# Hebrew Poetry & the Sideways "V"



## danmpem (Mar 5, 2008)

A friend of mine has been telling me about a technique used in Hebrew poetry. It occurs when the poet would make a statement (call it "A"), then another ("B") , and so on; and, then he would have the core point with opposite/reflecting statements or verses that follow (A' would reflect "A" and so on). In the original scrolls, it would appear to be a sideways "V" like this:

A
..B
....C
......Core Point
....C'
..B'
A'

I know it appears in such books as Amos and 1 Timothy. What is this called?


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## Poimen (Mar 5, 2008)

Chiasmus


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## Guido's Brother (Mar 5, 2008)

I just read an interesting article in Reformed Theological Journal which mentioned the use of chiasmus in the Song of Songs. Seeing this helps to explain why it _appears_ that the couple in the Song have sex before they're married.


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## RamistThomist (Mar 5, 2008)

Chiasms are awesome literary devices. Very powerful. The only problem is that some scholars want to force everything into a chiasm, and that just isn't psosible. But chiasms appear more often than not. The trick is trying to preach from a chiasmic outline.


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Mar 5, 2008)




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## MW (Mar 5, 2008)

Chiasmus can't be used to recreate a literary order, but is dependent on the order as presented. I would be wary of identifying literary devices for the purpose of solving internal problems. Canticles only presents itself as a book containing internal problems when it is read the wrong way.


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## danmpem (Mar 5, 2008)

Ivanhoe said:


> Chiasms are awesome literary devices. Very powerful. The only problem is that some scholars want to force everything into a chiasm, and that just isn't psosible. But chiasms appear more often than not. The trick is trying to preach from a chiasmic outline.



I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "some scholars want to force everything into a chiasm".


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