About This Text
Composed: Alexandria, c.130 BCE – c.70 CE
The Wisdom of Solomon is an apocryphal work about wisdom - its nature, benefits, and role in ancient Israel’s history. Attributed in the work to King Solomon, it was likely composed by a Jewish author in Egypt between the 2nd century BCE and the 1st century CE looking to demonstrate the wisdom of Judaism. Influences of the Bible and early rabbinic traditions as well as Greek philosophy are evident in the work, which consists of three distinct sections: chapters 1-6 urge the rulers of the earth to pursue wisdom. In chapter 6-10, King Solomon describes how his life was guided by wisdom and offers a prayer to obtain wisdom. Chapters 11-19 recount the story of the Israelites’ redemption from Egypt.