ANTITHETIC STRUCTURE IN BIBLICAL HEBREW POETRY

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Contents

Preface

Abbreviations

INTRODUCTION: THE DEFINITION OF ANTITHESIS IN LITERATURE AND ITS PLACE IN THE HEBREW BIBLE

1. The Concept of Antithesis as a Rhetorical-Stylistic Form

a) Greek, Roman and Later European Literary Criticism

b) Robert Lowth and the Field of Hebrew-Semitic Literature

c) Conclusions Regarding the Peculiarities and Extent of Antithesis

2. Antithesis in Ancient Literatures

a) Semitic Literature

aa) Babylonian Wisdom Literature

bb) Northwest Semitic Literature

b) Greek, Latin and the Older European Literatures

3. The Place of Antithesis in the Hebrew Bible and the Question of Method

a) The Present State of Research

b) The Place of Antithetic Structures in the Hebrew Bible and the Question of Limitation

c) Methodological Remarks

I. EPIC LITERATURE

The Song of Deborah

1. The Present State of Research and the Antithetic Structural Division

2. The Interrelation of Whole and Parts

a) The Glory of YHWH (4-5) // the Misery of the People (6-8)

b) The Willing and the Unwilling Tribes (11c-18)

c) The Fight of Kings and Stars (19-22)

d) Meroz Cursed (23) // Jael Blessed (24)

e) Jael (25-27) // Sisera's Mother (28-30)

f) Concluding Antithesis (31)

3. Conclusion

II. PSALMIC LITERATURE

Psalm 73

1. The Present State of Research and the Antithetic Structure

2. The Structure as a Whole and Basic Elements of Antithetic Structural Division

a) Particles and Pronouns

b) Some Key-Phrases and Key-Concepts in Their Relation to the Whole Structure

c) Tenses in Antithetic Tensional Structures

d) Preliminary Conclusion: The Sequential/Inter-Sequential Antithetic Structure

3. Shorter Key-Units in Their Relation to the Whole

a) The Arrogance of the Godless (9) // the Loyalty of the Psalmist (25)

b) (17b) // (24b)

c) Concluding Antithesis

4. Conclusion

Psalms 2, 3, 5, 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 55, 58, 59, 82, 89

1. Psalm 2

2. Psalm 3

3. Psalm 5

4. Psalm 30

5. Psalm 31

6. Psalm 32

7. Psalm 34

8. Psalm 35

9. Psalm 55

10. Psalm 58

11. Psalm 59

12. Psalm 82

13. Psalm 89

14. Conclusion

III. PROPHETIC LITERATURE

Selected Units from the Book of Jeremiah

1. 10,2-16

a) The Text and the History of its Interpretation

b) Antithetic Structure

aa) 3-5//6-7

bb) 8-9//10

cc) 11//12-13

dd) 14-15//16

c) Conclusion

2. 12,1-6

3. 18,7-12; 24,5-10; 27,8-11

a) 18,7-12

b) 24,5-10

c) 27,8-11

4. 30,5-11.12-17; 31,15-17

a) 30,5-7//10-11

b) 30,12-15//16-17

c) 31,15//16-17

5. Conclusion

Selected Units from the Book of Ezekiel

1. Chap. 13

2. 16,1-43; 23,1-31

a) 16,1-43

b) 23,1-31

3. 17,3b-10

4. 19,10-14

5. 20,3-31

6. 27,3-11 + 25b-36

7. Conclusion

IV. DIDACTIC LITERATURE

Jeremiah 17,5-8 and Psalm 1

1. Jeremiah 17,5-8

2. Psalm 1

3. Conclusion

Selected Units from the Book of Job

1. 14,7-12

2. 14,13-22

3. The Inner Relation Between the Antitheses 14,7-12 and 14,13-22

4. Chap. 28 — The Song of Wisdom

a) 1-11//12-22

b) 12-22//23-28

5. Chaps. 29-30

6. Excursus: The Inner Structure of the Book and the Antithesis

7. Conclusion

APPENDIX

1. Comprehensive List of Units of Antithesis in the Hebrew Bible

2. How far the Units of Antithesis Can be Subsumed Under Categories

a) Illusion // Reality

b) Blessing // Curse

c) Pride // Humiliation

d) Antitheses in Conditional Form

3. The Origin of the Basic Forms of Antithesis

a) The Antithesis is Conditioned by Nature

b) The Antithesis Conditioned by the Way of Thinking and the Conception of Life

c) The Antithesis in Relationship to Basic Literary Forms

CONCLUSIONS

1. Basic Characteristics of Individual Selected Texts

2. Antithesis in the Hebrew Bible in View of a General Theory of Literature

Selected Bibliography