Biblical Poetry Midterm (Twigg)
A stated comparison using "like" or "as"
Simile
Wrote two Psalms (Ps. 72, 127)
Solomon
Wrote 10-12 Psalms (Ps. 42, 44-49, 84, 87); connected with a rebellious individual in Numbers
Sons of Korah
Parallelism in which the first line is developed or completed by the second
Synthetic
What are the thirty-four non-titled Psalms called?
The Orphan Psalms
Who wrote the Book of Job?
Unknown (but tradition says Moses)
What word in Job 1:1 means "ethically appropriate"?
Upright
Where do the events of Job occur?
Uz (perhaps modern Saudi Arabia)
The most dogmatic of Job's friends; claims Job is being punished and deserves more punishment
Zophar
Who is absent from the third cycle?
Zophar
Of the 150 Psalms, how many have titles?
116
What is the approximate range of years that the writing of Psalms covers?
1405-500 BC
Approximately what percent of the OT was written in poetical form?
30-50%
Which Hebrew division of Psalms is called the "Davidic Book" (only Ps. 1, 2, 10, and 33 in this book are not written by David)?
Book 1 (Ps. 1-41)
What chapter(s) are included in Job's First Cycle?
Ch. 4-14
Called "the sweet Psalmist of Israel"; 73 Psalms are specifically attributed to him; organized choirs and invented instruments
David
What does each Hebrew book of Psalms end with?
Doxology
The fourth friend; not answered by Job; claims to speak for God
Elihu
Wrote Psalm 89; one of David's three musical leaders
Ethan/Jeduthun
Form of Hebrew poetry that urges action or wishes for something; e.g., Hab. 3, Num. 6:24-26
Exhortatory
Wrote Psalms 88; one of David's three musical leaders
Heman
"The solemn sound or murmuring of the harp"; used 4x in the OT; related to the Hebrew word translated "meditate"
Higgaion
Give some examples of brief portions of poetry contained in OT books
Judges 16:15, 1 Samuel 18:17
Form of Hebrew poetry that expresses intense emotion; e.g., Job 3, Psalms, Lamentations, 2 Sam. 23:1-7; "elegiac"
Lyrical
Means "instruction"; used 13x in Psalms
Maschil
Implied comparison
Metaphor
The Hebrew word for Psalm; occurs 57x in the collection; some believe this word literally means "plucking an instrument"
Mizmor
Wrote Psalm 90, the oldest Psalm in the collection
Moses
Figurative language using part of something to symbolize the whole
Synecdoche
What is the general word for praises that is used to name the Psalms in the Hebrew Bible?
Tehilim
What is the purpose of the Book of Job (verbatim)?
To Show That The Proper Relationship Between God and Man is Based Solely on The Sovereign Grace of God and Man's Response of Faith and Submissive Trust
What does it mean to fear God?
To recognize God's character and respond by revering, trusting, worshipping, obeying, and serving Him
T/F: Job is a wisdom book
True
T/F: Satan is a title, not a name
True
T/F: The scores of the Psalms are lost to time
True
T/F: There is Hebrew poetry in every category of OT Scripture
True
T/F: There is no universal meter in Hebrew poetry
True
T/F: When God speaks, He makes no reference to the retribution principle
True
T/F: When it comes to Hebrew poetry, how God says something is just as important as what He said
True
What four pieces of information can be given by a superscription in Psalms?
Type of Psalm, Author or recipient, Historical occasion, Musical instruction
What is the major question of the book from Job's perspective (Job 10:7)?
Why am I, a person who loves and obeys God, suffering?
What does the word "Psalm" mean?
"A poem set to notes"
What passage of Job is included in the Epilogue?
42:7-17
How many Psalms are anonymous?
50
How many questions does God ask Job?
77
Around what time were most of the Psalms written?
900 BC
Some believe that Hebrew meter is based on ______ rather than syllables
Accent
When do the events of Job occur?
After the Flood and before Abraham
When were the final Psalms (Ps. 126 and 137) added tot he collection?
After the exile
Lit. "Hind of the Dawn"; possibly a tune for the Psalm; possibly an allegorical allusion to the subject
Aijeleth Shahar (Ps. 22)
Lit. "maidens, young women"; probably denotes that it was written for women's voices
Alamoth (Ps. 46)
Lit. "Destroy not"; may indicate prayer of deliverance; may be title of melody or arrangement
Altaschith (Ps. 57-59, 75)
"Truly, so be it"; an affirmation; original meaning was literally "firm"; sometimes an audience response to worship
Amen
Figurative language giving human characteristics to God
Anthropomorphism
Parallelism in which the second line either restates the first in a negative way or states a contrasting truth; indicated by "but"
Antithetic
Contemporary of David; wrote Ps. 50, 73-83
Asaph
Job's friend that used the conditional argument; says Job has done wrong and must repent; emphasizes God's justice
Bildad
Hebrew division of Psalms with a focus on the suffering of the ungodly; contains many Davidic Psalms
Book 2 (Ps. 42-72)
Hebrew division of Psalms that focuses on God's dealing with Israel; "The Book of Asaph"
Book 3 (Ps. 73-89)
Hebrew division of Psalms that focuses on God's reign; has no predominant author
Book 4 (Ps. 90-106)
Hebrew division of Psalms that focuses on the Word of God; contains the Hallelujah Psalms and the Psalms of Degrees; no predominant author
Book 5 (Ps. 107-150)
What chapter(s) are included in Job's Introduction?
