The Aramaic Bible: Targums in their Historical Context

HENGEL The Scriptures in Second Temple Judaism 165
is, the teacher of wisdom, exhibits the traits of a prophetic revealer of
a new order:
I will again make instruction shine forth like the dawn... I will again pour
out teaching in prophecy (Sir. 24.33).
We find this 'prophetically inspired' consciousness of the scribe
again in the description of the sofer in Sir. 38.24-39.12, who can
totally devote himself to the study of wisdom. This happens in his
scripture research: 'He devotes himself to the study of the law of the
Most High. . . he will be concerned with prophecies.' In the early
morning he begins his studies with a prayer and is filled, like a
prophet, 'with the spirit of understanding'. Then he meditates on the
secrets of God and finally he glories in 'the law of the Lord's
covenant'. Much more frequently than the older wisdom, Ben Sira
refers directly to the Torah, that is, the concrete word of scripture.
This leads to a conclusion which contradicts the older wisdom:
It is better to be poor in understanding and God-fearing than rich in
understanding and a transgressor of the law.
Therefore the following motto holds:
if you seek wisdom keep the commandments. 6
The prophetic books are therefore for him no less important that
the Torah. Both together form a unity, and together they constitute
the quintessence of God's wisdom. This is expressed in the praise of
the Fathers, an encomium on the great figures in the biblical history
of Israel. 7 Here not only the rulers of the people but, even more, the
biblical authors are praised:
the seers of all things in their prophetic office,
the reflective wise ones in their scribal learning,
the makers of proverbs in their loyality to tradition (44.3-5).
Here already the grandson's tripartite canon, which also contains the
books of Wisdom, becomes visible. The fact that here the Prophets are
the centre of interest can be explained through his description of
Joshua as 'the helper of Moses in the prophetic office' (46.1), and
because he begins the series of prophets with him. In the end the
twelve Minor Prophets proclaim Jacob's 'salvation' and 'hope' a
6. Sir. 19.20, 24; cf 33.2.
7. Sir. 44-50.