fairly highly developed characterization of personality and purpose. 5

To anticipate, this essay will propose that the main role of the personification of Lady Wisdom in

Proverbs 8 is to provide a safe, solid, nurturing and indeed wise path towards a close relationship

with God, whilst warning of the risks inherent in such journey. Viewed in this way, gender

should not be a hindrance but instead should be celebrated and acknowledged.6 The present

essay will bring together how the many facets of the figure of Lady Wisdom can enhance or

4
Koptak provides a good interpretation of personification: ‘Personification is a special form of
symbolic action, one that uses depictions of human speaking and acting to convey an emotion,
and idea or strategy for coming to terms with a situation in life. Biblical examples range from the
simple metaphor… to the extended monologues of Woman Wisdom… inviting readers to engage
them with their own responses.’
5
Koptak, 2008, p.518.
6
For the purpose of this essay I have used the NRSV version of the Bible.

4
impede a relationship with God.

2. The Book of Proverbs

It is difficult to offer precise dates for the composition of the Book of Proverbs, but it can be

described as the oldest of the Israelite works that are conventionally called ‘Wisdom literature’,7

which has two main types that represent different tendencies among post-exilic sages. The first is

more conservative, with a practical and didactic approach, presenting a worldly wise view, and it

is this that is contained in the Book of Proverbs (excluding 8:22-31 and 30:1-4). The second is

more critical, and is quite innovative regarding conventional beliefs, while being at the same

time speculative and individualistic, and this is contained in the Book of Job, Psalms,

Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs.

Some commentators have interpreted the structure and general meaning contained in the Book of

Proverbs differently and queried if it is ‘a somewhat haphazard collection of ancient Israelite

Wisdom?’8. Others have described Proverbs as an anthology. The Book of Proverbs is not

unified and comprises several collections, with Proverbs 1-9 sometimes considered as a

prologue, although ‘this does not do justice… to the coherence and self-containment of the

section’.9 It functions as an introduction to the book and shapes the theological vision: “The

vision can be stated sharply: the book purports to offer ‘life’ or ‘salvation’ to the reader.10 It has

the following structure:

 Proverbs 1–9: ‘The proverbs of Solomon son of David, King of Israel’.

 Proverbs 10–22:16: ‘The Proverbs of Solomon’.

7
Fontaine, 1992, p.145.
8
Murphy, 2002, p.27.
9
Weeks, 2010, p.47.
10
Murphy, 2002, p.29.

5
  Proverbs 22:17–24:22: The Words of the Wise’

 Proverbs 24:23–34: ‘These are also sayings of the wise’.

 Proverbs 25–29: "These are other proverbs of Solomon that the officials of King

Hezekiah of Judah copied"

 Proverbs 30: "The words of Agur son of Jakeh. An oracle.”

 Proverbs 31:1–9: "The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him”

 Proverbs 31:10–31: “Ode to a Capable Wife”.

The Book of Proverbs contains several genres typical in Wisdom literature. The proverb is the

most basic literary form of Wisdom. In Proverbs 1-9 we also find several references to parental

instructions.11 This literary form of ‘Instruction’ concerns a father speaking to a son, and its

origins can be traced back to instruction texts from the Egyptian court (2600-2175B.C.). The

Book of Proverbs also includes longer instructions that also find parallels from Egypt.12 Dell

recognizes that the materials on Semitic Wisdom are limited when compared with Egyptian

Wisdom, but are still enough to establish their sphere of influence over wisdom in Israel and in

the Book of Proverbs.13 The appropriation of Egyptian wisdom in the book of Proverbs has been

widely discussed, but the same cannot be said about Semitic influences.14 Hunter raises the

question: if there is any interdependence, how did it take place?15According to him there is

disagreement over the extent of influence: at one end there are those who are eager to recognise

influences from a professional translation from Egyptian or Akadian or Aramaic into Hebrew;

11
Weeks, 2010, p.25
12
Dell, 2000, p.16.
13
The most cited dependence is on the Instruction of Amenemope.
14
Day, 1997, p.64.
15
Hunter, 2006, p.47.

