Preface

Abbreviations and Short References

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 General Remarks

1.2 Survey of Scholarly Approaches

1.3 Methodology

1.3.1 The Problem of Zoological Identification

1.3.2 The Zoological Dimension

1.3.3 The Literary Dimension

1.3.4 The Conceptual Dimension

1.4 The Book of Proverbs: Introductory Remarks

1.5 Literary Forms

1.5.1 Short Forms

1.5.1.1 The Comparative Saying

1.5.1.2 The Antithetical Saying

1.5.1.3 The "Better-Than" Saying

1.5.1.4 Direct Speech

1.5.1.5 The Metaphorical Saying

1.5.2 Long Forms

1.5.2.1 Admonition and Exhortation Speech

1.5.2.2 First-Person Narrative

1.5.2.3 The Numerical Saying

1.5.2.4 The Graded Numerical Sequence

Chapter 2: Animal Imagery as a Literary and Artistic Device

2.1 Admonitions

2.1.1 Animal Imagery as a Concretizing Device in the Motive Clause

2.1.1.1 Ba'al Kanap 'Winged Creature'

2.1.1.2 Nešer 'Vulture'

2.1.2 Animal Imagery in the Consequence Clause

2.1.2.1 Nahas 'Serpent' and Sip'oni 'Viper' in a Satirical Poem

2.1.3 Animal Imagery as an Exemplification in a Situational Clause

2.1.3.1 Sebi 'Deer' and Sippôr 'Bird'

2.1.3.2 Šôr 'Bull, Ox' and Sippôr 'Bird' in a First-Person Narrative

2.2 Proverbial Sayings

2.2.1 Animal Imagery to Exemplify an Idea

2.2.1.1 Hazir 'Pig' in a Simile

2.2.1.2 Sippôr 'Sparrow' in a Comparative Saying

2.2.2 Animal Imagery as a Rhetorical Device in the Moral of an Instruction

2.2.2.1 'Alapim 'Oxen, Cattle' and Šôr 'Ox' in an Antithetical Saying

2.2.2.2 Kepîr 'Lion' in an Antithetical Saying

2.2.2.3 Kepîr 'Lion' in a Synthetic Saying

2.2.2.4 'Ari 'Lion' and Dob 'Bear' in a Comparative Saying

2.2.2.5 Kepîr 'Lion' in an Antithetical Saying

2.2.2.6 Derôr 'Sparrow' in a Comparative Saying

2.2.2.7 Hamor 'Donkey' and Sûs 'Horse' in a Comparative Saying

2.2.3 Animal Imagery as an Expression of Ethical Values

2.2.3.1 Šôr 'Abûs 'Fattened Ox' in a "Better-Than" Saying

2.2.3.2 Sûs 'Horse' in an Antithetical Saying

2.2.3.3 'Oreb 'Crow, Raven' and Nešer 'Vulture' in a Metaphorical Saying

Appendix: Hunting Techniques in Biblical Poetry

Chapter 3: Paradoxical Juxtaposition of Animal Imagery and Social Categories

3.1 Bear and Fool

3.1.1 The "Better-than" Saying

3.1.2 Discussion of the Saying

3.2 Lion and Sluggard

3.2.1 Šahal 'Lion'

3.2.2 Discussion of the Saying

3.3 Dog and Fool

3.3.1 The Comparative Saying

3.3.2 Keleb 'Dog'

3.3.3 Discussion of the Saying

3.3.4 The Expansion of Prov. xxvi 11 in the Septuagint and Ben Sira

3.4 Dog and Provoker

Chapter 4: Animals as Models for Human Society

4.1 A Didactic Model within an Admonition: The Industrious Ant

4.1.1 The Ant

4.1.2 The Parable

4.1.3 The Septuagint's Expanded Version of the Ant Parable

4.2 Animal Habits Worthy of Emulation, in Numerical Sayings

4.2.1 Ant, Hyrax, Locust, Gecko

4.2.1.1 Nemalâ 'Ant'

4.2.1.2 Sapan 'Rock Hyrax'

4.2.1.3 'Arbeh 'Locust'

4.2.1.4 Semamît 'House Gecko'

4.2.1.5 Summary

4.2.2 Layiš 'Lion', Zarzir Motnayim 'Rooster'(?), Tayiš 'He-goat': Fleet-footed Creatures

4.2.2.1 Layiš 'Lion'

4.2.2.2 Zarzir Motnayim 'Rooster'(?)

4.2.2.3 Tayis 'He-goat'

4.2.2.4 The Graded Numerical Sequence

4.2.3 Vulture and Serpent: Animal Conduct that Inspires Human Wonder

4.2.3.1 Nahas 'Snake, Serpent'

4.2.3.2 Discussion of the Saying

Conclusion

General Remarks

Philological Approach

Literary Paradigms with Reference to the Gattung

Literary Paradigms with Reference to Patterns and Clauses

Conceptual Aspect

Appendix A: Animal Imagery as a Hermeneutical Tool for Analyzing the Conceptual Polarity in Qoheleth

1. Perfumer's Ointment and Dead Flies: Wisdom and Folly

2. Dog and Lion: The Living and the Dead

Appendix B: A New Criterion for Identifying "Wisdom Psalms"

1. The Moth: Destructiveness and Ephemerality

2. Curbing Animals and Guiding Human Beings

Bibliography

Index of Scriptural and other Ancient References

Index of Animals

Index of Subjects