Animals and Ambiguity in the Wisdom of Solomon

A perennial challenge in the study of the Wisdom of Solomon is how to interpret the text's pervasive ambiguity. Rather than indicating haphazard composition, the ambiguity is deliberate: the author uses ambiguous language to advance his arguments. This study illustrates how and why the Wisdom of Solomon maintains contradictory positions on the nature of animals. I argue that the author's decision to promote these opposing viewpoints jeopardizes his credibility. Nevertheless, the author deemed the potential costs acceptable in pursuit of his ends. Ultimately, the Wisdom of Solomon develops a perspective on animals that defies both the norms of its biblical inheritance and the positions offered by Hellenistic philosophy.