Journal for the Study of the Old Testament

 

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Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, Vol. 29, No. 2, 155-163 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/030908920402900203

Your Attention Please! Heeding the Proverbs

Richard J. Clifford, SJ

Weston Jesuit School of Theology, 3 Phillips Place, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

How does an individual biblical proverb attract the interest of a reader, or, in other words, assert its authority? It often does so by skillful use of analogy, drawinga memorable parallel between one area of reality and another, for example, a king and a lion, wealth and friendship. Sayings further invite attention by their formal features (e.g. alliteration, rhyme) and by their ideas. Among arresting ideas can be listed ellipsis, paradox, irony, humor, and satire. A group of biblical proverbs are analyzed in this article to demonstrate the thesis.


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