Abstract

PINKER, Aron. Meteorological views in Qohelet 1: 6-7. Old testam. essays [online]. 2012, vol.25, n.2, pp.383-405. ISSN 2312-3621.

Qohelet 1:4-7 is intended to demonstrate that permanent phenomena exist on earth, and thereby crystallize the question posed in 1:3. The context of Aristotle's Meteorology provides a convenient framework for explaining the meteorological references in vv. 6-7. Within this context, v. 4a represents the beat of time; v. 6a serves double duty, referring to both sun and wind; v. 6b deals with change in wind direction associated with sun's movement to its solstices; and, v. 7 might have in its background an evaporation process. It is likely that Qohelet was familiar with views that were similar to those of Aristotle in Meteorology. If he shared these views, then he adopted positions that were at variance with the normative biblical perceptions.

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