04.12. II. Affecting the Arrangement and Order of Words
II. AFFECTING THE ARRANGEMENT AND ORDER OF WORDS 1. SEPARATE WORDS
-------- Hyperbaton; or, Transposition The placing of a Word out of its usual order in a Sentence
Hy-per´-ba-ton. Greek,
All words are arranged in a sentence according to certain laws, which have been acquired by usage. These laws are not the same in all languages, but each language has its own peculiar laws, called Syntax, which merely means a putting together in order. Even in one language this order may vary in different stages of its history and development.
Hyperbaton is a putting together of words in a way contrary to or different from the usual order. Hence, what is Hyperbaton in one language may not be Hyperbaton in another. In English, the arrangement of words in a sentence usually follows the order of thought. Hence, naturally, the subject (with all that pertains to it) comes first: i.e., the thing spoken of; then follows the copula: i.e., the verb, and all words connected with it; and then the predicate: i.e., something said about the subject, called the object, with its adjuncts. In an inflected langnage (like the Greek, for example) it is not so necessary to keep to the formal arrangement of the words in a sentence, the grammatical dependence of words being sufficiently indicated by the inflections. Consequently there is great room for a variety of arrangements, when a particular word has to be emphasized.
It is hopeless to attempt to give an adequate idea of the nature and extent of the beautiful and subtle shades of meaning and thought produced by these unusual collocation of words called Hyperbaton. So delicate are they, at times, that it is scarcely possible to reproduce them in a translation. In the Greek language, the object usually follows the governing verb; but it sometimes comes before it. The predicate usually comes after the object; but sometimes it stands first. The adjective usually follows the noun which it qualifies; but sometimes it stands before its noun: etc, etc. The most emphatic position for these transposed words is at the beginning of a clause; but sometimes it is at the end; in which case the word is held back, and kept in suspense, while the attention is kept up, and the hearer or reader has nothing for it but to listen to the close for fear of losing the whole. When it is put out of its place, and stands out at the beginning, it thrusts itself upon our notice, and compels us to give all our attention, and see what it is that is going to be said about it. In the old Hebrew Syntax, the subject usually precedes the predicate, the adjective the substantive, pronouns the nouns, the genitive the nominative, and the nominative the verb: e.g., Jdg 1:7 : “seventy kings thumbs of their hands and feet cut off, were.” In more modern Hebrew Syntax, the adjective follows the substantive; pronouns follow nouns; while the genitive follows the nominative which has a special form called the “construct.” In Chaldee, the verb is placed after the subject, and the article after the noun.
It has been said that “proper words in proper places is the true definition of style.” But an intentional deviation from the ordinary “style” for the purpose of attracting attention and expressing the emphasis is the definition of Hyperbaton.
We may illustrate its use in this way. A person has a particular chair in his room, which he wishes his friends to notice. They continue to call, but do not notice it. It is in the usual place where chairs ought to be, and so does not attract any special attention. But one day he places this chair upon the table. Who can then fail to observe it, the moment the room is entered? This is exactly what takes place with words, in the figure Hyperbaton. Special attention is desired for some particular word. Placed in its ordinary and usual position, it may not be noticed. But, put out of its usual order and place at the beginning instead of at the end of a sentence, it is impossible for the reader not to be arrested by it.
If we say, for example, “The mystery of godliness is great,” that is the natural order of the English words. But if we say, “Great is the mystery of godliness,” we see at once that all the emphasis is to be placed on the word “great.” This figure has also been called SYNCHYSIS, Syn´-chy-sis: Greek,
We now give a few examples:-
Isa 34:4.-“And the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll.” Here, (in the Heb.) the word “heavens” is emphasized by being, by Hyperbaton, put last: “And they shall be rolled together as a scroll-the heavens.”
Jer 14:1.-“The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth.” Here, by Hyperbaton, it is That which was the Word of the Lord came, etc.
Jer 17:3.-“I will give thy substance and all thy treasures to the spoiler.” Here, the verb is emphasized by being put last: “All thy substance and all thy treasures to the spoiler-will I give.”
Mat 5:3-11.-In these verses, called the “Beatitudes,” the participle is put out of its usual place, and made to begin the sentences instead of ending them: thus calling attention to the emphasis placed upon it.
Mat 7:13.-“Enter ye in at the strait gate.”
Here the adjective is placed before the noun to call attention to its narrowness. So with the adjectives “wide” and “broad,” which are both to be emphasized.