6
and at the other end we find the sceptics with a more cautious view.16 According to Hunter the

compromise can be found somewhere between these extremes.17

In terms of authorship, some scholars argue that a large amount of the material in Proverbs could

have originated in a family context, although a general lack of literacy would have made the

preservation in writing quite difficult. Another explanation is that an educated group of sages

could have been the scribes of Proverbs. We are not able to ascertain with precision when and

how the process of transiting from oral to literary composition took place. The authorship of the

book of Proverbs is also traditionally attributed to Solomon, which would place it at an early

date, or to ‘sages’ of the society of their time, based at court (e.g. 25:1). Fontaine proposes it

received its final editing during the early postexilic period in the last part of the sixth century

B.C.E.18 It would then echo the wisdom teaching from earlier monarchs as well as the specific

instructions relevant to the later Jewish community.

In terms of its message, the Book of Proverbs has several teachings that can also be found in the

book of Job and Ecclesiastes. Proverbs can also be considered as a moral handbook, a view that

is challenged by some scholars such as Murphy.19

One theme present in Proverbs is the punishment of those who are wicked and the rewarding of

those who are upright. There is a choice to be made between the path of wisdom that is straight

and leads to good things, or the path of folly that is difficult and leads to destruction. Another

theme is life as a supreme good, which in Proverbs means prosperity and good health, leading to

fulfilment. Wisdom in Proverbs is associated with a search for knowledge that leads to life
16
Ibid.
17
Ibid.
18
Fontaine, 1992, p.145.
19
Murphy, 2002, p.28.

7
instead of death (such as in 8:36).

2.1. Proverbs 8
Proverbs 8 can be divided in three parts, as suggested by Von Rad:20

 Part I vv. 4-21

 Part II vv. 22-31

 Part III vv. 32-36

In Proverbs 8 we witness God reaching out to humankind, who in turn respond in order to

encounter life:

This poem starts on the level of the cosmological God and finishes on the level of humanity.

God’s purpose is to reveal himself to human beings. Thus the purpose of wisdom is to teach

and instruct humanity to find life.21

The divine and the human are intertwined, and Lady Wisdom enables revelation to humankind.

This contains deep theological content that is characteristic of Wisdom literature. To be saved is

to be restored to a full life in the present, and this is also central in Proverbs. Wisdom is

differentiated in the some of the main didactic poems such as Job 28, Proverbs 8, Sirach 24 and

Wisdom of Solomon 7-9.

3. Wisdom and Creation

3.1. Instrument of Creation
The somewhat cryptic but significant depiction of Lady Wisdom as God’s firstborn can be found

in 8:22. There is a strong emphasis on affirming her origins as predating creation (8:23-26),

20
Von Rad, 1972, p.151.
21
Dell, 2000, p.21.

8
which culminates with Lady Wisdom describing her role during creation (8:27-31). Hunter also

agrees that Lady Wisdom is involved in creation but asks whether she is ‘God’s consort,

daughter, or simply a cosmic skilled worker’.22 The Hebrew amon word translated as ‘Master

Worker’ can also be translated as ‘little child’, signifying ‘one who is in a close, trusting

relationship’.23

The personification of wisdom and her immanence in creation is also mentioned in the didactic

poems of Job 28, Proverbs 8, Sirach 24 and Wisdom 7-9, but this is different from the ‘physical’

work of creation (sea, mountains, etc.). One possible interpretation is that Lady Wisdom is not

just a form of self-revelation by creation, but also the voice and revelation of God, which can be

heard by humankind. This revelation by creation is the revelation of a God who speaks through

Lady Wisdom, who turns toward human beings and speaks in the accents of God. Such is the

thrust of Prov. 8 (which can be witnessed specifically in Proverbs 8:31). Another possible

explanation is that during the postexilic era, when Proverbs might have been compiled, the

prevailing concept of suffering as the result of sin in Deuteronomistic history writing was being

challenged (and is also witnessed in Job, such as 19:25-26).24

3.2. Personification of the world order

Wisdom has also been considered as a personification of the world order, a view defended by

