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Parallelism in Hebrew Poetry Demonstrates a Major Error in the Hermeneutic of Many Old-Earth Creationists

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Parallelism in Hebrew Poetry Demonstrates a Major Error in the Hermeneutic of Many Old-Earth Creationists Answers Research Journal 5 (2012):115–123. www.answersingenesis.org/arj/v5/parallelism-hebrew-poetry-old-earth.pdf Parallelism in Hebrew Poetry Demonstrates a Major Error in the Hermeneutic of Many Old-Earth Creationists Tim Chaffey, Web writer and editor, Answers in Genesis, Petersburg, Kentucky Abstract Many old-earth creationists cite poetic passages in an effort to convince people that we cannot and should not interpret the creation account literally. Yet the old-earth creationist is quick to interpret SRHWLFSDVVDJHVO LWHUDO O\DQGWUHDWWKHQD U UDWLYHSDVVDJHVÀJX UDWLYHO\7KLVD U WLFOHZ L O OSURYLGHDVX U YH\RI the nature of Hebrew poetry and provide examples of the various forms of parallelism exhibited in the six poetic books of the Bible: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Lamentations. 7KHÀQDOVHFWLRQRIWKLVVWXG\ZLOOVKRZWKDW*HQHVLVLVQRWSRHWU\DQGDEULHIH[DPLQDWLRQRID SRSXODU2OG7HVWDPHQWHYHQWZLOOUHDGLO\GLVSOD\WKHYDVWGLIIHUHQFHVEHWZHHQQDUUDWLYHDQGSRHWU\ Keywords: narrative, Hebrew poetry, synonymous parallelism, antithetic parallelism, synthetic parallelism, framework hypothesis, progressive creationism, hermeneutics, old-earth creationism, chiasm Introduction 7KHVHFRQGW\SHRISDUDOOHOLVPLGHQWLÀHGE\/RZWK Poetry is a highly stylized form of writing used LVNQRZQDVDQWLWKHWLFSDUDOOHOLVPZKLFKLVQHDUO\WKH by many cultures, each having their own unique opposite of synonymous parallelism. This occurs when methods of conveying information. Americans and WKHVHFRQGVWLFKLVGLUHFWO\FRQWUDVWHGWRWKHÀUVWDQG other Westerners are familiar with poetry based on LWLVGRQHWRHPSKDVL]HRUFRQÀUPWKHWKRXJKWRIWKH rhyme and meter. For the ancient Hebrews, poetry ÀUVW3URYHUEVSURYLGHVDJRRGH[DPSOH was typically not based on rhyme, but on a concept 7KHWRQJXHRIWKHZLVHPDNHVNQRZOHGJHDFFHSWDEOH NQRZQDVSDUDOOHOLVP But the mouth of fools spouts folly. The nature of Hebrew poetry was recognized By contrasting the folly from the mouth of fools in the 12th century by Ibn Ezra and by Kimchi in with the tongue of the wise, it focuses attention on the WKHWKFHQWXU\EXWLWZDVPRUHFOHDUO\GHÀQHGE\ rightness of the tongue of the wise. 5REHUW/RZWKLQ 8QJHUS 7KLVVW\OH The third type of parallelism has been the LVPDUNHGE\DIRFXVRQWKHDUUDQJHPHQWRIFRQFHSWV VXEMHFWRIPXFKGLVFXVVLRQEHFDXVH/RZWKPD\KDYH rather than arranging words in a rhyming pattern. RYHUVLPSOLÀHG WKLV FDWHJRU\ LQWR D VRUW RI FDWFKDOO /RZWKOLVWHGWKUHHSULPDU\W\SHVRISDUDOOHOLVP IRUHYHU\RWKHUW\SHRISRHWU\5REHUWVRQ0F4XLONLQ V\QRQ\PRXVDQWLWKHWLFDQGV\QWKHWLF /XFDV VWDWHGWKDWV\QWKHWLFSDUDOOHOLVPLVIRXQGZKHQ´WKH SS² 7KHVH DUH VRPHWLPHV FDOOHG VLPLODU SRHWDGGVWRWKHRULJLQDOFRQFHSWµ 0F4XLONLQ thoughts, contrasting thoughts, and additional S +HVHHVWKHÀUVWWZRYHUVHVRI3VDOPDVDQ WKRXJKWVUHVSHFWLYHO\ 0F4XLONLQS example of this. 7KLV SDSHU ZLOO GHÀQH WKHVH W\SHV RI SDUDOOHOLVP Blessed is the man give examples of each type found in the poetic :KRZDONVQRWLQWKHFRXQVHORIWKHXQJRGO\ ERRNV RI 6FULSWXUH DQG H[DPLQH WKH LPSRUWDQFH RI Nor stands in the path of sinners, parallelism. 