a

In the foregoing examples may be observed the different degrees of synonymous parallelism. The parallel lines sometimes consist of three or more synonymous terms; sometimes of two; which is generally the case, when the verb, or the nominative case of the first sentence is to be carried on to the second, or understood there; sometimes of one only; as in the four last examples. There are also among the foregoing a few instances, in which the lines consist each of double members, or two propositions. I shall add one or two more of these, very perfect in their kind:

"Bow thy heavens, O Jehovah, and descend;
Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke:
Dart forth lightning, and scatter them;
Shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them."

Psal. cxliv. 5, 6.

"And they shall build houses, and shall inhabit them; And they shall plant vineyards, and shall eat the fruit thereof:

They shall not build, and another inhabit;

They shall not plant, and another eat:

For as the days of a tree, shall be the days of my people;

And they shall wear out the works of their own hands." Isa. Ixv. 21, 22.

* The terms in English, consisting of several words, are hitherto distinguished with marks of connection; to show, that they answer to single words in Hebrew.

Parallels are also sometimes formed by a repetition

of part of the first sentence:

My voice is unto God, and I cry aloud;

My voice unto God, and he will hearken unto me.

I will remember the works of Jehovah ;

Yea, I will remember thy wonders of old."

"The waters saw thee, O God;

The waters saw thee; they were seized with anguish."

Psal. lxxvii. 1, 11, 16.

"For he hath humbled those that dwell on high;

The lofty city, he hath brought her down:
He hath brought her down to the ground,
He hath levelled her with the dust.
The foot shall trample upon her;
The feet of the poor, the steps of the needy."

Isa. xxvi. 5, 6.

"What shall I do unto thee, O Ephraim !
What shall I do unto thee, O Judah!
For your goodness is as the morning cloud,
And as the early dew it passeth away."

Hos. vi. 4.

Sometimes in the latter line a part is to be supplied from the former to complete the sentence:

"And those that persecute me thou wilt make to turn their backs to me;

Those that hate me, and I will cut them off."

2 Sam. xxii. 41.

b In the parallel place, Psal. xviii. the poetical form of the sentence is much hurt, by the removing of the conjunction from the second to the first word in this line: but a MS, in that place reads as here.

"The mighty dead tremble from beneath; The waters, and they that dwell therein."

"And I looked, and there was no man;

a

Job xxvi. 5.

Even among the idols, and there was no one that gave advice;"

"And I inquired of them, and [there was no one] that returned an answer." Isa. xli. 28.

Further, there are parallel triplets; when three lines correspond together, and form a kind of stanza; of which, however, only two commonly are synonymous:

"The wicked shall see it, and it shall grieve him; He shall gnash his teeth, and pine away;

The desire of the wicked shall perish."

Psal. cxii. 10.

"That day, let it become darkness;
Let not God from above inquire after it;
Nor let the flowing light radiate upon it.
That night, let utter darkness seize it;
Let it not be united with the days of the year;
Let it not come into the number of the months.

Let the stars of its twilight be darkened :

Let it look for light, and may there be none;
And let it not behold the eyelids of the morning."
Job iii. 4, 6, 9.

a See the note on the place.

"And he shall snatch on the right, and yet be hungry; And he shall devour on the left, and not be satisfied; Every man shall devour the flesh of his neighbour." b Isa. ix. 20.

"Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe;
Come away, get you down, for the wine-press is full;
The vats overflow; for great is their wickedness."
Joel iii. 13.

There are likewise parallels consisting of four lines two distichs being so connected together, by the sense and the construction, as to make one stanza. Such is the form of the 37th Psalm; which is evidently laid out by the initial letters in stanzas of four lines; though in regard to that disposition some irregularities are found in the present copies. From this Psalm, which gives a sufficient warrant for considering the union of two distichs as making a stanza of four lines, I shall take the first example:

"Be not moved with indignation against the evil-doers;
Nor with zeal against the workers of iniquity:
For like the grass they shall soon be cut off;
And like the green herb they shall wither."

"The ox knoweth his possessor;
And the ass the crib of his lord;
But Israel doth not know Me;
Neither doth my people consider."

b

b See the note on the place.

Psal. xxxvii. 1, 2.

Isa. i. 3.

"And I said, I have laboured in vain;

For nought and for vanity I have spent my strength : Nevertheless my cause is with Jehovah;

And the reward of my work with my God."

"Jehovah shall roar from Sion;

And shall utter his voice from Jerusalem:

Isa. xlix. 4.

And the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn;
And the head of Carmel shall wither."

Amos i. 2.

In like manner some periods may be considered

as making stanzas of five lines; in which the odd line, or member, either comes in between two distichs, or after two distichs makes a full close:

"If thou wouldst seek early unto God;
And make thy supplication to the Almighty;
If thou wert pure and upright:

Verily now would he rise up in thy defence;

And make peaceable the dwelling of thy righteousness.” Job viii. 5, 6.

"They bear him on the shoulder; they carry him about;

They set him down in his place, and he standeth ;

From his place he shall not remove;

To him, that crieth unto him, he will not answer;
Neither will he deliver him from his distress."

Isa. xlvi. 7.

"Who is wise, and will understand these things? Prudent, and will know them?