The wisdom literature of the Old Testament includes Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and some of the Psalter’s psalms. Dr. Daniel Estes’ Handbook on the Wisdom Books and Psalms stands at the head of the list of books written as introductions or handbooks for the Wisdom Books. The author’s arguments for the antiquity of Job advocate its events and writing in the Patriarchal period of Old Testament history. For Ecclesiastes, Estes identifies its author as Solomon and argues against the book being pessimistic in nature. In fact, the brief running commentary on Ecclesiastes in this volume comprises one of the best commentaries available on Ecclesiastes. Over the years I have taught courses on the Wisdom Books of the Old Testament around the world. As soon as this volume became available I started requiring it as the textbook–and will continue to do so.
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