Von Rad. He believes this was a central thought in the development of sapiental thought.25

According to him Lady Wisdom ‘is not an attribute of God but an attribute of the world, namely

22
Hunter, 2006, p.103.
23
Ibid.
24
G. Baumann cited in Bells, 2007, p.175.
25
G. Von Rad cited in Murphy, 2002, p.137.

9
that mysterious attribute, by virtue of which she turns towards men to give order to their lives.’26

He further argues that Wisdom is a ‘self-revelation of creation’ and an attribute of the earth,

rather than a person who speaks confidently.27 Von Rad makes an interesting point in his idea of

giving the earth a voice, and it is quite topical, and strikes a cord with many people, but I find it

too vague and unhelpful in determining the identity of Lady Wisdom. Moreover the suggestion

of Lady Wisdom participating in creation as a discrete identity is not helpful, as it does not

comply with mainstream Christian theology.

4. Personification of virtues

Commentators have written much on the subject of the personification of the figure of Lady

Wisdom. Some scholars consider Lady Wisdom to be a personification of the attributes of God,

which would reflect ancient Israel’s propensity for anthropomorphism (such as Isaiah 58:8;

Psalm 85:11). The personification of wisdom as a woman confers a mythical nature on the

images of Proverbs, which could potentially relate to other ancient Near Eastern cultures, which

believed that every male deity also had a female counterpart.

According to Day, the origins of the use of personification of Wisdom can be traced back to

West Semitic tradition, as seen in the Wisdom of Ahiqar.28 Thus the personification of Yahweh’s

wisdom in Proverbs would not have emerged in Israel, as traditionally accepted, but instead

originated in West Semitic tradition, in addition to showing the hallmarks of an Egyptian

26
Idem, p.138.
27
Ibid.
28
The Sayings of Ahikar, probably form Syrian origin, was found in an Aramaic papyrus in
Elephantine from 500 BCE.

10
influence.29

Proverbs 8 and 9 is the primary text for the portrayal of Lady Wisdom (also in 1:22-33 and 9:4-

6). There is openness in her speech and she upholds honesty and integrity, advocating truth and

justice (8:7-8). Murphy proposes that this honesty has a deeper meaning and is in fact associated

with qualities of the Lord as truthful and just.30 This would account for the importance of her

advice (8:10-11), which can be found throughout Wisdom literature. Lady Wisdom’s many

qualities include prudence, knowledge and upholding good over evil (8:12-16). She bases her

royal rule on counsel, strength and understanding, which in Isaiah 11:2 are mentioned as gifts

from the Lord. All who love her (not just royalty) are eligible for riches (8:17-21). Wisdom has a

kerygma and announces ‘security’ and ‘life’, thus playing a role as a prophet and seeking an

audience who will listen. 31 Also, her message is structured on truth and her royal connections

(8:15; 8:21), bringing wealth and honor to all who are willing to love her. The use of the word

‘delight‘ (8:30) provides an image of Lady Wisdom as having a happy and joyful interaction

with God. The ending of chapter 8 provides a firm command to listen, and reinforces that those

who are willing to listen and to follow Lady Wisdom’s will be rewarded (8:32-36). This is an

association between Wisdom and life, which later echoed in Proverbs 18:22. It contains an

appeal for people to pay attention to what she is saying (8:32 ‘Listen to me’). Proverbs 8 ends

with an astonishing promise of life for those who find her, and death for those who reject her

(8:35-36).

4.1. Wisdom versus Folly

29
Day, 1996, p.70.
30
Murphy, 2002, p.135.
31
Murphy, 2002, p.29.

11
Bostrom considers the figure of Wisdom easier to understand when compared with ‘Lady Folly’,

another female mentioned in Proverbs.32 She is portrayed differently from Wisdom, as a

temptress that uses speech to seduce. She is also mentioned as a ‘foreign’ and a ‘strange’ woman,

which in this context could mean a non-Israelite woman or as Bells mentions ‘her strangeness

may be ethnic, legal, social, or some combination of them’.33 Bells further observes that the

