The biblical books generally categorized as wisdom literature include Proverbs, Ecclesiastes (Qoheleth) and Job. These books are the closest to philosophy that the Hebrew Bible offers: they explore the question of how much of the world we can know, and how we can know it; how to live a good life; and why bad things happen to good people (and vice versa). Though they belong to a common conversation, each book has a unique form and a unique perspective: these issues have been at the forefront of human inquiry for over two thousand years.
In this study, we will explore each of these books, and the wisdom tradition in which they all participate.
