CHAPTER XVIII. Hebrew Poetry. 1. HEBREW POETRY is not distinguished by measure or rhyme, or any of the characteristics of Latin, Greek, or English verse. Many writers have attempted to point out several marks, or peculiar characteristics, by which it may be always known; but there seems to be only one clearly established, — that which is termed parallelism. 2. Parallelism is a certain resemblance, or relationship, between the members of two or more verses. This correspondence is sometimes of words, sometimes of thoughts or sentiments, and sometimes of facts; and is so constructed, that the words or facts of one verse or line, answer to the words or facts of another; and this correspondence is of several kinds, three of which we shall notice, the Gradational, Antithetic, and Synony mous. - 3. Parallel Lines Gradational. In this species of parallelism, each clause, or verse, rises above the preceding, or corresponding verse, in force or power; and sometimes the scale is a descending one, in regard to the value of the things mentioned. This kind of parallelism is more frequent than any other, and abounds in the Psalms and in the Prophecies of Isaiah. An example is found in the first Psalm. "Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful." Here the ascending scale is distinctly marked, each verse rising in strength and significancy, and preserving a perfect correspondence of terms. Walk, in the first line, which implies only casual intercourse, is answered in the second, by stand, which is expressive of greater familiarity; and to this, answers sit, in the third line, which is a grade still higher, and marks a permanent companionship. So counsel, way, and seat. And so, also, ungodly, the negatively wicked, rises into sinners, the positively wicked; and, in the third verse, becomes the scornful, or scoffers at all good. See also Psalm xxi. 1, 2; Isa. lv. 6, 7; and especially Psalm xxiv. 3, 4, where the gradational parallel is equally marked. 4. Parallel Lines Antithetic or Antagonistic. This species of parallelism consists in an opposition of sentiments, or facts, the first verse being contrasted with the second. Sometimes this antithesis, or opposition, is only of the general sentiment expressed; at other times, it is very exact, word answering to word, singular to singular, &c. Several entire chapters of the Book of Proverbs, are written in this manner, especially x.-xv. "A wise son maketh a glad father, But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother. But righteousness delivereth from death." 5. Examples may be found, also, in Psalms and in the Prophets. Sometimes, however, the parallelism is so constructed, that the first and third, and the second and fourth verses, are opposed to each other. Isaiah furnishes an instance in chapter liv. 10. It may be well to say, that the translation is made more literal than the common version, for the purpose of marking more distinctly the parallelism. "For the mountains shall be removed; And the hills shall be overthrown; But my kindness for thee shall not be removed; And the covenant of my peace shall not be overthrown." 6. Parallel Lines Synonymous. This species is the reverse of the preceding, and consists in an agreement of sentiment between the verses. In other words, this kind of parallelism repeats the same thought, truth, or fact; the second or third line, as the case may be, answering to the first, in the expression of the same idea, or truth, but in different words. This is, perhaps, the most important of the three named, and serves to explain many passages, whose meaning would otherwise be in dispute. Some few examples of this follow, taken from Job v. "God doeth great things, and unsearchable; Who giveth rain upon the earth, The froward meet with darkness in the daytime, God maketh sore, and bindeth up; He woundeth, and his hands make whole." 7. Sometimes there are three parallel lines, each one expressing the same thought, or truth. Examples follow, from Job iii. 4-9. Let not God regard it from above; Neither let the light shine upon it. Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; Let the blackness of the day terrify it." 8. The parallelism is sometimes so constructed, that the third line answers in agreement to the first, and the fourth to the second, which should be carefully observed in determining the meaning of the corresponding verses. Isa. xxx. 16. "And ye said, Nay, but on horses will we flee, - And on swift coursers will we ride, - 9. We have thus given the most important divisions of the parallelism, embracing those fea tures, which are most useful to the general interpretation of the poetical portions of the Scriptures. There are several other species, which are, in fact, only branches of these, and need not, therefore, be particularly specified. We shall now make an application of these particulars, to some few examples, for the purpose of showing how much is thereby added to the beauty and significancy of many passages of the sacred writings. In the two examples immediately following, we shall arrange the parallel lines according to our idiom; in the first example, placing together the first and third, which answer to each other, and the second and fourth; and in the second example, the first and fourth, and second and third together. Ps. xxiv. 3, 4; Matt. vii. 6. "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? He that hath clean hands. Who shall stand in his holy place? "Give not that which is holy unto dogs, 10. The synonymous parallelism, which repeats the same idea, or fact, in different words, serves to explain many important passages. Habakkuk (i. 12.), speaking of the Chaldeans, whom God employed to punish the Jews, says, |