‘strange woman could be someone who falls outside the social norm. She is feared because she is

an outsider, possessing knowledge that is not known’.34 Lady Folly is perceived as ‘bad’,

offering stolen goods and nothing but death, whilst Lady Wisdom is good and offers legitimate

rewards and life.35 As mentioned previously, there is a stark contrast with the figure of Lady

Folly, who is as seductive as a strange woman and the opposite of Lady Wisdom. In chapter 8

Lady Wisdom speaks after the foreign woman seduced the youth by making promises of sex

without danger. According to Bostrom Lady Folly was a sacred prostitute, a view that Day

dismisses by saying it is not cultic prostitution but adultery.36 The topic of sexual deviation is an

important subject in ancient Israel’s life. During certain periods lack of virginity in a bride would

have been enough to invoke a death sentence. A young woman could only be an unmarried

virgin living with her family or a faithful child-bearing wife living with her husband. Otherwise

the social order would be threatened.37

4.2. Shaping desire

32
Bostrom cited in Day, 1997, p.69.
33
Bells, 2007, p.172.
34
Ibid.
35
Hunter, 2006, p.103.
36
Day, 1997, p.69.
37
Camp, 1985, p.113.

12
Yoder wrote an interesting article on the subject of shaping desire in Proverbs 1-9.38 She

describes how Proverbs 1-9 ‘engages erotic desire as a vital element to the moral life’.39 Desire is

aimed at knowledge for God, which ‘fuels lifelong love stories’.40 She further mentions that the

people mentioned in Proverbs 1-9 are people who have a passion, ‘captivated by beauty and

goodness, disgusted by wickedness, devoted to God, Wisdom and others… ushering us instead

into a landscape of towering loves, fidelities, and profound responsibilities - a landscape the

ancient sages deemed ripe for human flourishing’.41 The Song of Songs can help us to

understand this love language used in Proverbs.42

The subject of erotic desire links with the subject of proper sexual conduct, which Murphy

affirms is the main concern of Proverbs 5-7.43 He describes how the discussions around the

subject of marital (in)fidelity are also relevant to Egyptian Wisdom literature. Egyptian and

Israelite love poetry can help to understand personified wisdom in the role of human lover.44

Murphy’s main argument rests on the treatment of sex in the context of the association between

Wisdom and Eros. Wisdom contains erotic language, which can be witnessed in the way “she is

to be found’ just as one ‘finds’ a good wife’ (8:35). The seeking and finding of wisdom has a

parallelism with reciprocity in love: ‘I love those who love me, and those who seek me

diligently find me’ (8:17). This seeking and finding can also be found in the Song of Songs, done

primarily by the woman, whilst in Proverbs the male-female roles are more interchangeable,

although Lady Wisdom does also call out for her lovers, and she retires to her house with her

38
Yoder, 2010, p.54-61
39
Idem, p.54.
40
Ibid.
41
Yoder, 2010, p.60.
42
Camp, 1985, p.98.
43
Murphy, 1988, pp.600-603.
44
Camp, 1985, p.103.

13
lover (8:34).

Personification is a remarkable literary device used in the Bible and it plays an important role in

Proverbs. Wisdom literature addresses the subject of character formation, and in Proverbs it

associates learning with ‘Torah piety’. This intellectual process of learning Torah is in itself a

demonstration of piety, and the process makes a contribution for the student of Torah to be more

pious. In this context Lady Wisdom is making the Torah-observance more attractive to young

men, and the sexual elements of her personification enhance this. The student of Torah

internalizes individual instructions and regulations, and this process helps to develop a character

trait, which can be called wisdom, as they do not possess all possible wisdom and need

instructions.

