Abstract
M.A.
The book of Ecclesiastes forms part of the wisdom genre, of Hebrew literature. It is a
notoriously difficult book to interpret. The author, Qoheleth, displays an ideology and
theology which is at variance with the rest of the Old Testament, namely protest wisdom.
Finding the part Qoheleth plays, within the scope of the wisdom tradition, has troubled
interpreters for years. This study, brings Socio-Rhetorics to bear on this problem. Rhetorical theory is used to try and bring about an understanding of how Qoheleth fits into the wisdom tradition. This study tries to show that Qoheleth dialogues with that wisdom tradition in order to develop his own argument. In particular, it shows that he quotes the book of Proverbs. How, Qoheleth, quotes Proverbs, and what he does with those texts, is illustrated in selected textual studies from Ecclesiastes. It was found that Qoheleth sharply criticise especially the simplistic over-evaluation of wisdom within traditional thought.