Reading: Hebrew Parallelism (Video Slides)

#20 Hebrew Parallelism in the Psalms and Proverbs

Understanding Hebrew Poetry

• Most obvious literary device: Parallelism
  -Synonymous—two (or more) lines that say the same thing using different words
  “My soul is full of troubles,
          my life draws near to Sheol.” (88:3)
  “He established a decree in Jacob,
          and appointed a law in Israel.” (78:5)
  -Antithetic—two lines that declare opposite ideas in order to support the same conclusion
  “I hate the double-minded,
          but I love your law.” (119:113)
  “He did not spare them from death,
          but gave their lives over to the plague.” (78:50)
  -Stairlike—three or more lines that build up an idea by expanding on terms used in the previous lines
  “Bless the Lord, O my soul,
  and do not forget all his benefits—
         who forgives all your iniquity,
         who heals all your diseases,
         who redeems your life from the Pit,
         who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
         who satisfies you with good things as long as you live
              so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (103:2-5)
• Literary devices that do not translate well:
  -Rhythm & meter—cadence for recitation
  -Assonance—repetition of vowel sounds
  -Consonance—repetition of consonant sounds
  -Alliteration—repetition of word-beginning letters
• Subtle and complex literary devices:
  -Enveloping—surrounding an inner verse with a repeated chant or refrain (see 118:1, 29):
       “O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
          his steadfast love endures forever!”
  -Chiasm—reflexive repetition of lines , phrases or ideas in clear parallelism (see 114):

Psalm 114

When Israel went out from Egypt,
the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
       Judah became God’s sanctuary,
       Israel his dominion.
              The sea looked and fled;
              Jordan turned back.
                     The mountains skipped like rams,
                     the hills like lambs.

              Why is it, O sea, that you flee?
              O Jordan, that you turn back?
                     O mountains, that you skip like rams?
                     O hills, like lambs?
Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob,
       who turns the rock into a pool of water,
       the flint into a spring of water.

Parallelism in Psalms & Proverbs

Psalms

• Most parallelism is synonymous: perhaps up to 85%
• Synonymous parallelism accentuates ideas by restating them

Proverbs

• Most parallelism (after the opening “Lectures on Wisdom” in chapters 1-9) is antithetic: perhaps up to 85%
• Antithetic parallelism accentuates proverbial ideas by showing contrasts

Antithetic Parallelism in Proverbs

^10:1 The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son brings joy to his father,
    but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

² Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value,
    but righteousness delivers from death.

³ The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
    but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.

⁴ Lazy hands make for poverty,
    but diligent hands bring wealth.

⁵ He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son,
    but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.

⁶ Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
    but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.

⁷ The name of the righteous is used in blessings,
    but the name of the wicked will rot.

⁸ The wise in heart accept commands,
    but a chattering fool comes to ruin.