Page 69 - Step and repeat document 1

15
32
chapters, see Joshua Berman’s paper. Below we will suggest our own reading of the
26
lived circa 520 BCE. This literary phenomenon of signing has been noted for Judging from elementary writing exercises, like the al-bm drill, we see that the
acrostics, the best-known is the Paean to a Woman of Valor (chapter 31, 10-31).
26
32
lived circa 520 BCE. This literary phenomenon of signing has been noted for chapters, see Joshua Berman’s paper. Below we will suggest our own reading of the
From the later Wisdom literature, cf. Ben-Sira (180 BCE), chapter 51. alphabet lends itself to inner division. In chapters 1, 2 and 4, the author has divided
pairs.
Ezekiel in his consecration (3, 7-9, 14):
Ezekiel in his consecration (3, 7-9, 14): pairs.
בֵל יֵשְׁקוּ חַצֵמ יֵקזִח לֵא ָּרְשׂי תיֵב לָּכ י כ יָּלֵא ַעמְשׁ ל םי בא םניֵא י כ ךָיֶלֵא ַעמְשׁ ל וּבאי אלֹ לֵא ָּרְשׂי תיֵבוּ )ז( each chapter into halves, or almost halves, changing the subject in order to hear
ֹ

ֹ

ְ
ֹ
ָּ
ֹ
ָּ

ֹ
ֹ
בֵל יֵשְׁקוּ חַצֵמ
ְ

ֹ
ֹ
Lamentations יֵקזִח לֵא ָּרְשׂי תיֵב לָּכ י כ יָּלֵא ַעמְשׁ ל םי בא םניֵא י כ ךָיֶלֵא ַעמְשׁ ל וּבאי אלֹ לֵא ָּרְשׂי תיֵבוּ )ז( alternating voices: In chapter 1:1-11a – Zion’s suffering is described in the third
This literary development adds another dimension to the work of the accomplished
הָּמֵה

הָּמֵה

The Book of Lamentations continues to attract scholarly attention. It is a fascinating This literary development adds another dimension to the work of the accomplished
16
person, vss. 11b-22 – Zion speaks mostly in the first person feminine.
ֵ
ָ י
ֶ
םָּחְצ מ תַמֻעְל קזָח ךֲָחְצ מ תֶאְו םֶהינְפ תַמֻעְל ם ִִקזֲח ךָינָּפ תֶא י תַתנ הנ ה )ח( scribe who is writing for a wider, literate, audience. On the one hand, the author is
ָ
ֵ
ָּ
םָּחְצ מ תַמֻעְל
ךֲָחְצ מ תֶאְו םֶהינְפ תַמֻעְל ם
ָ
קזָח
ָּ
ךָינָּפ תֶא י תַתנ הנ ה )ח(
scribe who is writing for a wider, literate, audience. On the one hand, the author is
ֶ
ִִקזֲח
ֵ
ֵ
ָ י
work in that the kinah is traditionally an oral genre practiced in ancient Israel by Chapter 2:1-10 God is a merciless enemy who destroyed his “foot stool” Jerusalem,
ֹ
רי מָּשְׁכ )ט(
ָּ
ָ
:הָּמֵה י רְמ תיֵב י כ םֶהי :הָּמֵה י רְמ תיֵב י כ םֶהינְפ מ תַחֵת אלְֹו םָּתוֹא א ָּרי ת אלֹ ךֶָחְצ מ י תַתנ רצ מ קזָח קָזָח רי מָּשְׁכ )ט( composing an alphabetic acrostic, and on the other, repeating the same or similar root,
ֵֵנְפ מ תַחֵת אלְֹו םָּתוֹא א ָּרי ת אלֹ ךֶָחְצ מ י תַתָּנ רֹ צמ
composing an alphabetic acrostic, and on the other, repeating the same or similar root,
st
17
women lamenters meqonenot and yet the book is a well-structured literary piece. For vss. 11-17 description by lamenter (1 person); vss. 18-19: Hope for the future: call

ְ
ָ
word or phrase in corresponding sentences, in what is termed an at-bash order, or a
ַַיְו י חוּר תַמֲחַב רַמ ךְֵלֵאָּו י נֵחָּק תַו י נְתאַָּשְׂנ ַחוּרְו )די(
: : הָקזָח יַלָּע 'ה דהָקָזָח יַלָּע 'ה דיְו י חוּר תַמֲחַב רַמ ךְֵלֵאָּו ינֵחָּק תַו ינְתאַָּשׂנ ַחוּרְו )די( word or phrase in corresponding sentences, in what is termed an at-bash order, or a
the duality of the written and oral forms of this genre, see II Chron 35:25: “Jeremiah for prayer, vss. 20-22 Jerusalem beseeches God.
:and for Micah (7,18): 27 chiastic chain. This so-called chain finds a correspondence in the first and last letters,
chiastic chain. This so-called chain finds a correspondence in the first and last letters,
27
:and for Micah (7,18):
composed laments for Josiah, which all the singers, male and female, recited in their
Chapter 3:1-24 First person lamenter; vss. 25-39: Third person lamenter; vss. 40-47:

