This article is the study of wisdom written in OT. And it studies; The wisdom in OT is the uniqueness of Israel? Or is influenced by the near countries and their cultures? And if so, what kind of similarity and uniqueness?
The wisdom literature seems to be indifferent to the following ideas Commandment, Covenants, Elections, Salvations etc. Maybe it seems to be influenced by the Old Near East Countries. No attention was paid to the history and future of the elected people, but each individual's fate and education. This shows that no attention was paid to the mass problems.
But the wise referred to each individual's problems under Jehovah Religion. For they had many chances to meet the prophets, priests, the royal regime and the Captive State of Israel.
This article tells whether there is a continuity or a difference between them by referring to the wisdom-psalms and the wisdom literature in OT. Instead of separating, I am going to find out their connections in Jehovah Religion and look into the above in the wisdom of Psalms related to Tora. In other words, this article is about whether the wisdom of Psalms is more continual or more different then that of the Old Near East. There is a relation in the wisdom literature of Proverbs and Job, too.
I am looking into the wisdom of Egypt and Mesopotamia, especially the influence of the two countries in the center, putting emphasis on the texts in Proverbs and Job which are similar too those of Babylonia. But this raises another problem between Creation of OT and Creationisms of the outside Israel.
Therefore, I am going to compare each wisdom literature of the Old Near East next to Israel. Its long history and development had direct and indirect effects on making the wisdom literature of Israel. And so studying the wisdom of the Old Near East Countries helps to understand the wisdom literature of Israel.
Really the wisdom literature of Israel had been influenced by many of the Old Near East Countries. But I am going to look into the wisdom of Egypt and Mesopotamia alone.
The wisdom literature was popular among the Old Near East Countries and became a cultural property to Israel. After this, under the exclusive Jehovah Religion, Israel had gradually received and settled down the wisdom of the Old Near East. It is certain that the wise of Israel took part in the wisdom movement of The Fertile Crescent. Like this, Egypt and Mesopotamia-Oriented wisdom had evidently had many effects on that of Israel.
As much wisdom from other countries was received and settled down in Israel over process and principle of wisdom-settlement, Israel has the unique wisdom.
Nevertheless I am sorry that I am not able to look into the unique wisdom of Israel.
This article shows; The wisdom literature of Israel has not been made of itself but influenced by the Old Near East Countries, especiallyEgypt and Mesopotamia. Every wisdom literature had its common appearance in the Old Near East. But Israel seems to have received it in general.