Sentences; and, 2. Proverbial Phrases, which by common usage are admitted into a sentence. 1. Examples of Entire Proverbial Sentences occur in Gen. x. 9. and xxii. 14. 1 Sam. x. 12. and xxiv. 13. 2 Sam. v. 8. and xx. 18. Ezek. xvi. 44. and xviii. 2. Luke iv. 23. John iv. 37. and 2 Pet. ii. 22.; in which passages the inspired writers expressly state the sentences to have passed into proverbs. 2. Examples of Proverbial Phrases, which indeed cannot be correctly termed proverbs, but which have acquired their form and use, are to be found in Deut. xxv. 4. 1 Kings xx. 11. 2 Chron. xxv. 9. Job vi. 5. xiv. 19. and xxviii. 18. Psal. xlii. 7. and lxii. 9. The Book of Proverbs likewise contains many similar sentences; examples of which may also be seen in the Book of Ecclesiastes, in some of the Prophets, as well as in the New Testament. III. Interpretation of the Proverbs in the New Testament. The Proverbs occurring in the New Testament are to be explained, partly by the aid of similar passages from the Old Testament, and partly from the antient writings of the Jews; whence it appears how much they were in use among that people, and that they were applied by Christ and his apostles, agreeably to common usage. § 6. Concluding Observations on the Figurative Language of Scripture. Besides the figures discussed in the preceding sections, there are many others dispersed throughout the sacred Scriptures, the infinite superiority of which over all uninspired compositions they admirably elucidate. Two or three of these, from their importance and frequent occurrence, claim to be noticed in this place. 1. A Synecdoche is a trope in which, 1. The whole is put for a part; 2. A part is put for the whole; 5. A certain number for an uncertain one; 4. A general name for a particular one; and, 5. Special words for general ones. [i.] The whole is sometimes put for a part. As, the world for the Roman empire, which was but a small though very remarkable part of the world, in Acts xxiv. 5. and Rev. iii. 10. The world for the earth, which is a part of it, 2 Pet. iii. 6. Rom. i. 8. 1 John v. 19. [ii.] Sometimes the part is put for the whole. Thus in Gen. i. 5. 8. 13. 19. 23. 31. the evening and morning, being the principal parts of the day, are put for the entire day. So the soul comprehends the entire man, Acts xxvii. 37. Tree in Gen. iii. 8. is in the original put for trees; and man, in Gen. xlix. 6. for men. [iii.] A certain number for an uncertain number, as twice for several times, in Psal. lxii. 11. Ten for many, in Gen. xxxi. 7.; and seven for an indefinite number, in Gen. iv. 15. and very many other passages of Scripture. [iv.] A general name is put for a particular one. As in Mark xvi. 15. where every creature means all mankind; as flesh also does in Gen. vi. 12. Psal. cxlv. 21. Isa. xl. 5, 6. lxvi. 23. Matt. xxiv. 22. Luke iii. 6. and Rom. iii. 20. [v.] Sometimes special words or particular names are put for such as are general. Thus, father is put for any ancestor in Psal. xxii. 4. ; father for grandfather, in 2 Sam. ix. 7. and Dan v. 11. 18.; father and mother for all superiors in Exod. xx. 12. 2. An Irony is a figure, in which we speak one thing and design another, in order to give the greater force and vehemence to our meaning. An irony is distinguished from the real sentiments of the speaker or writer, by the accent, the air, the extravagance of the praise, the character of the person, or the nature of the discourse. Instances of irony may be seen in 1 Kings xviii. 27. 1 Kings xxii. 15. Job xii. 2. and 1 Cor. iv. 8. Under this figure we may include the Sarcasm, which may be defined to be an irony in its superlative keenness and asperity. See examples of this figure in Matt. xxvii. 29. and Mark xv. 32. 3. Hyperbole, in its representation of things or objects, either magnifies or diminishes them beyond or below their proper limits it is common in all languages, and is of frequent occurrence in the Scripture. Thus, a great quantity or number is commonly expressed by the sand of the sea, the dust of the earth, and the stars of heaven, Gen. xiii. 16. xli. 49. Judges vii. 12. 1 Sam. xiii. 5. 1 Kings iv. 29. 