ֹ
ֹ
st letter, and so on. The usual chiastic pattern in biblical and
ַ
laments for Josiah, as is done to this day: they became customary in Israel and are )חי(יִמ לֵאִָכךָוֹמ אלֹ וֹתָּלֲחַנ תי רֵאְשׁ ל עַשֶׁפ לַע רֵבֹעְו ןוָֹּע אֵשֹׂ נ אוּה דֶסֶח ץֵפָּח י כ וֹפַא דַעָּל קי זֱחֶה אוּה דֶסֶח ץֵפָּח י כ וֹפַא דַעָּל קיזֱחֶה אלֹ וֹתָּלֲחנ תי רֵאְשׁ ל עַשֶׁפ לַע רֵבעְו ןוָֹּע אֵשׂנ ךָוֹמ ִָכ ל ֵא יִמ )חי( the second and 21 st
the second and 21 letter, and so on. The usual chiastic pattern in biblical and
First person plural collective personality; vss. 48-66: First person singular - his sorrow
33
And perhaps in Hoshea (1, 7): Canaanite poetry is short a+b+c//c`+b`+a` 33, which is characteristic of oral recitation.
And perhaps in Hoshea (1, 7): Canaanite poetry is short a+b+c//c`+b`+a` , which is characteristic of oral recitation.
now written in [the book of] Lamentations.” This verse is the main source of Jewish
for the fate of his people.
םי סוּסְב הָּמָּחְל מְבוּ ב ֶרֶחְבוּ תֶשֶׁקְב םֵעי ִשוֹא אלְֹו םֶהיֵהלֱֹא 'הַב םיִתְע ַׁשוֹהְו םֵח ַרֲא הָּדוּהי תיֵב תֶאְו )ז( The chiastic chain is a long and more complicated pairing of many words. This
ְ
Chapter 4 – the collective experience in the Third person plural vss 1-16; 17-22: First
tradition attributing the authorship of the book to Jeremiah. םֵח ַרֲא הָּדוּהְי תיֵב תֶאְו )ז(םיִתְעַׁשוֹהְו אלְֹו םֶהיֵהלֱֹא 'הַבםֵעיִשוֹא י סוּסְב הָּמָּחְל מְבוּ ב ֶרֶחְבוּ תֶשֶׁקְב
ם The chiastic chain is a long and more complicated pairing of many words. This
םי שׁ ָּרָּפְבוּ literary device complements the division of these chapters into almost equal halves,
םי שׁ ָּרָּפְבוּ person plural.
literary device complements the division of these chapters into almost equal halves,
expressed sometimes in different voices, as we noted above. A further guidepost to
The Book of Lamentations expresses the deep sorrow on both the personal and the Chapter 5 – breakdown of the alphabetic structure. First person plural – a prayer and
expressed sometimes in different voices, as we noted above. A further guidepost to

national level of the destruction of the First Temple, and the ensuing massive the reader left by the author signaling this pattern, is the doubling of the key word in
appeal to God to remember Israel’s suffering.
Identifying the inner structure of Lamentations 1 and 2
the reader left by the author signaling this pattern, is the doubling of the key word in
Identifying the inner structure of Lamentations 1 and 2 the first verse of both chapters. In order that the chapter holds the readers’ interest, the
deportation as well as the atrocities that the Judeans suffered. The poet gives voice to

28
The French biblical scholar Albert Condamin was probably the first to discern a the first verse of both chapters. In order that the chapter holds the readers’ interest, the
author uses various types of parallelisms which we will illustrate below.
the national calamity summed up as ‘ein la menaḥem’. “Who will restore the dead to In his choice of introducing different voices, male and female, individual and
28
The French biblical scholar Albert Condamin was probably the first to discern a author uses various types of parallelisms which we will illustrate below.
certain repetitive pattern in the acrostics of Lamentations chs. 1 and 2, where a word