1RUVLWVLQWKHVHDWRIWKHVFRUQIXO %XWKLVGHOLJKWLVLQWKHODZRIWKH/25', Types of Parallelism And in His law he meditates day and night. Synonymous parallelism is perhaps the easiest to Each successive line of this passage builds on the spot while reading. This term applies to successive FRQFHSW RI ZKDW D PDQ ZKR LV EOHVVHG ZLOO EH OLNH lines of text which state essentially the same concept Three lines describe what he will not do, and two give LQWZRGLIIHUHQWZD\V8QJHUGHÀQHGLWDV´WKHÀUVW positive examples of what he will do. OLQH RUVWLFK UHLQIRUF>HV@WKHVHFRQGDQGJLYLQJD But is synthetic parallelism really that easy GLVWLFKµ 8QJHU S $Q H[DPSOH RI WKLV LV WRGHÀQH"0LFNHOVHQGRHVQRWEHOLHYHV\QWKHWLF found in Psalm 2:4: parallelism is even true parallelism. He wrote, +HZKRVLWVLQWKHKHDYHQVVKDOOODXJK 7KLVLVDFDWHJRU\IRUPXODWHGE\%LVKRS/RZWKEXWLQ 7KH/25' shall hold them in derision. reality is not true parallelism. The meaning continues Although these two lines are not identical, they but the balance of thought is lost. The thought is convey the same concept regarding God’s response H[WHQGHG³LWÁRZVRQ³EXWWKHVWUHVVDQGEDODQFHRI toward those who plot and scheme to overthrow Him. true parallelism is not there 0LFNHOVHQS ISSN: 1937-9056 Copyright © 2012, 2016 Answers in Genesis, Inc. All content is owned by Answers in Genesis (“AiG”) unless otherwise indicated. AiG consents to unlimited copying and distribution of print copies of Answers Research Journal articles for non-commercial, non-sale purposes only, provided the following conditions are met: the author of the article is clearly identified; Answers in Genesis is acknowledged as the copyright owner; Answers Research Journal and its website, www.answersresearchjournal.org, are acknowledged as the publication source; and the integrity of the work is not compromised in any way. For website and other electronic distribution and publication, AiG consents to republication of article abstracts with direct links to the full papers on the ARJ website. All rights reserved. For more information write to: Answers in Genesis, PO Box 510, Hebron, KY 41048, Attn: Editor, Answers Research Journal. The views expressed are those of the writer(s) and not necessarily those of the Answers Research Journal Editor or of Answers in Genesis. 116 T. Chaffey /H0RQDQG6WUDZQDGGHG 0LFNHOVHQS 6\QWKHWLF SDUDOOHOLVP LV WKXV D NLQG RI FDWFKDOO When two lines are paired together and are FDWHJRU\ZKHQSRHWLFOLQHVDUHQHLWKHUV\QRQ\PRXV parallel to another pair of lines it is called external QRUDQWLWKHWLFDO/RZWKSODFHGWKHPLQWKLVWKLUGW\SH parallelism. An example of introverted parallelism is /H0RQDQG6WUDZQS 1 IRXQGLQ3VDOP² VODVKHVDQGVSDFLQJDGGHG -DPHV.XJHORIIHUHGWKHPRVWWKRURXJKFULWLTXHRI WRGLVSOD\WKHSDUDOOHOLVP parallelism as the primary characteristic of Hebrew 7R<RX2/25', / I called, poetry. He argued that the attempt to classify all $QGWRWKH/25' / I made supplication: SRHWLFOLQHVLQWRMXVWWKUHHFDWHJRULHVGRHVQRWZRUN :KDWSURÀWLVWKHUH LQP\EORRG .XJHOS LI,JRGRZQWRWKHSLW" 0LFNHOVHQ DSSDUHQWO\ DJUHHG ZLWK WKLV DVSHFW RI :LOOWKHGXVW SUDLVH<RX" .XJHO·VDVVHVVPHQWVLQFHKHH[SODLQHGÀYHRWKHUW\SHV :LOOLWGHFODUH <RXUIDLWKIXOQHVV" of parallelism, which would have all been categorized +HDU2/25' DQGEHJUDFLRXVWRPH E\/RZWKDVV\QWKHWLF7KHÀUVWWKUHHIDOOXQGHUWKH 2/25' / be my helper. category of complete