Approaches to the Contradictions in Kohelet

Abstract

The contradictions in the Book of Kohelet have concerned commentators through the ages. This essay offers several approaches to understanding the contradictions in the Book of Kohelet. After a discussion of the weaknesses of each of these approaches I offer a suggestion that shows that the Book has a unified structure and inherent logic. I propose that a philological and literary analysis of the Book, demonstrated through traditional Jewish sources, supports this view. [This article makes use of the author's unpublished Master dissertation, Kohelet a Living Dialogue]