Literary Strategies In The Bible Flashcards
Metaphor
A metaphor occurs when a word or phrase is taken out of its normal context in place within the parameters of another context.
Hyperbole
In essence a hyperbole is a deliberate exaggeration
Symbolism
This literary strategies similar to a metaphor. When a concrete object is taken and used as something different.
Allegory
When a metaphor or symbol is broken down into its component parts for you.
Personification
When in animate object takes on the qualities and characteristics of a human being, personification is the result. “The mountain skipped like Rams,/ the hills like young sheep.”
Anthropomorphic
Ascribing human former attributes to a being or thing not human, especially to a deity.
Chthonic- pertaining to the deities, spirits, and other beings dwelling under the earth.
Eponymous - giving one’s name to a tribe, place, etc.
Etiology (aetiology) - The study of causes, causation, or reasons for being. In mythology, an etiology miss explains a natural occurring phenomena in supernatural terms.
Monotheism
The belief in one God.
Henotheism - The belief in one God without denying the existence of other gods.
Atheism - The belief in no God.
Polytheism - The belief in multiple gods.
Myth - Traditional stories a society tells itself that encode or represent the worldview, beliefs, principles, and often fears of that society.
Syncretism
A blending of religions to create a new religion.
Theogony
An account of the origin of the gods. Generally includes the genealogy of the gods; especially when found in epic poetry
Theophany
The appearance of a God to man (usually in a non-anthropomorphic form). For example, God appears to his people as a storm cloud, a burning bush, a pillar of dust, etc.
Irony
Although there are many ironic elements found throughout the Bible, I wish to draw your attention to a particular form of irony: dramatic irony. This is a type of irony to which the audience is privy. Dramatic irony occurs in Genesis when Jacob’s next away from Laban and Rachel steals her fathers teraphim. When Laban catches up with Jacob and accuses him of stealing from him, Jacob is indignant because he does not know that Rachel took them. As audience, however, you were aware of who has the idols.
Wordplay
Although a tremendous amount is lost in the translation to English, the Bible still loaded with puns, assonance, onomatopoeia, alliteration, and the like.
Poetry
Hebrew poetry is different from modern poetry. Until 1753 poetry in the Old Testament was largely overlooked. Modern translations, however, do break the lines of text so you know you are looking at poetry.
Narrative
A recounting of events; chronological or containing a plot
This is by far the most common literary device found in the Bible and the one most recognized by the modern readers.
Etiologies
A story explaining natural phenomenon in supernatural terms.
Birth narratives
Include a barren wife, a divine presence, and Annunciation, and assign
Hero stories
Samson and the like
Lament
Tends to follow a stereotyped pattern: the speakers invoke God, describe their trouble, which often includes persecution by enemies, assert their faith in God, petition for help, sometimes offering a vowel, and thank God for the rescue that they foresee.
The Jewish Bible is often referred to as
The Tanakh
Torah
The law
Nevi’im
The Prophets
Kethuvim
The writings
“Original” Hebrew Scriptures were written in
Hebrew and Aramaic
The entire New Testament is written in
Koine Greek (derived from the fusion of classical Greek with the commercial vernacular of near Eastern peoples conquered by the armies of Alexander of Macadonia)
Septuagint (LXX)
Beginning around 250 B.C.E. Joe students began translating the texts into Greek. This took about two centuries to complete and included what is now referred to as the apocrypha.
Vulgate (versio vulgata)
Completed in 405 CE by a priest named Jerome. He translated the original Hebrew and Aramaic Version into Latin. This became the official Bible of Roman Catholicism.
King James version of the Bible was created
1611
The Pentateuch
First five books of the Torah
Genealogies
Tie together narratives
Begetting
Ancestry
Kinship and kingship
Largely Priestly source
Itineraries
Accounts of the People’s movement from One geographical location to another.
Epic
A long narrative poem, elevated style, characters and high position, heroic, depict the development of episodes important to the history of the nation or race
Genesis 26-50 Isaac, Jacob, Joseph
Battle hymn/ Victory hymn
Songs of the sea
Exodus 15:1-18
Songs of Deborah
Judges 5:1-31
Short story
A relatively brief fictional narrative in prose; contains a unity of fact, theme, character, tone, mood, and style; contains plot.
Ruth, Jonah, Esther
Folk tales
Short narratives handed down through world tradition but eventually written down; cumulatively written.
Samson in the book of Judges 13–16 captures the popularity of the folk hero.
Prophetic oracles
Collections of warnings and promises usually found in platform and assumed to be by Israel’s profits.