Luk 16:11.-“Who will commit to your trust the true riches.” The Hyperbaton (in the Greek) shows where the emphasis is to be placed: “The true riches-who will entrust them to you.”
John 1:1.-Here the subject, “the Word,” being defined by the article which is prefixed to it, can be placed at the end of two of the clauses: “In the beginning was the Word, and God the Word was”: i.e., in plain cold English, “The Word was in the beginning … and the Word was God.” The A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] preserves the Hyperbaton in the first clause, but not in the last, because the English idiom will not bear it. But in each case we are to put the stress on “the Word.”
See under Climax.
John 4:19.-The order of the words is, “Saith to him, the woman, Sir, I perceive that a prophet art thou”: thus emphasizing both the words “thou” and “prophet,” which should be greatly emphasized in reading.
John 4:24.-“A Spirit is God.” The true emphasis is to be placed on the word “Spirit,” through its being placed (in the Greek) at the beginning of the sentence. In the ordinary order, it would be placed after the subject. The two words are transposed to call our attention to this great fact; as being the basis of the Great Rubric which emphasizes the absolute necessity of our worship being truly spiritual.
See under Hendiadys.
John 6:60.-“Hard is this saying.”
Here again the predicate is put first, and the object last, in order to emphasize both.
John 7:4.-“For no one in secret doeth anything and [at the same time] seeketh for it in public to be.”
John 9:31.-“Now we know that sinners-God does not hear.”
John 17:5.-“And now glorify me, Thou, Father, with Thyself, with the glory which I had, before the world was, with Thee.” Here, the mysterious depths of the words are forced upon our attention by the Hyperbaton. The force of it is weakened by the literalness of the A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] and R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.]
Acts 17:23.-The true emphasis is here brought out by the Hyperbaton: “For passing through and beholding the objects of your worship, I found an altar also, on which stood inscribed, ‘To an unknown God.’ What therefore, unknowing, ye reverence, this I-even I, announce to you.”
Rom 1:3.-“Concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” Here, the A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] entirely loses the emphasis of the Hyperbaton, by which the words “Jesus Christ our Lord” in sense follow the words “His Son,” but are held back in suspense to the very end of the clause. The R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] restores it, but we give our own rendering of this difficult passage (Rom 1:1-4):-
“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, by Divine calling an apostle (see Ellipsis), separated unto God’s Gospel which He promised in former times through His prophets in Holy Scriptures: viz., the Gospel concerning His Son, who was of David’s seed according to the flesh, but was powerfully (
Rom 5:8.-Here the words are out of the natural order to excite our attention. The Greek is: “But commends His own love to us-God.” The nominative is put last, and the verb first, to emphasize both.
Rom 8:18.-“Not worthy are the sufferings of the present time [compared with] the coming glory, to be revealed.”
Here, the emphasis is placed on the non-worthiness of the sufferings, and the nearness of the revelation of the glory.
Rom 11:13.-“For to you I speak, to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am of Gentiles the apostle.”
Here the shades of emphasis can be traced in the unusual order of the words in which fleshly wisdom can discern only “bad grammar”! The first and last words are seen to be very emphatic.
Rom 12:19.-How unusual to commence like this: “Not yourselves avenging (or, be no self-avengers), beloved, but give place to [Divine] wrath,” thus emphasizing “yourselves.”
Rom 14:1.-“Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not for disputings of doubts”: i.e., doubtful disputations, with emphasis on doubtful.
1Co 3:9.-“For God’s fellow-workers, God’s husbandry, God’s building ye.” The emphasis is on “God’s”; and it is to be noted that it is we who are fellow-workers with one another; not with God, as though He were one like ourselves. We are the fellow-workers with one another, and we belong to God and work for Him. We work, and He it is who giveth the increase.
1Co 13:1.-“If with the tongues of men I speak and of angels.”
Eph 6:8.-“Whatsoever thing each may have done that is good.”
Here the adjective is held over to the last in order to emphasize it.
1Ti 1:15; 1Ti 3:1; 1Ti 4:9. 2Ti 2:11. Tit 3:8.-“
How much more emphatic than the ordinary coldness of the natural order: “The saying is faithful.”
1Ti 3:16.-“Great is, of godliness, the mystery.”
How wonderful is the emphasis thus placed on the word “great,” put as it is before the subject, which is kept back and put as the very last word in the sentence (in the Greek).
See under Synecdoche, Hendiadys, and Synonymia.
1Ti 6:5.-“Supposing that gain is godliness.”
