Page 6 - The Poetic Books - Student Text

1.3 Poetry and Wisdom

Hebrew poetry makes use of parallelism. Defined simply, two lines are parallel with the
second line usually saying something similar to the first line. Experts often define parallels
differently. Without getting too technical, in parallelism the second line may come close
to restating the same truth as is in the first line. The second line may explain the same
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truth, connect cause and effect, or make a contrast or comparison. Yet even more than
these possibilities, parallel statements are designed to “intensify” the theme of the
author. He does not repeat for variation or to fill a form. He has a point to make, and he uses this
technique to move the reader to a conclusion, a theological conclusion.
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Some translations try to print poetry differently than prose. Translations can even vary in identifying
what is poetry and what is prose. The first poem in the NIV translation contains the words of Adam when
God created Eve in Genesis 2:23: “This is now bone of my bones/ and flesh of my flesh;// she shall be
called ‘woman,’/ for she was taken out of man.” Without much difficulty the reader can see the
parallelism of the first two lines and of the last two lines. Even in this short poem of four lines, we can
see a certain amount of intensification taking place. Printing the material as poetry helps understand the
meaning more quickly.

As we move through the OT, we have bits and pieces of poetry such as the
song of Lamech in Genesis 4:23-24. Jacob’s blessing of his sons is also
printed in poetical form (Gen. 49:2-27). Both of these poems use
parallelism to communicate meaning. Consider the compact poem in
Exodus 15:1-18 as an example of Hebrew poetry. It is labeled a song, and
Miriam along with the rest of the women sang a shortened version,
dancing and shaking timbrels, or tambourines, as they sang.

We can gather a lot of information using simple reading skills. The poem
has plot. Beginning with the horse and driver hurled into the sea (v. 1), the
writer moves to the effect of Egypt’s defeat on other nations when they hear the news. They will hear
and tremble and be terrified (vv. 14, 15). References are made to different characters; God, Pharaoh and
his army, the people God redeemed, and those future nations. The setting
is the Red Sea, described in a variety of ways: sea (v. 1, 4, 10), deep waters Figure 2: timbrel, 6th cen. B.C.
and depths (v. 5), waters piled up, surging waters, and deep waters (v. 8),
and mighty waters (10).

The theme is the greatness of the LORD. He is highly exalted (v. 1), and the LORD reigns forever and ever
(18). We read much about his characteristics as the people celebrate the traits that make him great. He

5 Douglas J. Mock, Bible Study Methods and Rules of Interpretation (Atlanta: BTCP, 1989), 64
6 Robert Alter, The Art of Biblical Poetry (New York: Basic Books, 1985), 63.
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