2 Chron. i. 9. Jer. xv. 8. Heb. xi. 12. In like manner we meet, in Numb. xiii. 33. with smaller than grashoppers, to denote extreme diminutiveness: 2 Sam. i. 23. swifter than eagles, to intimate extreme celerity. CHAPTER III. ON THE INTERPRETATION OF THE POETICAL PARTS OP SCRIPTURE. I. NATURE of Hebrew Poetry. The diversity of style, evident in the different books of Scripture, sufficiently evinces which of them were written in prose, and which are poetical compositions : though the nature of the Hebrew verse cannot now be exactly ascertained. The grand characteristic of Hebrew Poetry is what Bishop Lowth terms Parallelism, that is, a certain equality, resemblance, or relationship between the members of each period: so that, in two lines or members of the same period, things shall answer to things, and words to words, as if fitted to each other by a kind of rule or measure. Such is the general strain of Hebrew Poetry, instances of which occur in almost every part of the Old Testament, particularly in the ninety-sixth Psalm. II. Gradations of the poetical parallelism. The poetical parallelism has much variety and many gradations; which may be referred to four species, viz. Parallel Lines Gradational, Parallel Lines Antithetic, Parallel Lines Synthetic, and Parallel Lines Introverted. An example or two of each of these shall be given, which will enable the attentive reader of our admirable authorised version readily to discover others as they arise: for, that version being strictly word for word after the original, the form and order of the original sentences are preserved; and this circumstance will account for its retaining so much of a poetical cast, notwithstanding it is executed in prose. 1. Parallel Lines Gradational are those, in which the second or responsive clause so diversifies the preceding clauses, as generally to rise above it, sometimes by a descending scale in the value of the related terms and periods, but in all cases with a marked distinction of meaning. This species of parallelism is of most frequent occurrence, particularly in the psalms and the prophecies of Isaiah. The following example is given from the evangelical prophet, ch. lv. 6, 7.: Seek ye Jehovah [or, the LORD] while he may be found; Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts: And let him return unto Jehovah, and he will compassionate him; And unto our God, for he aboundeth in forgiveness. "In the first line men are invited to seek Jehovah, not knowing where he is, and on the bare intelligence that he may be found; in the second line, having found Jehovah, they are encouraged to call upon him, by the assurance that he IS NEAR. In the third line, the wicked, the positive, and presumptuous sinner, is warned to forsake his way, his habitual course of iniquity; in the fourth line, the unrighteous, the negatively wicked, is called to renounce the very thought of sinning. While, in the last line, the appropriate and encouraging title OUR GOD is substituted for the awful name JEHOVAH, and simple compassion is heightened into overflowing mercy and forgiveness.” (Bp. Jebb's Sacred Literature, pp. 37, 38.) See further instances in Isa. li. 1. 47. Joel ii. 7. Psalm i. 1. xxi. 1, 2. and xxiv. 3, 4. 2. Parallel Lines Antithetic are those in which two lines correspond one with another, by an opposition of terms and sentiments: when the second is contrasted with the first, sometimes in expressions, sometimes in sense only. This is not confined to any particular form. Accordingly, the degrees of antithesis are various, from an exact contraposition of word to word, sentiment to sentiment, singulars to singulars, plurals to plurals, down to a general disparity, with something of a contrariety in the two propositions. Thus, Prov. ch. x. 1. A wise son rejoiceth his father: But a foolish son is the grief of his mother. Here every word has its opposite, the terms "father" and "mother" being relatively opposite. 3. Parallel Lines Constructive are those, in which the parallelism consists only in the similar form of construction; wherein word does not answer to word, and sentence to sentence, as equivalent or opposite: but there is a correspondence and equality between the different propositions in respect of the shape and turn of the whole sentence and of the constructive parts; such as noun answering to noun, verb to verb, member to member, negative to negative, interrogative to interrogative. This form of parallelism admits of great variety, the parallelism being sometimes more, sometimes less exact, and sometimes hardly at all apparent. Psalm xix. 7—11. will furnish a beautiful instance of this description of poetical parallelism. The law of JEHOVAH is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of JEHOVAH is sure, making wise the simple; The commandment of JEHOVAH is clear, enlightening the eyes: The judgments of JEHOVAH are truth, they are just altogether. 4. Parallel Lines Introverted, or Introverted Parallelisms, are stanzas so constructed, that whatever be the number of lines, the first line shall be parallel with the last; the second with the penultimate, or last but one; and so throughout, in an order that looks inward, or, to borrow a military phrase, from flanks to centre. Dr. Jebb, Bishop of Limerick, has illustrated this definition with numerous apposite examples, from which the following has been selected : "And it shall come to pass in that day; Jehovah shall make a gathering of his fruit: To the stream of Egypt: |