5. Wisdom and Divinity

5.1. Divine hypostasis
Such is the importance of the figure of Lady Wisdom that literary personification might not be

enough to describe her figure, and instead it might refer to a divine person or hypostasis.45

Albright helped to consolidate this view.46 He considered the personification of wisdom was

taken over from the hypostatization of wisdom of the Canaanite god El, but this view has been

contested. Scholars such as Murphy consider this to be a post-exilic phenomenon. 47 Day

recognizes that El is known at Ugarit for his wisdom, but there is not enough evidence to indicate

that his wisdom was hypostatized. Furthermore, Albright’s arguments based on linguistic

45
Separate entity from God, with angelic attributes.
46
Albright, 1955, p.7-9.
47
Murphy, 2002, p.133.

14
elements underpinning a Canaanite textual source in Proverbs 8 and 9 are exaggerated.48

Another scholar who has made a case for the hypostatization for divinity in Lady Wisdom is

Davidson.49 His argument states that in Proverbs (in particular 8:12-36), Lady Wisdom uses

prerogatives that are reserved for Yahweh as giver of life and death (8:35-36); the source of just

government (8:15-16); the one who is to be sought after, found and called (1:28; 8:17); security

(1:33); a source of revelation (8:6-10, 19, 32, 34; 30:3-5). Wisdom constructs a temple that

matches her status.50 This use of the rhetorical self-affirmative expression of ‘self-praise’ can be

found in other passages in the Old Testament as a reference to deity (Ezekiel 12:25; 35:12;

Zechariah 10:6; Malachi 3:6).

Several scholars have contested this theory of Lady Wisdom as divine hypostasis. Dell argues

that ‘while the figure of wisdom does become a hypostasis in later texts such as the Wisdom of

Solomon, this is not the case in Proverbs’.51 Murphy also suggests that hypostasis is too difficult

to define, and it has been wrongly used as an attribute of the Trinity.52 He further argues that it is

better to consider personification in a literary context, rather than in terms of a hypostasis. In this

context Wisdom represents a communication of God. Weeks also argues that ‘hypostasis’ is a far

too sophisticated concept to use in Proverbs 1-9, and instead should only be used ‘to provide a

secondary theological justification for the writer’s presentation of Wisdom as both a divine

attribute and a separate person’.53 Like Murphy, I believe the issue of hypostasis is a complex

notion, but that is not to say it should be dismissed altogether as it provides further insight into

48
Day, 1997, p.69.
49
Davidson, 2007, p.123.
50
Davidson, 2007, p.123.
51
Dell, 2000, p.20.
52
Murphy, 2002, p.133.
53
Weeks, 2010, p.40.

15
the personification of Wisdom.

5.2. Goddess
There are scholars who argue that Proverbs 1-9 contains a poetic personification of the female

aspect of God. This has originated a further line of thought by several scholars that favor the

argument of the personification of a separate goddess, who originally would have been a female

consort of God, with parallels in adjacent religions.54

Amongst these scholars we find Kayatz who considers there are parallels between Proverbs 1-9

and the self-praise of some Egyptian texts, and Lang who affirms that ‘there is a pre-exilic

Israelite goddess imagery that has been demythologised’.55 Hunter also favors the idea of a

goddess figure to explain the role of Lady Wisdom in Proverbs 1-9. According to him

monotheistic Jewish and Christian thought removed any notions of a goddess from theological

thought. If we take into consideration the figures of Aphrodite and Diana, Isis, Ma’at, Asherah

shtar, Hera and Athena, the notion of a Jewish goddess would not be such an alien concept. Thus

Wisdom played a role as a goddess in partnership with Yahweh, whilst reflecting some of the

aspects of Ma’at in Egypt and Isis in the Hellenistic world. 56

5.3. Ma’at
In Proverbs 8:1-21 Wisdom is a demure and orderly female figure and the originator of success

and wealth in the world, and several scholars such as Hunter see this as echoing Ma’at (meaning

order, justice and truth):‘who personified the fundamental order of the universe and who

guaranteed the regular cycles of the natural world and the proper reward for purity and

54
Dell, 2000, p.20.
55
Lang cited in Dell, 2000, p.20.
56
Hunter, 2006, p.99.

16
punishment for sin’.57 This would be explained by the strong links between personified Wisdom

and a Hebraized concept of Ma’at, which Dell describes as a principle of order, truth and justice

that obtained divine status as a goddess.58 Murphy also agrees that Ma’at might have influenced

Lady Wisdom in Proverbs 1-9.