18
the human community, articulate the inexpressible, turn death into beauty? collective witnesses, he creates an oral bond with his audience. It seems that the Book
certain repetitive pattern in the acrostics of Lamentations chs. 1 and 2, where a word
st
or a phrase is repeated in the first and last verse, the second and 21 verse and so on, This type of structure has been known since the beginning of the 20 century. Even
th
of Lamentations is a striking example of the composition, transmission and
\ \
e.g., )בכ ,א ,א( תובר //יתבר or םחנמ הל ןיא )אכ ,ב ,א( ול םחנמ ןיא . He called it ‘concentric so, it has been ignored by most commentators. More recently, it has been outright
st
or a phrase is repeated in the first and last verse, the second and 21 verse and so on,
This type of structure has been known since the beginning of the 20 century. Even
th
The author of the Book of Lamentations takes up the challenge to be that human publication of an ancient literary text – giving it simultaneously a written and an oral
structure’. This idea was developed to the extreme by Johan Renkema. It was Meir rejected. Adele Berlin has called it “a random event or worse - a delusion of the
29
34

e.g., )בכ
\ \
,א ,א( תובר //יתבר or םחנמ הל ןיא )אכ ,ב
,א( ול םחנמ ןיא . He called it ‘concentric

so, it has been ignored by most commentators. More recently, it has been outright
form.
19
comforter of Israel – םחנמה - who will bring order out of chaos. He finds that order in
30
Weiss who called this pattern AT-BASH but other than giving a few examples from commentator”. In his 35
34 authoritative commentary, Jacob Klein follows Berlin
structure’. This idea was developed to the extreme by Johan Renkema. It was Meir
29
rejected. Adele Berlin has called it “a random event or worse - a delusion of the
the alphabet. I would say that the book is a product of ‘alphabetic thinking’. Four of
the text, he went on to treat other literary matters. Yehiel Zvi Moscovitz in his claiming that “most of the evidence for this theory is forced and based on the
30
Weiss who called this pattern AT-BASH but other than giving a few examples from This assumption encouraged me to look more closely at the alphabetic acrostics in
35
commentator”. In his authoritative commentary, Jacob Klein follows Berlin
the five chapters are alphabetic acrostics and the fifth chapter, though not an acrostic,
Hebrew commentary on Lamentations in the Da’at Miqra series does not cite Weiss imagination of the commentator”. Taking this critique in mind, we now turn to
is composed of twenty-two verses, influenced by the 22-letter alphabet - creating
the text, he went on to treat other literary matters. Yehiel Zvi Moscovitz in his Lamentations, especially those in the first two chapters. There are two approaches in
claiming that “most of the evidence for this theory is forced and based on the
but does recognize the pattern and tries his hand at listing the corresponding Lamentations 1-2 and try to understand their structure.
visual symmetry. By composing the alphabetic acrostics, one gains control over one’s modern commentaries to this book: one is structuralist, relying heavily on the
Hebrew commentary on Lamentations in the Da’at Miqra series does not cite Weiss
imagination of the commentator”. Taking this critique in mind, we now turn to
31
components. For a thorough study of claims of biblical chiastics in light of these two
20
thoughts and emotions and begins to find solace. acrostics in order to find an inner connection between the verses; the second
but does recognize the pattern and tries his hand at listing the corresponding
Lamentations 1-2 and try to understand their structure.
31 approach is that of those who emphasize the message and esthetic aspects of the
components. For a thorough study of claims of biblical chiastics in light of these two
21
genre, seeing the acrostics as a literary device. Whatever the case, both the oral and

15 written modes were employed by the author(s) to produce this moving composition.
See also Avigdor Hurowitz, “Proverbs 21:22-27 Another Unnoticed Alphabetic Acrostic”, JSOT 92
26 See already Azriel
(2001), pp. 121-125. Rosenfield, 96 'מע )1992( 110 יניס "ה קרפ הכיאב ןוכיטסורקא", cited by Phillipe
Guillaume, "Lamentations 5: the Seventh Acrostic," Journal of Hebrew Scriptures 9 (2009), p 4.
Joshua Berman, “Criteria for Establishing Chiastic Structure: Lamentations 1 and 2 as Test Cases”,
32
16
See Jacob Klein, Lamentations – Introduction and Commentary (Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, 2017)
However, his further reading of the word ‘איבנה’ is forced. 19 Maarav 21/1-2 (2017), pp. 57-69.
(Hebrew); Joshua Berman, Lamentations (NCBC; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2023),
Aaron Demsky, "The Interface of Oral and Written Traditions in Ancient Israel: The Case of the
Abecedaries", in C. Rico and C. Attucci (eds.), Origins of the Alphabet. Proceedings of the First Polis
27
especially pp. 1-7 for an overview of the genre of lamentations.
33
;229 'מע )1993( םישוריפו םינויע הכימ רפס ,ןוגרו לאומש Moshe Greenberg, Ezekiel 1-20 (Garden City,
Gen 9:6 - ךֵפָּשי וֹמָּד םָּדאָָּב םָּדאָָּה םַד ךְֵפשׁ on this literary phenomenon see Wilfred G.E Watson, “Chiastic
ֹ

