Prof. Bernd U. Schipper is Professor Old Testament/Hebrew Bible at the Humboldt University of Berlin. He received his Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Hamburg and his Th.D. in Hebrew Bible from the University of Bonn. His recent books include: The Hermeneutics of Torah: Proverbs 2, Deuteronomy, and the Composition of Proverbs 1–9 (SBL, 2021); Proverbs 1–15 for the commentary series Hermeneia (Fortress, 2019); and A Concise History of Ancient Israel: From the Beginnings through the Hellenistic Era (Eisenbrauns, 2019). He served as president of the International Organization for the Study of the Old Testament (IOSOT), 2022–2025, and has been an honorary member of the British Society for Old Testament Study (SOTS) since 2021.
Last Updated
May 18, 2026
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The parallels between Proverbs 22:17–23:11 and the Egyptian Instruction of Amenemope are well established. But how can their specific similarities—and differences—be explained? Rather than simply borrowing Egyptian wisdom traditions, the Hebrew author adopted the very scribal techniques used in Egyptian schools to study and transmit such texts, composing a wisdom teaching in Egyptian style that became part of the Book of Proverbs.
The parallels between Proverbs 22:17–23:11 and the Egyptian Instruction of Amenemope are well established. But how can their specific similarities—and differences—be explained? Rather than simply borrowing Egyptian wisdom traditions, the Hebrew author adopted the very scribal techniques used in Egyptian schools to study and transmit such texts, composing a wisdom teaching in Egyptian style that became part of the Book of Proverbs.
