| Description |
1 online resource (xvi, 244 pages) |
| Contents |
Cover -- Half-title -- Title page -- Copyright information -- Dedication -- Contents -- Preface -- Abbreviations -- 1 Introduction -- The Meaning of Life -- Suffering -- Meaning and Suffering in the Ancient World -- Excluded Texts and the Date of Ecclesiastes -- Outline of Chapters -- 2 Suffering and Meaning in Egyptian Literature -- Coherence in Ancient Egypt -- The Complaints of Khakheperraseneb -- The Dispute between a Man and His Ba -- Summary -- A Coherent World in Egypt: Anksheshonq, Papyrus Insinger and Papyrus Lansing -- Suffering Incoherence in Papyrus Insinger -- Summary -- Purpose in Ancient Egypt -- The Song from the Tomb of King Intef -- The Statue Inscription of Nebneteru -- Significance of Life in Ancient Egypt -- Summary -- 3 Suffering and Meaning in Mesopotamian Literature -- Assyrian Royal Autobiography -- The Cuthean Legend of Naram-Sin -- Sin of Sargon -- Summary -- Babylonian Skeptical Literature -- Ludlul Bel Nemeqi (''The Pious Sufferer'') -- The Babylonian Theodicy -- Counsels of a Pessimist -- Summary -- The Epic of Gilgamesh -- 4 Suffering and Meaning in Greek Literature -- Epicurus -- Stoicism -- Theognis -- 5 Ecclesiastes and the Meaning of Life -- Coherence -- Significance -- Purpose -- The Relationship of Coherence, Significance and Purpose in Ecclesiastes -- Conclusion -- 6 Ecclesiastes, Suffering and Joy -- Lexical Evidence for Suffering -- Coherence -- Incoherence Induces Suffering -- The Pleasure of Coherence -- Joy against the Suffering of Incoherence -- Alternatives to Joy as a Response to Suffering Incoherence -- Human and Divine Control over Joy and Suffering -- Summary -- Significance -- The Suffering of the Oppressed -- Summary -- Purpose -- The Conditions of Joy -- An Order to Suffering and Life's Meaning -- 7 In Context: Suffering, Meaning and Ecclesiastes in the Ancient World and Old Testament -- Egypt |
|
Mesopotamia -- The King Who Suffers the Meaning of Life -- Greece -- Suffering in the OT -- Toil Is Cursed -- The Wisdom of Ecclesiastes -- Bibliography -- Index of Sources -- Index of Authors and Topics |
| Summary |
"In this book, Arthur Keefer offers a timely assessment of Ecclesiastes and what it has to do with the meaning of life. Drawing on recent psychological research, he argues that this Hebrew Bible text associates the meaning of life with various types of suffering in life. Keefer here situates Ecclesiastes within its ancient intellectual world. Offering an analysis of contemporary texts from Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, he demonstrates that concerns about meaning and suffering were widespread in the greater Mediterranean world. Ecclesiastes, however, handled the matters of suffering and meaning in an unprecedented way and to an unprecedented degree. With its rigorous commitment to precise definitions of life's meaning, Keefer's book provides a comprehensive set of definitions for "the meaning of life" as well as a conclusive point of reference for interpreters of Ecclesiastes. It also opens avenues for the interdisciplinary interpretation of texts from the ancient world"-- Provided by publisher |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and indexes |
| Notes |
Description based on online resource; title from digital title page (viewed on April 21, 2022) |
| SUBJECT |
Bible. Ecclesiastes -- Criticism, interpretation, etc
|
|
Bible. Ecclesiastes. fast (OCoLC)fst01892894 |
| Subject |
RELIGION / Biblical Studies / Old Testament / General.
|
| Genre/Form |
Criticism, interpretation, etc.
|
| Form |
Electronic book
|
| LC no. |
2022001315 |
| ISBN |
9781009110082 |
|
100911008X |
|
