The Prophet And The Poet: Parallelism In Biblical Poetry Poem by Terence George Craddock (Spectral Images and Images Of Light)

Is one-third
of Biblical Old Testament
written in poetry?

Entire books Job Psalms Proverbs
the Song of Solomon Lamentations
except for short prose sections.

Large portions of Isaiah Jeremiah
the writings of Minor Prophets
adhere to poetic form and content.

Observe three main divisions
of an inspired Old Testament
the Law the Prophets the Writings

all contain prized poetry
in exultant larger amounts.
Why did God choose poetry?

Why do seven Old Testament books
Leviticus Ruth Ezra Nehemiah
Esther Haggai Malachi lack poetic lines?

Poetic elements
commonly found
in contemporary

poetry alliteration
assonance rhyme; are rare
in Hebrew Biblical poetry.

God promoted
an essential formal
characteristic

parallelism
the content
of one line

is repeated
contrasted
or advanced

by the content
of the next line
in sense rhythm

characterized
by thought
arrangement

not word
arrangement
or rhyme.

The three main types
of parallelism
in biblical poetry

are synonymous
antithetic
and synthetic.

What mysteries
are in each hidden
what secrets cloaked?


Copyright © Terence George Craddock