Ch. 1-2
What chapter(s) are included in Job's Second Cycle?
Ch. 15-21
What chapter(s) are included in Job's Third Cycle?
Ch. 22-31
What chapter(s) are included in Job's Soliloquy?
Ch. 3
What chapter(s) are included in Elihu's Speech?
Ch. 32-37
What chapter(s) are included in God's Response to Job?
Ch. 38-42:6
Parallelism in which the first and last line are parallel and the second and second to last line are parallel
Chiastic (Introverted)
How does Job's suffering help the reader of the Book?
Clarifies the main point (man's relationship with God)
Form of Hebrew poetry designed to teach a moral lesson; e.g., Job, Ecclesiastes, Proverbs
Didactic
What is the major question of the book from God's perspective (Job 1:9)?
Does Job love God, or the blessing He gives?
What two ideas does Job refute?
Dogmatic application of the retribution principle and the Idea that man's relationship to God is like a legal contract
What characteristic of Hebrew poetry means saying a lot in a few words?
Economy of words/terseness
Job's friend that claimed special revelation; says that Job is pious so God will help him soon; says Job needs to appeal to a mediator
Eliphaz
Parallelism in which one line uses a metaphor or simile to illustrate the other
Emblematic
Form of Hebrew poetry that deals with events; e.g., Ex. 15, Judges 5, 1 Sam. 2, Ps. 104; poetic form and telling of an event
Epic-Lyric
T/F: The focus of the Book of Job is Job's suffering
False (man's relationship with God is the primary idea)
T/F: The superscriptions are not inspired
False (they are inspired)
T/F: Job's Soliloquy deals with the theological and ideological reasons for why Job suffered rather than his emotions
False (vice versa)
T/F: We categorize poetry based on form, not content
False (vice versa)
What are the four ways to help understand Hebrew poetry?
Find historical context, Identify parallelism, Note literary devices, Maintain theological consistency
Give some examples of complete poetical compositions in OT books
Gen. 49, 1 Sam. 2:1-10, Ex. 15, Judges 5
Lit. "wine press"; feminine from Gath; maybe name of an instrument or a melody
Gittith (Ps. 8, 81, 84)
Who is on trial in the book of Job?
God
God's questions for Job all involve what three topics?
Job wasn't involved in Creation, Job isn't involved in Creation's management, Questions regarding the animals
What is some evidence for the date of the Book of Job?
Job's longevity and lifestyle, key OT ideas omitted, wealth measured by livestock, precipitation mentioned
Figurative language using a related thing to symbolize something
Metonymy
Lit. "to stamp, to engrave"; translated "contemplative poem"
Michtam (Ps. 16, 56-60)
Lit. "with stringed instruments"; likely refers to the leader of the temple choir that played on stringed instruments
Neginoth (Ps. 4-6, 54-55, 61, 67, 76)
One of the major characteristics of Hebrew poetry; a balanced structure of paired expressions
Parallelism
What word in Job 1:1 means "blameless, complete"?
Perfect
As opposed to law and history, poetry books focus on _____ _________ and deal with the __________
Personal experience, Individual
Figurative language giving human qualities to non-human objects
Personification
What term indicates that God reveals His Word more and more over time and refers the the Psalms constantly being added to during Bible times?
Progressive Revelation
Form of Hebrew poetry that describes future events; e.g., Isa. 53, Gen. 9:25-27, Gen. 49, Num. 23-24
Prophetic
What is Satan's objective in Job?
Proving that people only serve God for His blessings
Some suggest that Books 1 and 2 of Psalms were once one book but were divided by an editor's addition of Psalms ___-____
Ps. 42-50
Probably a musical term; means "lift up"; used 71x in Psalms; accents what came before
Selah
An eight-stringed instrument
Sheminith (Ps. 6, 12)
From "to reel about through drink"; perhaps means a poem with irregular meter
Shiggayon (Ps. 7)
Lit. "lilies"; could be a reference to a six-stringed instrument; perhaps a reference to a trumpet
Shoshannim (Ps. 45, 69)
Tune or arrangement to which the poem was played or sung
Shoshannim-Eduth (Ps. 80)