parallelism, while the last two :KHQODLGRXWOLNHWKLVLWLVHDV\WRVHHKRZWKH DUHFODVVLÀHGDVLQFRPSOHWHSDUDOOHOLVP ÀUVWWZRDQGODVWWZROLQHVFRUUHVSRQGWRHDFKRWKHU Emblematic parallelism occurs when one stich The two middle pairs also correspond to each other. states a concept in a literal manner and the other line Notice that the parallelism is nearly complete. It is VWDWHVDFRUUHVSRQGLQJLGHDÀJXUDWLYHO\7KLVIRUPLV only missing a phrase in the fourth line. fairly easy to recognize due to the use of metaphor 7KLV W\SH RI SDUDOOHOLVP PDNHV XVH RI FKLDVP D or simile. As such, it is also called parallelism of FRPPRQGHYLFHLQ+HEUHZSRHWU\ %XOORFNS comparison.2$ZHOONQRZQH[DPSOHRIWKLVLVIRXQG so named because when it is diagrammed, the lines in Psalm 42:1. form an XZKLFKLVWKHHTXLYDOHQWRIWKH*UHHNOHWWHU $VWKHGHHUSDQWVIRUWKHZDWHUEURRNV FKL%XOORFNFLWHV3URYHUEVDVDQH[DPSOH7KH So pants my soul for You, O God. phrases of the English version have been rearranged 7KHGHHUOLWHUDOO\GRHVSDQWIRUZDWHUIRUWKHEURRNV to match the Hebrew order. EXWDVRXOGRHVQRWOLWHUDOO\´SDQWµIRU*RG7KLVLVD ,I\RXVHHNKHU DVVLOYHU ÀJXUDWLYHZD\RIH[SUHVVLQJWKHSVDOPLVW·VGHVLUHIRU God. as for hidden treasures and search for her 0LFNHOVHQVWDWHGWKDWVWDLUOLNHSDUDOOHOLVP The X format of this verse is clearly visible. Some LVDIDVFLQDWLQJNLQGRISDUDOOHOLVPZKLFKXWLOL]HV have sought to apply this chiastic structure to larger meaningful repetition to the utmost. A part of the portions of Scripture. This will be examined in the ÀUVWOLQHLVUHSHDWHGZKLOHWKHQHZHUHOHPHQWVEXLOG ÀQDOVHFWLRQZKHQGLVFXVVLQJWKHLPSRUWDQFHRI up to a climax 0LFNHOVHQS parallelism. 3VDOP²GLVSOD\VWKLVVWDLUOLNHDSSURDFK There are also two forms of incomplete parallelism. *LYHXQWRWKH/25', O you mighty ones, 7KH ÀUVW LV NQRZQ DV LQFRPSOHWH SDUDOOHOLVP ZLWK *LYHXQWRWKH/25' glory and strength. compensation. In this form there are an equal number *LYHXQWRWKH/25'WKHJORU\GXHWR+LVQDPH of stressed units in each stich, but they are not exactly ´*LYHXQWRWKH/25'” is stated in each of the lines, parallel. Psalm 103:15 displays this type. EXWWKHVHFRQGDQGWKLUGOLQHVDGGWRWKHÀUVWE\ $VIRUPDQKLVGD\VDUHOLNHJUDVV WHOOLQJWKH´PLJKW\RQHVµZKDWWKH\VKRXOGJLYHXQWR $VDÁRZHURIWKHÀHOGVRKHÁRXULVKHV WKH/25'. 7KHVHFRQGIRUPRILQFRPSOHWHSDUDOOHOLVPLVNQRZQ Introverted or inverted parallelism is the most as incomplete parallelism without compensation. FRPSOH[ RI WKH IRUPV GLVFXVVHG VR IDU 0LFNHOVHQ 7KLVRQHEDUHO\TXDOLÀHVDVSDUDOOHOLVPLQDQ\ZD\ stated, because, as the title suggests, it is incomplete, and the In this type, two lines stand closely together, and lines do not even have an equal number of stressed they are balanced off against two other lines. In a XQLWV0LFNHOVHQFLWHV3VDOPDVDQH[DPSOHRI strophe or stanza consisting of eight lines, introverted this, and includes a diagram to help the reader see parallelism is found when lines 1–2 correspond to what parts are parallel. Below, the pattern is given lines 7–8, and lines 3–4 correspond with lines 5–6 ÀUVWIROORZHGE\WKHSDVVDJHGLYLGHGXSWRPDWFKWKH 1/H0RQDQG6WUDZQFLWH/RZWK·VDGPLVVLRQWKDWKLVWKLUGFDWHJRU\ZDVYHU\EURDGRIWHQLQFOXGLQJDVFKHPHRISDUDOOHOLVPWKDW LVVXEWOHRUREVFXUH7KHGLIÀFXOW\ZLWKVXFKDEURDGFDWHJRU\LVKLJKOLJKWHGE\WKHP´$YHU\UHDOSUREOHPDULVHVZKDWNHHSV PXQGDQHSURVHIURPEHLQJMXVWDQRWKHUNLQGRIV\QWKHWLFSDUDOOHOLVP"µ/H0RQDQG6WUDZQ
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