Key Words, Chapter 6

Question 1

A fortiori argument

Answer 1

argument from the lesser to the greater (Prov. 11:31 - If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!)

Question 2

Alliteration

Answer 2

subsequent words starting with the same letter (destroyed, despoiled, denuded)

Question 3

Allusion

Answer 3

the practice of invoking another passage by way of verbal or conceptual reference or echo (Baal - husband; Shiloh - “to whom it rightfully belongs”)

Question 4

Antithetic parallelism

Answer 4

two poetic lines expressing sharp contrast (Matt. 7:17 - Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.)

Question 5

Anthropomorphism

Answer 5

ascription of human characteristics or qualities to God (face, mouth, tongue, lips, eyes, ears, feet, hands, arms, fingers, and heart; or emotions, e.g. compassion)

Question 6

Apophthegm

Answer 6

short, witty, and instructive saying (another word for a proverb)

Question 7

Assonance

Answer 7

see Alliteration (This differs from Alliteration. Sound play. Alteration of first syllables - Gen. 1:2 - tohu wabohu; Nah. 2:10 - buqah, umebuqah, umebullaqah)

Question 8

Bifid structure

Answer 8

the poet’s structuring of his material in two parts, each answering to the other in similar or corresponding fashion and in the same basic order (e.g. Psalm 135 - vv. 3-12: goodness/greatness; vv. 13-18: goodness/greatness; Nahum - ch. 1: doom declared; ch. 2: doom described; Zephaniah - ch. 1-2, five points; ch. 2-3, five points)

Question 9

Bookending

Answer 9

the technique of returning at the end of a unit to a theme, subject, or word(s) mentioned at the beginning of that section (e.g. Psalm 103:1, 22 - Bless the LORD, O my soul.)

Question 10

Chiasm

Answer 10

a literary device in which the second half of a composition takes up the same words, themes, or motifs as in the first half, but in reverse order (A B B’ A’ pattern; e.g. Ps 70: A - Hasten to my help!; B - let these be this; B’ - let those be that! A’ - Hasten to me!)

Question 11

Concreteness

Answer 11

a feature of Hebrew poetry that involves a graphic description appealing to the reader’s senses (John 1: life, light, darkness)

Question 12

Denouement

Answer 12

the final clarification or resolution of a narrative or dramatic plot (e.g. 1 Ki 19:1-18 - Elijah’s flight to Horeb)

Question 13

Ellipsis

Answer 13

the deletion of a word present only in one parallel line of poetry even though it is to be understood in both (“Sound the trumpet in Gibeah, ___ the horn in Ramah.” Hos. 5:8)

Question 14

Emblematic parallelism

Answer 14

two poetic lines showing progression of thought involving simile (Ps 103:15 - As a father … so the LORD)

Question 15

Inclusio

Answer 15

see Bookending

Question 16

Ladder parallelism

Answer 16

two poetic lines showing progression in form of numerical sequence (Prov. 30:18-19 - three things … four; 1 Sam. 18:7 - thousands … tens of thousands)

Question 17

Monocolon

Answer 17

an individual poetic line that does not combine closely with another line (Ps 18:1; 2:12; Joel 2:11; Jer 22:29)

Question 18

Parallelism

Answer 18

the practice of using similar language to express corresponding thoughts in succeeding lines of poetry (Ps 19:1 - The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the works of his hands. - similar parallelism)

Question 19

Progressive parallelism

Answer 19

a succeeding line (or lines) supplements and/or completes the first line (Ps 57:1 - Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. Ps 98:2 - The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations.)

Question 20

Proverb

Answer 20

short memorable statement of the true state of things as perceived and learned by human observation over extended periods of experience

Question 21

Similar parallelism

Answer 21

two poetic lines conveying closeness of thought and expression (Ps 19:1)

Question 22

Staircase parallelism

Answer 22

a thought stated in the first line is completed by a succeeding line beginning with similar phraseology (Ps 96:1-2 - Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD all the earth.)

Question 23

Stitching

Answer 23

an author’s practice of linking successive units or subunits of a poem by means of repeating a word, phrase, or idea (Ps 134-135, servants of the LORD; Ps 135-136, the LORD is good, etc.)

Question 24

Terrace pattern parallelism

Answer 24

type of staircase parallelism in which the beginning of the second line repeats the end of the first line (Ps 96:12-13 - Then all the trees of the forest WILL SING for joy; they WILL SING before the LORD, for HE COMES, HE COMES to judge the earth.)

Question 25

Terseness

Answer 25

feature of Hebrew poetry that involves succinctness of stating a point (Nah. 3:2-3 - The crack of whips, the clatter of wheels, galloping horses and jolting chariots! Charging cavalry, flashing swords, and glittering spears!)

Question 26

Theodicy

Answer 26

vindicating the righteousness of God and his ways when called into question

Question 27

Tricolon

Answer 27

three lines of poetry forming a distinct unit

Question 28

Zoomorphism

Answer 28

ascription of animal qualities to God (refuge under his wings; a lion tearing)