2 Hebrew Poetry

Review Title – Praise Written – over 1000 yrs. Collected in groups & booklets Used as Song Book Quoted in N.T.

“This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.” - Gen. 2:23

- Gen. 4:23-24 Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, Listen to my voice, You wives of Lamech, Give heed to my speech, For I have killed a man for wounding me; And a boy for striking me; If Cain is avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.” - Gen. 4:23-24

Poetry is Distinguished by: The emotional and imaginative character of its thoughts

Poetry is Distinguished by: The emotional and imaginative character of its thoughts Exalted diction, lofty ideas, noble expressions

Poetry is Distinguished by: The emotional and imaginative character of its thoughts Exalted diction, lofty ideas, noble expressions Rhythm

Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, “O sun, stand still at Gibeon, And O moon in the valley of Aijalon.” - Joshua 10:12

So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies. Is it not written in the book of Jashar? And the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. - Joshua 10:13

Classification of Hebrew Poetry: Gnomic – Wisdom Poetry Job, Proverbs

Classification of Hebrew Poetry: Lyric – Expressive Psalms – praise Lamentations – mourning Blessings and curses Moses

And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. And he said, The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them. Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words. Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob. And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together. - Deut. 33:1-5 - KJV

Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death. He said, “The Lord came from Sinai, And dawned on them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran, And He came from the midst of ten thousand holy ones; At His right hand there was flashing lightning for them. “Indeed, He loves the people; All Your holy ones are in Your hand, And they followed in Your steps; Everyone receives of Your words. “Moses charged us with a law, A possession for the assembly of Jacob. “And He was king in Jeshurun, When the heads of the people were gathered, The tribes of Israel together. - Deut. 33:1-5 - NASB

Mashals – lessons/parables Lyric Poetry Tribal songs Lamech (Genesis 4:23) Mashals – lessons/parables Samson’s riddle (Judges 14:14)

Paeans – Songs of Victory Lyric Poetry Paeans – Songs of Victory Moses at the Red Sea (Exodus 15:1-18) Dirges – Funeral songs David’s lament (II Samuel 1:17-27)

Characteristics of Hebrew Poetry Rhythm – Lines / Stichs Save me, O God, by Your name, And vindicate me by Your power. Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth. - Psalm 54:1-2

Characteristics of Hebrew Poetry Rhythm Rhyme No rhyme scheme

Characteristics of Hebrew Poetry Devices Assonance – Similar sounding words with different meanings Jer. 1:11-12: Almond – “Shaqued” Watching – “Shoqued”

Characteristics of Hebrew Poetry Devices Acrostic – successive lines in alphabetical order Ps. 25:1-22 Lam. 3:1-66

Characteristics of Hebrew Poetry Devices Parallelism Robert Lowth (1700’s) Rhythm of ideas and thoughts

Characteristics of Hebrew Poetry Synonymous – same idea, different words – Ps. 119:1-4 How blessed are those whose way is blameless, Who walk in the law of the Lord. How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart. They also do no unrighteousness; They walk in His ways. You have ordained Your precepts, That we should keep them diligently.

Characteristics of Hebrew Poetry Antithetic – second line contrasts the first – Ps. 30:5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

Characteristics of Hebrew Poetry Synthetic – Second line completes the first – Ps. 2:5-6 Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

Characteristics of Hebrew Poetry Introverted – A – B – B – A – Proverbs 23:15 My son, if your heart is wise, My own heart also will be glad;

Characteristics of Hebrew Poetry Climactic – Stairlike – Ps. 93:3 The floods have lifted up, O Lord, The floods have lifted up their voice, The floods lift up their pounding waves.

Characteristics of Hebrew Poetry Emblematic – comparisons (like or as) – Ps. 103:12-13 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.

What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? - Ps. 8:4

- Heb. 2:6-8 But one has testified somewhere, saying, “What is man, that You remember him? Or the son of man, that You are concerned about him? “You have made him for a little while lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And have appointed him over the works of Your hands; You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him. - Heb. 2:6-8

Most ancient writings are in poetic form Summary Most ancient writings are in poetic form

Old Testament Poetry Summary Gnomic (wisdom) Lyric (to sing) Most ancient writings are in poetic form Old Testament Poetry Gnomic (wisdom) Lyric (to sing)

Old Testament Poetry has special features: Summary Most ancient writings are in poetic form Old Testament Poetry Old Testament Poetry has special features: Assonance Acrostics Parallelism