Devotional poetry
Anthology of lyrics sung at temple services, including songs of praise, bitter complaints, and appeals for help.
Psalms
Erotic poetry
Passionate lyrics celebrating physical love
Songs of songs
Wisdom books
A collection of practical advice, poetic drama questioning divine justice. Examples- Job, Ecclesiastes
Apocalypses
Literature depicting an ultimate destiny(usually destructive) of the world; character of catastrophe is Grandiose, Imminent, unrestrained, wild; suggests final judgment.
Daniel, revelation
Partitur
A composed version of the story that is created by aligning witnesses (similar lines) from multiple tablets
Genesis is the first book of the
Torah
A covenant is
An agreement between two parties
Noachan Covenant (covenant with Noah), Abrahamic covenant (cabinet with Abraham), Mosaic covenant (covenant with Moses)
Tetragrammaton
A large word meaning four letters
Cain and Abel’s parents are
Adam and Eve
Noah’s three sons are
Ham, Shem, and Japheth
Ishmael’s parents are
Abraham and Hagar
Isaac’s parents are
Abraham and Sarah
Esau and Joacob’s parents are
Isaac and Rebekah
Subject of Genesis includes
Genesis spending a great deal of time; the story moves from a primeval history to the arrival of the Israelites in Egypt
Graf-Wellhausen hypothesis
Purposes four main distinct authors.
J-E-D-P
Yahwist
Elohistic
Deuteronomic
Priestly
Key characters in the book of Genesis
God Adam and Eve Noah Him, Shem, and Japheth Abraham and Sarah Ishmael Isaac Rebekah Esau and Jacob Joseph
Key concepts found in Genesis
Sibling rivalry: Time and time again, the wealth and blessings do not go to the first born (A common practice known as primogeniture), but instead go to the youngest child.
Trickery: evidence abounds from the serpent in the garden of Eden to stealing another’s birthright
Abrahamic covenant: part of the agreement includes circumcision as an outward sign of a males relationship to God.
Sacrifice: be at circumcision or an animal, sacrifice is important to early Judaism
The Mosaic covenant establishes a
Theocracy
Theocracy
Is a society ruled directly by God.
How many commandments are given
603
The 10 Commandments are also known as the
Decalogue
The Pharaoh and Exodus is thought to be
Ramses II
Who else besides Moses was said to have been put into a basket and floated down the river
Sargon I
Whereby he was adopted by compassionate family he rose to greatness and built an extensive empire
Tabernacle
Is a portable tent which symbolically will house the essence of God
The Ark of the covenant
Was constructed in the wilderness and is much like a throne upon which God may rest.
The cover to the Ark of the covenant is called
kapporeth
Kapporeth is also known as
The mercy seat
The Ezra Bibles or Ezra’s Bible is
A compilation of books which were a fairly complete edition of the Bible likely around 450 BCE by a priest name Ezra.
Early Christians used which version of the Hebrew Scriptures
Greek Septuagint Version
The added books of the Septuagint are collectively referred to as the ____ by Protestants and ___ books by Catholics
Apocrypha and Deuterocanonical
Apocrypha means
Hidden, that is to say, they are not revealed in some Bibles.
Nebuchadnezzar ruled over
the Neo-Babylonian Empire, not the Assyrians, presented in Judith.
Judith, who uses deceit to get to
Holofernes
Sumerians Developed:
The wheel (fourth millennium B.C.E.)
Cuneiform (about 3200 B.C.E)
60 minute hour
360 degree circle
The world’s first skyscrapers (ziggurats)
Babylon became the center of a new Mesopotamian empire under the reign of
Hammurabi, the sixth king in the Amorite line
Hammurabi’s reign
(1792-1750 B.C.E. ?)
Universality
Cosmic proportions
Cosmic dualism
The two-story universe composed of visible Earth invisible heaven.
Ethical dualism
There are two kinds of people: those who walk in spiritual darkness and those who don’t.
Predestination
The view that history and civilization are moving straight for a specific, predetermined end. There is a specific time God has already set.
Exclusivism
Apocalypists encourage believers to conform to religious standards and to abandon association with unbelievers.
Limited theology
Apocalyptists usually show little compassion for differing viewpoints. God will spare limited number.
Belief in a violent God
Cataclysmic battle with the formidable opponent. Apocalyptists usually depict God angrily punishing the disobedient with nasty methods.
Eschatological preoccupation
The afterlife. God makes moral distinctions.
The use of symbols and code words
Utilize deliberately obscure language.
— Gentile nations or wild beasts.
— Kings who demand worship are symbolized as idols.
