Hebrew Poetry Flashcards
What elements of Western poetry does Hebrew poetry include? What elements does it not include?
Include: Emotion & metaphor
Not include: Meter and rhyme
What are five different kinds of parallelism in Hebrew Poetry?
- Synonymous parallelism (lines express the same idea in different ways)
- Antithetical parallelism (lines produce a contrast)
- Emblematic parallelism (lines produce a comparison)
- Step parallelism (lines build towards a climax)
- Formal parallelism (lines do not have any meaningful correspondence)
What are two things that Biblical poetry shows us?
1) the imagination is a significant part of theology
2) emotion, in all its fullness and complexity, should be expressed
How many “books” within the psalter?
Five
What three different things have psalms been used for within the faith community?
Singing
Speaking
Meditating
What are five subgenres of psalms?
Lament Thanksgiving Confidence Praise Wisdom
What is the most common subgenre of psalm?
Lament
What subgenre of psalm could be identified with the theme “waves have overtaken me”?
Lament
What subgenre of psalm could be identified with the theme “you have calmed the waves”?
Thanksgiving
What subgenre of psalm could be identified with the theme “you will help me survive the waves”?
Confidence
What subgenre of psalm could be identified with the theme “you are king over the waves”?
Praise
What subgenre of psalm uses proverbs and similes as well as wisdom motifs/strategies?
Wisdom
Song of Songs uses imagery that is related to what genre of poetry?
Erotic poetry
What makes Song of Songs challenging to make sense of?
- It is not clear if it has a plot or a consistent cast of characters.
- Even if it does, there is uncertainty around who is speaking when.
What are two different ways of reading Song of Songs?
- Allegory (for Yahweh and Israel or Jesus and the Church)
- Love poetry - a poetic exploration of human sexual desire and love
What are three motifs that stand out (in contrast to alternatives) in Song of Songs?
- monogamy and sexual purity
- reciprocal pursuit
- romantic love is enjoyed, approved and exalted by both partners
What are two things that wisdom literature does?
- Explores various facets of life
- Exhorts people to live in accordance with what is learned