Here the principal word is put out of its place, at the end, to call our attention to it. The emphasis is thus put on the word “godliness,” “Supposing that godliness is gain.”
1Ti 6:12.-“Keep on struggling the fine good struggle of the Faith, lay hold on the life eternal, unto which life thou wast called also, and didst confess the fine confession before many witnesses.”
Here the adjective “fine” (or “good”) is greatly emphasized in each case.
Heb 6:16.-“For with men it is the Greater by whom they swear, and of all dispute they have a decisive settlement the oath.”
Heb 7:4.-“To whom, even a tenth, Abraham gave out of the spoils, the patriarch.”
Notice how the subject of the verse is kept back to the last, in order to call attention to the fact that, if Abraham-the patriarch himself-gave the tithe, He to whom he gave them must of necessity be greater, even than Abraham.
Heb 10:30.-“To me vengeance belongeth, I (even I) will recompense, saith the Lord”: emphasising the pronouns very strongly.
1Pe 2:7.-“To you therefore is the preciousness-[unto you] who believe.” The subject is put last in order to emphasize the fact that the Lord Jesus is precious only to believers and to none else.
1Pe 3:21.-The order and emphasis of the Greek is:-
“Which [water]-in the antitype-now saves you also-namely, baptism: not a putting away of bodily defilement, but an appeal of a good conscience to God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ”: i.e., that while it was water which was the instrumentality through which Noah was brought safely through, it is the Holy Ghost who is now the antitype of this, which we have through the resurrection of Christ.
It was often declared that He should thus baptize: “I baptize with water: but He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.”
1Jn 2:24.-Here again the peculiarity of the Hyperbaton attracts our attraction, and causes us to reflect on the words. “Ye, then, what ye heard from the beginning (or primitively), in you let it abide: if in you shall have abode what from the beginning ye heard, ye also, in the Son, and in the Father, shall abide.” So 1Jn 2:27 : “And you, the anointing, which ye received from Him, in you abideth; and no need have ye that anyone should teach you: but, as the same anointing teacheth you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and even as it [first] taught you, ye will abide in Him.”
Rev 13:8.-“Whose names are not written in the book of life, of the Lamb slain, from the foundation of the world.” The last sentence is put by Hyperbaton out of its place, at the end, so as to call our attention to it. It is a question whether it does not belong to the writing of the names and not to the slaying of the Lamb:-“Whose names are not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb slain.” As in Rev 17:8. Compare Dan 12:1. Psa 69:28 and Isa 53:7.
-------- Anastrophe; or, Arraignment The position of One word changed so as to be set over against the Other
A-nas´-tro-phee. Greek,
Hence it is a kind of Hyperbaton; but affecting only one word, instead of several words, in a sentence.
It is called also PARALLAGE, Par-al´-la-gee. Greek,
We have many examples in English:- The Verb before its Noun.
“Burns Marmion’s swarthy cheek like fire.”-Scott.
Adjective after its Noun.
“He ceased; and death involved him dark around.”-Cowper.
Objective before the Verb.
“Me didst thou constitute a priest of thine.”-Wordsworth.
Preposition before the Participle.
“Into what pit thou seest, from what height fallen.”-Milton.
Preposition after the Noun.
“It only stands our lives upon, to use Our strongest hands.”-Shakespeare.
Noun at end of sentence.
“Ape-born, not God-born, is what the atheists say of-man.”
Deu 22:1.-“Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them.”
Here, the negative is put with “see” instead of with “hide,” in order to emphasize the command, which would otherwise tamely read:-“If thou shalt see … thou shalt not hide,” etc. See under Metonymy.
Mic 6:10.-“Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked?” In the Hebrew, the verse begins with the adverb: “Still are there in the house of the wicked man treasures of wickedness?”
Acts 7:48.-In the English, the negative is joined with the verb, with which it is to be read: but in the Greek, the negative is put at the beginning of the clause, and the verb at the end, which greatly intensifies the force of the word “not.”
“But not the Most High in hand-made temples dwelleth.”
-------- Syllepsis; or, Change in Concord
Grammatical Syllepsis, by which there is a change in the Ideas rather than in actual words, so that the concord is logical rather than grammatical
Syl-lep´-sis. Greek,
It is a figure by which one word, or the meaning of one word, is taken with another; or, when one word is used, and another idea is meant. When involving addition of words, or sense, it has already been described in Div. II.
