Proverbs

Alice Ogden Bellis is an ordained minister and professor of Hebrew Bible at Howard University School of Divinity in Washington, D.C. Her books include Helpmates, Harlots, and Heroes: Women’s Stories in the Hebrew Bible (Westminster/John Knox, 1994 & 2007), Science, Scripture, and Homosexuality,with Dr. Terry Hufford (Pilgrim Press, 2002; Wipf and Stock, 2011), and Jews and Christians and the Theology of Hebrew Scriptures (co-edited with Joel Kaminsky, (SBL Symposium Series; Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, November 2000).Barbara E. Reid, general editor of the Wisdom Commentary series, is a Dominican Sister of Grand Rapids, Michigan. She is the Carroll Stuhlmueller, CP Distinguished Professor of New Testament Studies, and president emerita of Catholic Theological Union (the first woman who held the position). She has been a member of the CTU faculty since 1988 and also served as vice president and academic dean from 2009 to 2018. She holds a PhD in biblical studies from The Catholic University of America and was president of the Catholic Biblical Association in 2014–2015. Her most recent publications are Luke 1–9 and Luke 10–24, co-authored with Shelly Matthews (WCS 43A, 43B; Liturgical Press, 2021); and At the Table of Holy Wisdom: Global Hungers and Feminist Biblical Interpretation (Paulist, 2023).

"A refreshing commentary on Proverbs that, in line with the aims of the series, provides a gender-sensitive set of diverse readings, with an eye to the ancient Israelite as well as the modern context. A particularly innovative aspect is that one hears other voices than just that of Bellis herself. Both attention to the detail of the text and digging deep when needed are accompanied by diverse viewpoints, spiritual moments, and creative thinking. A veritable 'wise' commentary for the twenty-first century."Katharine Dell, St. Catharine's College, Cambridge

• Contents  List of AbbreviationsList of ContributorsForeword “Tell It on the Mountain”—or, “And You Shall Tell Your Daughter [as Well]” Athalya Brenner-IdanEditor’s Introduction to Wisdom Commentary: “She Is a Breath of the Power of God” (Wis 7:25) Barbara E. Reid, OPAuthor’s IntroductionPart 1: Proverbs 1:1–9:18Advice to Young Men about Women and Wisdom, Concluding with Wisdom’s and Folly’s BanquetsPart 2: Proverbs 10:1–22:16Two Collections: One Marked by Antithetical Parallelism, the Other by Focus on the Royal CourtPart 3: Proverbs 22:17–29:27International Wisdom and the Hezekian CollectionPart 4: Proverbs 30:1–31:9Foreign Wisdom and RiddlesPart 5: Proverbs 31:10-31Poem on the ??????? , the Strong Woman/Wife (Capable Wife)ConclusionWorks CitedIndex of Scripture References and Other Ancient WritingsIndex of Subjects