Several scholars have contested this theory. Von Rad says that originally Ma’at would never

have addressed men, a concept which was essential in ancient Israel. Unlike Lady Wisdom,

Ma’at does not appeal directly to humankind. He considers that such a strange proposition must

have originated in more generic non-Israelite mythological ideas.59 There are parallels between

Lady Wisdom and Ma’at: Lady Wisdom plays a role as a beloved child to Yahweh and delights

being in his presence; Ma’at in the context of Egyptian wisdom teaching personifies law, world

order and justice.60 This shows a level of dependence of Israelite teachers on the individual

characteristics of Ma’at.

Day, however, states his disagreement with the idea of a personified goddess. According to him,

Ma’at is not mentioned in Egyptian Wisdom literature as being personified, and outside where

she is personified she never speaks in the first person, which contrasts with personified wisdom

in Proverbs 1-9.61 In terms of primeval order, the relationship between Ma’at and Amun is quite

different from Yahweh and Lady Wisdom.

Weeks also has doubts about identifying Wisdom with Ma’at, but recognizes why this view

would be appealing to those who consider that the prevailing Egyptian concept of order was used

57
Hunter, 2006, p.101.
58
Dell, 2000, p.20.
59
Von Rad, 1972, p.153.
60
Ibid.
61
Day, 1997, p.68.

17
more generally in Wisdom literature and beyond. He considers that any potential presentation of

Ma’at is more fitting within the sphere of art, and was a visual concept, not a divine

personhood.62 Notwithstanding, even when taking into account arguments provided from

different scholars, I think it is not straightforward to ascertain the influences of Ma’at when

discussing the figure of Lady Wisdom.

5.4. Asherah
Mark Smith proposes that the personifications of Wisdom in Proverbs derive from the goddess

Asherah.63 According to him both are feminine divine figures providing life and nurture, and in

Israelite tradition the use of the metaphorical expression for Lady Wisdom is mentioned several

times in association with the ‘tree of life’, which can be compared with the Asherah stylized tree.

This view is contested by Day, who acknowledges that there is some creativity in this theory but

ultimately considers it to be doubtful. Asherah was never associated with wisdom, either in

Ugaritic texts, the Old Testament, or any other sources.64

5.5. Goddess Wisdom

Another potential suggestion referring to the origin of the personification of wisdom has been

given by Lang.65 He proposes that it derives from a Canaanite goddess called Wisdom, who was

the patroness of the scribal schools. Weeks also mentions that Proverbs 8 is a reflection of the

existence of a wider belief in the existence of a goddess Wisdom and observes that modern

scholarly debate has focused on the possibility of polytheistic influences, which goes against

62
Weeks, 2010, p.41.
63
Smith, 1990, p.133.
64
Day, 1997, p.69.
65
Lang, 1986.

18
Albright and Lang who defend the theory of Wisdom as an Iron Age Palestinian goddess.66

According to Lang, Israel had a polytheistic past whereas a goddess of Wisdom who became a

‘personification of a poetic type, representing ‘Wisdom teaching with its moral injunctions’ was

worshipped.67 This would have ensured she was included in biblical canon, but deprived of a

stronger theological content i.e. she was de-deified.

5.6. Can Wisdom be a goddess?

As mentioned previously, I have tried to offer the two sides of the argument in favor of and

against Lady Wisdom as a personified goddess. There are a significant number of scholars who

do not consider the Israelite concept of Lady Wisdom as a separate personified goddess but

rather see it as poetic personification within a monotheistic framework.68 According to them the

use of mythological references should be seen as a literary device to describe the female aspect

of God. Weeks argues that Lady Wisdom’s femininity does not have to be attributed to a

goddess, as from a grammatical point of view Wisdom is already feminine. Martin shares the

same opinion, saying that the word for Wisdom is a feminine noun, but it can also be translated

in an impersonal way.69 He further observes that there is not enough evidence that accounts for

the Israelite personification of either Lady Wisdom or Folly in thought or literature before

Proverbs 1-9, therefore it is a special innovation.

