proverbs. It only remains to point out four features of great interest for the study of the book. 1. In the first place, it is cosmopolitan. A large part of Hebrew literature is intensely national, and even fanatically exclusive. It is not so with this Book. It recognizes in morality a common ground of consideration for all mankind. Its ethical system is adapted to the needs of human nature in general. 'man' "The word 'Israel' does not occur once; the name (Adam) thirty-three times."3 2. It has often been disputed whether the Hebrews could be said to have a philosophy or not. The answer must, of course, depend very much on what conception we attach to the word philosophy. It is certain that every nation above the savage must condition have attempted in some way or other to solve the problem of existence; and wherever we find such an attempt 1 Ps. xxv., xxxiv., xxxvii., cxi., cxii., cxix., cxlv., and (partially) ix. and x. καὶ ῆς αν επ’ ελάχιστον αρετῆς πέρι η ψόγου εν τοῖς αρσεσι 2 Thuc. ii. 45, κλεός η. 3 Cheync, "Job and Solomon," p. 119. 204 SOLOMON. we have at least the rudiments of a philosophy. There is, how- ever, this great distinction between Hebrew philosophy and that of other nations, that the Hebrews from the earliest days pos- sessed a revelation. The whole tenor of their thought was influenced by the fact that it began with the acknowledgment of one God. It argued from the Being of a God downwards to earthly phenomena. It consisted in the recognition of a Divine
proverbs. It only remains to point out four features of great interest for the study of the book. 1. In the first place, it is cosmopolitan. A large part of Hebrew literature is intensely national, and even fanatically exclusive. It is not so with this Book. It recognizes in morality a common ground of consideration for all mankind. Its ethical system is adapted to the needs of human nature in general. "The word 'Israel' does not occur once; the name 'man' (Adam) thirty-three times."3 2. It has often been disputed whether the Hebrews could be said to have a philosophy or not. The answer must, of course, depend very much on what conception we attach to the word philosophy. It is certain that every nation above the savage condition must have attempted in some way or other to solve the problem of existence; and wherever we find such an attempt 1 Ps. xxv., xxxiv., xxxvii., cxi., cxii., cxix., cxlv., and (partially) ix. and x. 2 Thuc. ii. 45, καὶ ῆς αν επ’ ελάχιστον αρετῆς πέρι η ψόγου εν τοῖς αρσεσι κλεός η. 3 Cheync, "Job and Solomon," p. 119. 204 SOLOMON. we have at least the rudiments of a philosophy. There is, how- ever, this great distinction between Hebrew philosophy and that of other nations, that the Hebrews from the earliest days pos- sessed a revelation. The whole tenor of their thought was influenced by the fact that it began with the acknowledgment of one God. It argued from the Being of a God downwards to earthly phenomena. It consisted in the recognition of a Divine
Farrar_Solomon.docx