It is a kind of Enallage, or Heterosis; in that there is an exchange of genders, of numbers, or of both. But it differs from Enallage, in that the change takes place rather in the idea than in the actual words.
It is a kind of Zeugma, in that one adjective or verb belonging to two or more nouns of different genders, persons, or numbers, agrees with one rather than with another.
Syllepsis therefore depends on a change or disturbance in the concord of parts of speech; in making a logical rather than a grammatical concord.
John 16:13-14.-“When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you unto all truth,” etc.
Here, though the word
John 21:12.-“And none (sing. [Note: ing. The Singular Number.] ) of the disciples durst ask him Who art thou? knowing (pl. [Note: The Plural Number.] ) that it was the Lord.” The figure points out that not one asked; for all knew.
2Co 5:19.-“God was in Christ, reconciling the world (sing. [Note: ing. The Singular Number.] ,) unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them (pl. [Note: The Plural Number.] ).”
Here, the figure Metonymy, by which the “world” is put for its inhabitants, is interpreted by the use of the plural, “them.”
-------- Tmesis; or, Mid-cut A Change by which one Word is cut in two, and another Wordput in between
Tmē´-sis. Greek,
It is a figure by which a compound word or connected phrase is separated, and the position of its syllables changed, by the intervention of one or more words.
Each of the syllables thus cut off is a separate and complete word. Thus in “to us ward,” the word “toward” is, by the figure Tmesis, cut in two: and the word “us” is put in between the two separated words, “to us ward.” So also we say “to heaven ward,” or “what condition soever.” The figure is also called DIACOPE, Di-ac´-o-pee. Greek,
DIÆRESIS, Dī-æ´-re-sis. Greek,
DIASTOLE, Di-as-to-lee. Greek,
ECTASIS, Ec´-ta-sis. Greek,
DIALYSIS, Di-al´-y-sis. Greek,
DIVISIO, Division.
There is an example of it in Eph 6:8 :
Through not seeing the figure in this passage, there are several various readings created in order to explain it.
2. Sentences and Phrases
-------- Hysteron-Proteron; or, Last-First The Second of two things put First
Hys´-te-ron - Prot´-e-ron, from
It is, therefore, a kind of Hyperbaton: where ‘the cart is put before the horse.’ It occurs in most languages; but it is a question whether in this sense it occurs in the Bible, as the figure is considered rather a blemish than an ornament. If it is used, it is certainly for unusual emphasis.
Php 3:19 has been cited: “Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.”
Here, the “end” is put first: in order that the mind may dwell with the greater horror on the things which lead to it. The structure of these verses (Php 3:18-19) throws more light on them, and shows that after the words “many walk” there is a parenthetical break, which is resumed at the end of Php 3:19, to show who these “walkers” are, viz., “the earthly minded.” a“For many are walking bWhom I often told you, and do tell you now-even weeping, calling them the enemies of the cross of Christ, bWhose end-destruction; whose god-the belly; and their glory-in shame. aSuch [namely] as are minding earthly things.”
Here, in “a” and “a” we have the walkers; while in “b” we have their walk, and in “b” their end. Hence their walk ends in destruction, their worship ends in their belly, and their glory ends in shame.
Heb 3:8.-“Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness.” The provocation of God followed the temptation in the wilderness; but is here put first to mark out the special temptation referred to.
Heb 4:2.-“For unto us was the Gospel preached, as well as unto them.” Here, the order of time is inverted, to agree with the order of thought, and for emphasis.
But, as we have said, it is a question whether we have any real examples of this figure in the Bible.
-------- Hysterologia; or, the First, Last The First of two things put Last: or, the opposite of Hysteron-Proteron
Hys´-ter-o-log´-i-a. Greek,
It is the opposite of Hysteron-Proteron; except that it refers to a transposition of connected events, rather than of words.
It differs from Hysteresis (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ).
Gen 10:1-32 and Gen 11:1-32.-In Gen 10:1-32 the dispersion of the nations is put before the cause of it, which is recorded in Gen 11:1-32.
Gen 12:1.-Here, the call of Abraham is put, by Hysterologia, after the obedience to it (or to a previous call) in Gen 11:31-32.
