Wisdom beside God: אָמוֹן (Prov 8:30)

Says In the creation poem (8:27–29), wisdom says וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן (va'ehyeh etslo amon, "and I was beside him, אָמוֹן"), then speaks of daily delight, מְשַׂחֶקֶת (mesakheqet, "rejoicing, playing") before him (8:30–31). There are three main options for אָמוֹן (amon): 1. "Master craftsman, artisan" (BSB "skilled craftsman"; BDB s.v. "artificer, architect, master-workman"). Compare מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵי אָמָּן (ma'aseh yede omman, "the work of an artisan's hands," Song 7:1 [MT 7:2, since MT numbers ENG 6:13 as 7:1]) and the creation setting of 8:27–29. 2. "Nursling, little child," from the root meaning "support, nurture." Compare הָאֱמֻנִים (ha'emunim, "those brought up," Lam 4:5). This fits the delight and play imagery. 3. Adverbial "faithfully, constantly," describing wisdom's steady presence.

The LXX (Swete) has ἤμην παρʼ αὐτῷ ἁρμόζουσα ("I was beside him, fitting [things] together"), closest to option 1.

Implies On every option, wisdom is with God at creation. Compare John 1:1 πρὸς τὸν θεόν and John 17:5 παρὰ σοί. The shared idea is presence with God before and during creation. John 1:1 uses πρός, not the LXX's παρά, though 17:5 has παρά. Agency in creation (option 1) parallels John 1:3.

Uncertain The team slightly prefers option 1 because of the immediate creation context and the LXX. Option 2 is a serious alternative. None of the options makes wisdom a second creator, and John's Logos is not simply Prov 8's wisdom renamed (see the qanani note).