Biblical scholarship has traditionally considered Proverbs to be a male oriented document,

containing recorded speech acts that were delivered by male teachers to male younger students

within a pedagogical framework. This explains the frequent use of the figure of a father teaching

66
Weeks, 2010, p.40.
67
Lang cited in Murphy, 2002, p.137.
68
Dell, 2000, p.20.
69
Martin, 1985, p.84.

19
his son. The use of female figures and metaphors such as woman, Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly

can be attributed to ambivalent male fascination with females and sex, harnessing this interest

with didactic purposes. This has had an influence on both feminist and non-feminist readings of

the text.70 This emphasis on female figures can be perceived from different angles, but both

suggestions offered for gender reading pose a valid approach. Applying too much weight to

gender motivation when dealing with positive and negative concepts of femininity, such as in

Proverbs 1-9, is not necessarily a positive contribution to the gender discussion. Passages that

mention Lady Folly can be seen as instructive, echoing the ‘internalization of cultural stereotypes

by members of both genders’.71 In addition to the parent/child relationship found in Proverbs,

and the father/son teaching dynamic, we also find mother/daughter interaction, in which Lady

Wisdom displays maternal traits.72 This is not a mainstream view in biblical scholarship, because

of the criticism of the concepts of female personification and goddess imagery. I consider that

although the addressee is mainly male, the narrative can be read with male and female voices in

mind. Wisdom is symbolically representative of the positive traits displayed by wives and

mothers in the society of Israel. This makes the use of women as source and epitome of wisdom

stand out in the Book of Proverbs.

6. Conclusion
In conclusion, the content of Proverbs is distinctive and its content covers a wide range of

materials compiled in the context of post-exilic Israel. Proverbs 8 cannot be considered in

isolation from Proverbs 1-9, and indeed the rest of Proverbs, and in order for it to be better

understood it is also important to keep in mind that it is a poetic text. Proverbs 8 makes a fairly

70
Brenner, 1995, pp.51-52.
71
Ibid.
72
Brenner, 1995, p.54.

20
heavy use of figurative speech, employing other characters with speeches in order to express key

elements of its message.

In terms of gender, several scholars argue that although Wisdom is traditionally considered as a

feminine figure, and that there is not enough contextual evidence to ascertain this, and it is not

masculine either. I disagree with this view, as I consider there was an element of assimilation of

literary forms and theological concepts borrowed and modified from wisdom traditions of other

ancient Near Eastern cultures such as Mesopotamia and Egypt. Scholars argue that it is not

straightforward to prove or disprove that in Proverbs 8 there are direct or indirect influences of

‘representations of goddesses in the literature, liturgy or iconography of other countries’.73 This

applies to influences from Egyptian texts and ideas such as the love of Ma’at for men, a theme

that some scholars argue can be found throughout Proverbs. It is also difficult to prove the

influence of figures such as Asherah. Thus the personification of Wisdom as a goddess remains

open to interpretation, but it cannot rule be ruled out. In a polytheistic world, Israel’s

monotheistic model had to explain and integrate different stories, alongside its exclusive

patriarchalism. It also tries to address the character of the feminine nature and its role. Perhaps

they were not trying to establish strong distinctions between literary and mythical figures, but

provide more familiar religious imagery, such as a source of nurture, creation and comfort. It

could also be more symptomatic of a void left by the disappearance of female divinity in ancient

Israelite religion.

There is also relevance for feminist theology, although care must be taken when considering the

context of early Jewish understandings of femininity and divinity. Although there is a strong

male-centered approach to life in Proverbs, the thought process undergone by Lady Wisdom can
73
Weeks, 2010, p.42.

21
also be valuable for women readers, and both agendas and concerns are legitimate. This will help

with the comprehension of many texts. From a pastoral point of view the potential of such an

approach is invaluable, and can help with the explanation of the personification of wisdom as

woman in a patriarchal society, as a loving spouse, a mother and a daughter. At a deep spiritual

level it can help to heal a relationship with God, not usually ingrained in gender imagery and

language.