Abraham and Terah came out of Haran in consequence of this call; which is not recorded till afterward. The figure thus emphasizes the fact that God had called them out of “Ur of the Chaldees” (see Gen 15:7) “into a land that I will show thee” (Gen 12:1): while the history shows that the obedience, from some cause, was not complete, for “they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.” The Divine comment in Acts 7:2-4 reveals the secret to us: “From thence (i.e., from Haran) when his father was dead, he removed him into this land,” showing that Terah, his father, was the hindrance to Abram’s complete obedience. The figure thus calls attention to the fact that in his day, as well as in our own, family ties often hinder full obedience to God. The two calls are still further marked by the contrasted expressions in Gen 11:31 and Gen 12:5. In Gen 11:31, we read: “They went forth … from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.” In Gen 12:5, we read, as to Haran, that “they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.”
Gen 30:22-24.-The birth of Joseph is described by Hysterologia. For it happened, really, after the birth Of the sixth son of Jacob (Naphtali) and during the first seven years of his servitude. It was after the birth of Joseph that Jacob wished to go away and leave Laban. In the first seven years were born Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, and Joseph. Then he served seven more years (Gen 31:41), and in these were born Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah. So Joseph’s birth, which took place after Naphtali’s, is recorded, by Hysterologia: after Dinah’s.
Gen 38:1-30 -The history of Judah in this chapter is put by Hysterologia, for the greater part of it took place before the selling of Joseph, which is recorded in Gen 37:1-36.
Jdg 20:1-48; Jdg 21:1-25.-These chapters describe the Benjamite war; which must have taken place many years before; indeed soon after Joshua’s death, though recorded here. For Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, was high priest (Jdg 20:28): and Jonathan, the grandson of Moses, was the first idolatrous priest to the tribe of Dan!* [Note: See pamphlet on The Massorah, by the same author and publisher.]
Moreover, Jebus or Jerusalem was still in the hands of strangers (Jdg 19:10-12), whereas Jdg 1:8, Jdg 1:21 describes its capture and firing by the tribe of Judah.
1Sa 16:1-23, 1Sa 17:1-58, 1Sa 18:1-30.-Here, four events in the history of Saul and David are transposed, by Hysterologia, in order to bring together certain facts relating to each; and especially to the Spirit of God in relation to each. In 1Sa 16:1-13, David is anointed, and the Spirit of God comes upon him. Then, in order to contrast the Spirit of the Lord departing from Saul, a later fact is brought forward here (1Sa 16:14-23), which, in the history, really follows 1Sa 18:9. So that chaps. 17-18:9 record an earlier event in David’s life, which is brought in here parenthetically, describing one of the illustrations of 1Sa 14:52, that, when Saul saw any strong man or any valiant man, he took him unto him. Chaps. 17-18:9 go on to give an instance of this with David, and tell how Saul thus found David. Then (after 1Sa 18:9) we have to go back again to prior events (recorded in 1Sa 16:14-23); while, in 1Sa 18:10-30, we have further facts concerning Saul’s “evil spirit” and other events of David’s life. The whole section is beautifully constructed; and the parentheses between the different members are clearly seen: each member being parenthetical to the other two, between which it is placed:- A1Sa 16:1-13. DAVID anointed. The Spirit of the Lord comes upon him.
B 1Sa 16:14-23. SAUL rejected. The Spirit of the Lord departs from Saul, and an evil spirit troubles him.
A 17:1-18:9. DAVID. An earlier incident in his life.
B1Sa 18:10-30. SAUL. The Spirit departed, and evil spirit troubling him. So that, while Saul and David alternate, we see why the special arrangement is made; so as to bring out into contrast the facts recorded in each pair of corresponding members, which are not recorded in their historical order, but in the order of the spiritual instruction which is to be conveyed. The historical order is obtained by reading on from A to A (treating B as being in a parenthesis); and then from B to B (treating A as though it were in a parenthesis); while the logical sequence of the spiritual order is obtained by reading straight on, as the history is written in the Text.
2Sa 23:1-39; 2Sa 24:1-25.-The latter chapter is put after 2Sa 22:1-51 and 2Sa 23:1-39, which contain David’s “last song” and “last words,” while the events really follow 2Sa 21:1-22. The “song” and the “words” follow more appropriately, immediately after the record of David’s mighty acts, instead of after David’s sin in numbering the People.
Isa 38:21-22.-Here, the sign which Hezekiah had asked for, in Isa 38:22, is described in Isa 38:21, beautifully emphasizing the Divine over-ruling of the history.
Amo 6:2.-The cities are put according to logical emphasis, rather than geographical sequence.
