Victor Avigdor Hurowitz, «Nursling, Advisor, Architect? Nwm) and the Role of Wisdom in Proverbs 8,22-31», Vol. 80 (1999) 391-400

Scholars explain Nwm) in Prov 8,30 as nursling, advisor, or architect. Analysis of Prov 8,22-31 shows that Wisdom’s autobiography contains exclusively "life cycle" terms relating to gestation, birth, and maturation. Accordingly, the only contextually valid meaning of Nwm) is "nursling". Difficulties perceived in this interpretation are contrived and of no substance. The interpretation defended here is proven decisively by the previously unnoticed existence of "transitive association" indicating a bonded conceptual pairing between Nwm) and My(#(#. Although "nursling" is the only valid primary meaning of Nwm) in this context, it is slightly possible that other interpretations are legitimate secondary meanings, on the level of intentional wordplays and double entendres.

He imposed His ordinance (wqwx is a substantive) upon the sea so that the water does not transgress His word, when He ordained (wqwx is an infinitive construct with possessive suffix) the foundations/ regulations of the earth" ⁹.

        V. 31 refers to the dry land (lbt) which results from God’s successful management of the sea, and finally to humanity, Md) ynb, indicating that creation has been completed.

        This exquisitely structured account of creating, structuring, and maintaining the world, serves as a chronological setting and cosmological backdrop for the main narrative, the autobiography of Lady Wisdom. There is a problem in interpreting this autobiography, for some of the terms used are slightly ambiguous. This is directly related to the problem of Nwm), so when reading and preparing to define that term we must be aware of the possibilities of different interpretations.

        Wisdom was created by God. The word ynnq can be translated "acquired me", which could imply that Wisdom is God’s maidservant or wife. It could also indicate that Wisdom was already in existence and that she is either eternal like God or had come into existence independently of Him at some undesignated date in the past. Both these possibilities are highly unlikely on theological grounds and would contradict what follows. Since ytllwx in the continuation means "I was born", in this context ynnq more likely means "created me". It has the specific connotation of "bore me" as in Gen 4,1 describing the birth of Cain, the first human being born of a woman (see also Deut 32,6; Ps 139,13). The conception or gestation of Wisdom is described with the verb ytksn "I was poured out". This indicates either insemination (Niph‘al of Ksn; cf. Ktn in Job 10,10 ynkytt blxk )lh yn)ypqt hnbgkw "have you not poured me out like milk and solidified me like cheese?"), or development in the womb (Niph‘al of Kks; see Ps 139,13 ym) N+bb ynkst ytylk tynq ht) yk; "It was you who created my conscience [kidneys]; you fashioned me in my mother’s womb") ¹⁰. Some scholars would derive the verb from the noun Kysn, "prince", and translate "I was princely from the start" or "I became princess at the start", but there is no other evidence for such a denominative use of the word for prince. The birth process is described by ytllwx (vv. 24.25). The root lyx, which designates trembling and writhing, can refer specifically to labor pangs. In most cases the verb llwx points to the painful process of delivery, but the verb also designates the birthing process in its entirety (Isa 51,2), and appears parallel to dly (Deut 32,18; Isa 66,8). These prenatal and natal