17 26 See already Azriel Rosenfield, 96 'מע )1992( 110 יניס "ה קרפ הכיאב ןוכיטסורקא", cited by Phillipe
Meir Bar-Ilan, Jewish Women, ch. 3, where he argues that chs. 1 and 2 were composed by a woman.
Institute Interdisciplinary Conference (2015, Oxford: Oxford Scholars Press, pp.17-47.
1983), p. 69. Patterns in Biblical Hebrew Poetry”, in John W. Welch (ed) Chiasmus in antiquity, Provo, Utah (1981),
Guillaume, "Lamentations 5: the Seventh Acrostic," Journal of Hebrew Scriptures 9 (2009), p 4. 20 32 Joshua Berman, “Criteria for Establishing Chiastic Structure: Lamentations 1 and 2 as Test Cases”,
Johan Renkema, “The Literary Structure of Lamentations (I) and (II)”, in W. van der Meer and J.C.
For ancient Mesopotamia, compare Jerrold S. Cooper, “Genre, Gender and the Sumerian
pp 118-169.
28
Albert Condamin, “Symmetrical Repetitions in Lamentation Chapters 1-2”, Journal of Theological
Maarav 21/1-2 (2017), pp. 57-69.
Lamentations,” JCS 58 (2006), pp 39-57. de Moor (eds.) The Structural Analysis of Biblical and Canaanite Poetry (Shefield, 1988), pp. 294-396.
However, his further reading of the word ‘איבנה’ is forced.
Studies 7 (1905), pp. 137-140.
34
Adele Berlin, Lamentations –A Commentary (Louisville, London, 2002), p. 6. See also Delbert R.
18 Francis Landy, in Robert Alter and Frank Kermode (eds), The Literary Guide to the Bible (London, 21 Meir Weiss “On Megillat ‘Eichah”, Ture Yeshurun 1/3 (Jerusalem, 1966), pp 11-16 (Hebrew); Adele
27 Renkema, op.cit., pp. 296-297; 307-309.
33 Hillers, Lamentations Anchor Bible (Garden City, 1992), p. 29: “unconvincing and strained”.
29
ֹ

Gen 9:6 - ךֵפָּשי וֹמָּד םָּדאָָּב םָּדאָָּה םַד ךְֵפשׁ on this literary phenomenon see Wilfred G.E Watson, “Chiastic
;229 'מע )1993( םישוריפו םינויע הכימ רפס ,ןוגרו לאומש Moshe Greenberg, Ezekiel 1-20 (Garden City,
1997), pp. 329-334. Berlin, Lamentations –A Commentary (Louisville, London, 2002), pp. 4-6; Moshe David Cassuto, “The
35
Meir Weiss, “`Al megilat Eichah”, Turei Yeshurun 1 (1976), pp. 11-16 (Hebrew).
Jacob Klein, Lamentations – Introduction and Commentary (Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, 2017), p. 27
30
1983), p. 69. Patterns in Biblical Hebrew Poetry”, in John W. Welch (ed) Chiasmus in antiquity, Provo, Utah (1981),
31
Albert Condamin, “Symmetrical Repetitions in Lamentation Chapters 1-2”, Journal of Theological
pp 118-169.
28 Yehiel Z. Moscovitz, Eichah, Hamesh Megilot (Jerusalem, 1990), pp. 7-8 (Hebrew). (Hebrew).
Studies 7 (1905), pp. 137-140. 34 Adele Berlin, Lamentations –A Commentary (Louisville, London, 2002), p. 6. See also Delbert R.

29 Renkema, op.cit., pp. 296-297; 307-309. Hillers, Lamentations Anchor Bible (Garden City, 1992), p. 29: “unconvincing and strained”.
42 39
30 Meir Weiss, “`Al megilat Eichah”, Turei Yeshurun 1 (1976), pp. 11-16 (Hebrew). 35 Jacob Klein, Lamentations – Introduction and Commentary (Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, 2017), p. 27
31 Yehiel Z. Moscovitz, Eichah, Hamesh Megilot (Jerusalem, 1990), pp. 7-8 (Hebrew). (Hebrew).