Mat 27:52-53.-Here, the events which took place later, are recorded in their consequential order, rather than in the actual historical order. At the moment when the Lord Jesus “yielded up His Spirit … the earth was shaken, and the rocks were rent, and the tombs were opened [and now comes, (by Hysterologia) “many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep, arose, and, coming forth out of the tombs after His resurrection, entered into the holy city, and appeared privately* [Note: This seems to be the meaning of ἐμφανίζειν (emphanizein), see its only other occurrences: Heb 9:24; Heb 11:14.] to many]. Now the centurion, and those with him, keeping guard over Jesus-seeing the earthquake, and the things that were taking place-feared greatly, saying, ‘Truly, God’s Son this Man was.’ ”
It is a question whether it be not this which is referred to in Rom 1:4 : where the Lord Jesus is said to have been marked out as “God’s Son … as the result of raising (or rising) again of dead persons.” For it is not
Some have suggested that we have this figure in the record of the temptation (Luk 4:5; Luk 4:9), where the temptation which seems to come first in order of events is put last. Compare Mat 4:5; Mat 4:8.
Rev 12:1-17 -In this chapter, we have the prophetic record of events, which shall take place before Rev 6:1-17, and lead up to what is recorded in Rev 6:1-17; Rev 7:1-17; Rev 8:1-13; Rev 9:1-21; Rev 10:1-11; Rev 11:1-19.
Rev 6:1-17; Rev 7:1-17; Rev 8:1-13; Rev 9:1-21; Rev 10:1-11; Rev 11:1-19 give the exoteric view of the future history, which ends with the judgment (Rev 11:18). Rev 11:18 therefore brings us parallel to Rev 20:1-26. The Beast and false prophet are upon the earth during this period, and their actions are seen in Rev 9:1-21 and Rev 11:1-19, though they are not named, and their actual coming is not described, till Rev 13:1-18. But Rev 12:1-17 gives the esoteric view of the same period, and takes us back to a point prior to Rev 6:1-17, and shows us the causes which shall lead to the rising up of the Beast and the false prophet.
First, the war takes place in heaven, and the Devil is cast out into the earth.
Then “he” stands upon the sand of the sea (Rev 13:1, R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] ); and John sees these two awful beings coming up, the one from the sea and the other from the earth. There is no record of their doings, except what is recorded in Rev 6:1-17; Rev 7:1-17; Rev 8:1-13; Rev 9:1-21; Rev 10:1-11; Rev 11:1-19, and in Rev 13:1-18.
See further under Ellipsis.
-------- Hysteresis; or, Subsequent Narration A subsequent Narration of prior Events
Hys´-ter-ee-sis. Greek,
Man often does, and is allowed to do, this in human literature: but God may not! and so man cavils at this beautiful figure, and sees in it only “discrepancy”; instead of delighting in these subsequent supplementary facts thus revealed to us by the Holy Spirit, and such as none but He could give.
Gen 31:7-8.-Jacob mentions later, certain facts in his history which had taken place before.
1Sa 12:12.-A prior event is here recorded, not mentioned in the earlier narration.
1Sa 22:9-16.-Certain supplementary details are given here which are not recorded in the account as narrated in 1Sa 21:1-9.
Psa 105:18.-“Whose feet they hurt with fetters.” This, by Hysteresis, is mentioned here, though not recorded in the history of Joseph in Genesis.
Hos 12:3-5 gives further particulars supplementing the history in Gen 32:24, etc.; Gen 28:12-19, and Gen 35:9-15.
Amo 1:1.-A particular earthquake is here mentioned, of which no historical record is given. It is possibly the earthquake mentioned in Zec 14:5. Amos is said to have prophesied “in the days of Uzziah … and Jeroboam”; and it is added, “two years before the earthquake.” Now, in Zechariah, we have no mention of Jeroboam. Hence it is very possible that, by the time the earthquake took place, he was dead. How Amos came to be “among the herdmen from Tekoa”; or, why these men migrated, as it may seem, into Israelite territory, we are not told. But if we take the mysterious “it,”* [Note: Which is masc. in all the eight occurrences: and always followed by the great pause.] which the Lord, by Amos, says, He will not “avert,” to be this very earthquake, we avoid a very puzzling Ellipsis, and shall very likely be correct.
Amo 2:1.-Moab is here said to have “burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime,” a fact of which we have no historical mention. Mesha, king of Moab, evidently was a cruel man. In his superstitions he offered his own son upon the wall, and turned the tide of battle.
See further information concerning this in the history of The Moabite Stone.
Amo 5:25-26.-Here we learn the names of certain of the gods which the Children of Israel worshipped in the wilderness. See also Eze 20:6-7; