The Use of Proverbs to Inculcate and Reinforce Shona and Israelite values

The book explores the use of proverbs to inculcate Shona and Israelite values. It is not about the origins of proverbs. Rather, it focuses on the use of proverbs in both societies’ educational and judicial institutions namely: the family, the gates and the royal court. The area of social institutions, orality and literacy has been and continues to be a subject of debate among Old Testament scholars. We do not claim to be able to solve this problem, but intend to contribute to the debate. The book therefore seeks to show that it is illuminating to compare Israelite proverbs with those of the pre-colonial Shona that reflect an agricultural background and concern for family life. It examines Niditch’s argument in challenging the diachronic approach to orality and literacy. She argues for an oral/literacy continuum. The kernel of her argument shows the possibility that literary works in a traditional culture often share the characteristics of orally composed works.