None of the above phenomena, as they are psychologically explicable, diminish the perspicuity of the style of Scripture, and there are a number of devices whereby its clearness is increased.—
The first place amongst these is held by the Simile. What a bright light is thrown upon the number of Abraham’s descendants by the declara- tion that they shall be ‘like the dust of the earth’ (Gn 131 2814), or ‘as the sand which is upon the seashore’ (2217 32"), or ‘as the stars of the heaven’ (15° 2277 26* etc.)! How clearly defined is the victory of the theocratic king by the words ‘Thou
shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel’ (Ps 2°)! With what terrible distinctness the persecutor stands before our eyes when it is said ‘lest he tear my soul like a lion’ (7? 10° 17)! The few words ‘Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard’ (Is 18) describe the situation of besieged Jerusalem more clearly than could have been done in a series of sentences. With what a shuddering feeling we hear the words ‘In that day they shall roar against — them like the roaring of the sea’ (5%)! We will only note, further, the characteristic words spoken of Ahaz, ‘His heart was moved as the trees of the forest are moved with the wind’ (7?).—A special form of the Simile is the Example. For instance, when it is said ‘We have sinned with our fathers . .. our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt,’ etc. (Ps 106%), this is equivalent to ‘We have sinned like our fathers,’ ete. The rapddevyya or Exemplum is merely a Simile introduced in a peculiar manner. The Example is rare in the OT, there being hardly any more instances of it than the following: Mal 2 (Abraham), Ps 99° (Moses, Aaron, and Samuel), 106% (Phinehas), Neh 1376 (Solomon). Later generations had much more occasion to introduce characters from earlier his- tory for the purpose of encouragement or of warning. The following are cited as examples for imitation: Abraham, Moses, and others in the ‘Praise of Famous Men,’ Sir 44ff., in Jth 4” 8%, or in 1 Mac 2°; David as a pattern of self- restraint (cf. 2 S 2316) in 4 Mac 3°71”; the queen of the south (z.e. Saba) in Mt 12"; the widow of Sarepta in Lk 4% ete. We have, held up to warn- ing: the Egyptians in Wis 17°%; the Sodomites in Mt 10" 11%; Lot’s wife, that urvyuetov amicrovons Wuxfs (Wis 107) in Lk 17%*; Theudas and others in Ac 55: ete. The OT is somewhat richer in in- stances of the Example, if we include those that are drawn from the animal world. When, ¢.g., we read ‘The ox knoweth his owner,’ etc. (Is 1°), what is this but an example which puts man to shame? Similar is the force of the saying ‘The stork in the heaven knoweth his appointed times,’ etc. (Jer 87), and every one is familiar with the call ‘Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise’ (Pr 6°). . For further instances see Stilistik, p. 78f.—Closely akin to the Example is the Proverb. For the function of the latter is simply to describe the usual working of an Ex- ample. It must, however, suflice here to note the high value of the Proverb as a device for lending vividness to a description. For further details, see art. PROVERB in vol. iv.—While, on the one hand, shortened forms of the Simile may be seen in the Example and the Proverb, this figure of speech assumes, on the other hand, expanded forms in the Parable and the Fable, as well as in those passages of the OT which may be called Para: myths. These three species of picturesque descri tion are explained in the art. PARABLE (in OT) in vol. iii.
The second principal stylistic device for illus- trative ends is the Metaphor and its cognates. The source of the metaphor is a vivid simultane- ous contemplation of the main elements in two notions. For instance, the notions of joy and of light are naturally combined, because both exer- cise a liberative and elevating influence upon the health of man. On the other hand, unhappiness and darkness both weigh man down, as it were. Thus we explain sayings like the following: ‘Thou wilt light my candle, the LORD my God will en- lighten my darkness’ (Ps 18%). For the same reason, a sorrowful period in one’s life is described as a passing ‘through the valley of the shadow of death’ (234). So we read ‘The people that sat in darkness have seen a great light’ (Is 92), 7.e. they shall attain to political freedom and deliverance
STYLE OF SCRIPTURE