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A Study on the Relationship between the Laws of Hammurabi and Proverbs 8 based on the Divine Council

  • Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies
  • Abbr : KJOTS
  • 2017, 23(1), pp.190-233
  • DOI : 10.24333/jkots.2017.23.1.190
  • Publisher : Korean Society of Old Testament Studies
  • Research Area : Humanities > Christian Theology
  • Received : January 1, 2017
  • Accepted : February 6, 2017

Jong-Keun Lee 1

1삼육대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This study deals with the relationship of divine councils between the Laws of Hammurabi and Proverbs 8, and with its hermeneutic implications. Wisdom is couched in the mundanities and conducts of people, but her authority is compared to Yahweh’s creation and she has the highest authority as the fear of God. Wisdom is edited as a literary purpose to integrate the various features of ancient Israelite life and religious vision. Furthermore, she expands to a typological eternal truth through the spiritual relationship with God. The divine councils in the Laws of Hammurabi and Proverbs 8 are parts of common features in the ancient Near East. They operate as absolute consultative bodies based on justice and righteousness, revealing noble features of divinity. The divine council in Proverbs 8 is developed independently from that in the laws of Hammurabi, rather than influenced by some special forms of literature like the laws of Hammurabi. The divine council in Proverbs 8 is Israelite cultural heritage of faith. Wisdom is personified and depicted as a hypostasis, the co-creator. It seems possible to interpret the co-creator as Jesus Christ, Logos and Sophia in the background of hermeneutic implications, though not clearly mentioned in Proverbs. The co-creator illuminates joy and gladness, and intercession with God the creator, who is the ideal of all living beings. The divine council of Proverbs is based on concern, care, sacrifice, and love for humanity. Communication and mutual help of the co-creator seem to be one of the best ways toward democracy and governance overcoming confusion and conflicts in this contemporary world. The model of the co-creator in primeval time in creating the heavens and the earth, delight and dynamism, mission and vision as an intermediary for humanity, is the blueprint of the human spirit, relationship and attitude to the end of time.

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