We must avoid talking in the realm of the abstract, of disembodied ideas and principles

associated with the God, and the argument that as a divine being Wisdom is gender neutral, and

that ‘As God it exceeds all sexual activity’.74 Rather, female imagery, both positive and negative

‘begins and ends in the book’,75 and it works as a focus for men’s and women’s attention to what

it means to lead a life that leads towards God.

The figure of Wisdom in Proverbs 8 ‘stands at the meeting point of the heavenly and the earthly

and forms a link between the created order and the practical quest for Wisdom’.76 Wisdom is not

in the safety of the sanctuary but in the public places. Her message now has a moral function,

aimed at attracting people to the right path. They ought to listen to her as she leads them out of

mundane things towards the enlightenment of intelligence and truth. The truth she speaks

promises ‘cleverness, understanding, righteousness, reliability, wisdom, counsel, success,

strength, wealth and honor’.77 Just like in Israel, the personification of Lady Wisdom as symbolic

action provides a face and a voice to a wide range of life experiences, produced with skill to

shape a response of faithfulness, and further a relationship with God.

74
F. Mies cited in Davidson, 2007, p.125. Davidson, using the argument of Francoise Mies to
corroborate his theory.
75
Fontaine, 1992, p.146.
76
Dell, 2000, p.30.
77
Von Rad, 1972, p.162.

22
23
7. Bibliography
Albright, W.F. (1969) 'Some Canaanite-Phoenician sources of Hebrew Wisdom', in Noth, M. and

Thomas, D.W. Wisdom in Israel and in the Ancient Near East: Presented to Harold Henry

Rowley by the Editorial Board of "Vetus Testamentum", Boston: Brill.

Alder, R. (2010) The Wisdom Books: Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes: A Translation with

Commentary, New York: W. W. Norton & Company.

Bells, A.O. (2007) Helpmates, Harlots, and Heroes: Women's Stories in the Hebrew Bible,

Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press.

Brenner, A. (1995) 'Some Observations on the Figuration of Wisdom and Wisdom Literature', in

Brenner, A. A Feminist Companion to Wisdom Literature, Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.

Camp, C.V. (1985) Wisdom and the Feminine in the Book of Proverbs, Decatur: The Almond

Press.

Coogan, M.D. (2009) A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament, New York: OUP.

Davidson, R. (2007) The Flame of Yahweh: Sexuality in the Old Testament, Peabody:

Hendrickson.

Day, J. (1997) 'Foreign Semitic Influence on the Wisdom of Israel and its Appropriation in the

Book of Proverbs', in Day, J., Gordon, J. and Williamson, H.G.M. Wisdom in Ancient Israel,

Cambridge: CUP.

Dell, K.J. (2000) Get Wisdom, Get Insight': An Introduction to Israel's Wisdom Literature,

London: DLT.

Fontaine, C.R. (1992) 'Proverbs', in Newsom, C.A. and Ringe, S.H. (ed.) The Women's Bible

Commentary, London: SPCK.

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Hunter, A. (2006) Wisdom Literature, London: SCM.

Koptak, P.E. (2008) 'Personification', in Longman, T. and Enns, P. (ed.) Dictionary of the Old

Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings, Downers Grove, IL: IVP USA.

Laffey, A. (1988) Wives, Harlot and Concubines: The Old Testament in Feminine Perspective,

London: SPCK.

Lang, B. (1986) Wisdom and the Bool of Proverbs: A Hebrew Goddess Redefined, New York:

Pilgrim.

Martin, J.D. (1985) Proverbs, Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.

Murphy, R.E. (1988) 'Wisdom and Eros in Proverbs 1-9', Catholic Biblical Quarterly 50 no 4.

Murphy, R.E. (2002) The Tree of Life: An Exploration of Biblical Wisdom, Grand Rapids:

Eerdmans.

Smith, M.S. (1990) The Early History of God: Yahweh and the Other Deities in Ancient Israel,

Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Von Rad, G. (1972) Wisdom in Israel, London: SCM.

Weeks, S. (2010) An Introduction to the Study of Wisdom Literature, London; New York: T&T

Clark.

Yoder, C.R. (2010) 'Shaping Desire: A Parent's Attempt, Proverbs 1-9', Journal for Preachers 33

no 4.

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