Deep Dive into Introduction to Biblical Interpretation by William W. Klein, Craig L. Blomberg, and Robert L. Hubbard Jr. - General Rules of Hermeneutics: Biblical Poetry

Poetry fundamentally differs from prose in its highly organized and dense structure, placing it on the intense side of the literary spectrum. The basic unit of poetry is the single line or stich, consisting of tightly arranged lines, whereas the basic unit of prose is the sentence. Poetry is characterized by sparseness and restricted structure, concise sentences, and an economy of language where there are no wasted words.

The unique dynamics of poetry are built upon three main components: structure, sound, and language.

The structure is dominated by parallelism, which is the phenomenon where successive lines dynamically strengthen, reinforce, and develop each other's thought, often creating a sense of depth and progression. Parallelism falls into three main variations: A = B (where B echoes or contrasts A), A > B (where B qualifies the main idea in A), and A < B (where B completes A, often through intensification or progression). Larger structural units, called sense units, are identified by shifts in content, grammar, literary form, or the concentration of keywords.

In terms of language, poetry features a higher concentration of vivid imagery and figures of speech, substituting abstract ideas with concrete words that evoke a sensory experience. Devices include similes (explicit comparison using "like" or "as"), metaphors (blunt comparison stating "A is B"), personification (treating nonhuman things as human), and hyperbole (conscious exaggeration for emotional impact). Proper interpretation requires identifying the figure, recognizing its emotional connotations, distilling the figurative meaning from the literal meaning, and determining the figure's function within the poem.

Sound dynamics, such as alliteration and assonance, enhance unity, provide special emphasis to keywords, and signal the poet's intentions. Even the relative lengths of poetic lines convey the poem's tempo, which may comment on the speed of the actions portrayed.

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