Abstract
Arboreal imagery used to describe human life and circumstances is fairly common in the Hebrew Bible’s wisdom literature. This study examines the varied uses of comparisons between trees and humans in several wisdom psalms, in Job, and in Song of Songs. It is concluded that this imagery was adaptable and malleable enough to serve the sages’ purposes in teaching moral and ethical values through vivid descriptions of trees and their various characteristics.
Highlights
Erature is the comparison of humans with trees. This trope occurs multiple times in Job, in several wisdom psalms, and in Song of Songs. This analogy is fairly widespread as a sapiential image, so it is helpful to explore this figure of speech and how it is used and adapted by various writers to express their view of human life and circumstances in cre‐
It is the thesis of this study that arboreal images used to depict humans are a distinct topos used primarily in the wisdom literature of the Bible
Arboreal imagery used to portray humans is adaptable to a wide range of images and associations in biblical wisdom literature
Summary
Erature is the comparison of humans with trees This trope occurs multiple times in Job, in several wisdom psalms, and in Song of Songs. This analogy is fairly widespread as a sapiential image, so it is helpful to explore this figure of speech and how it is used and adapted by various writers to express their view of human life and circumstances in cre‐. It is the thesis of this study that arboreal images used to depict humans are a distinct topos used primarily in the wisdom literature of the Bible (though it occurs in non‐wisdom psalms and some prophetic books).
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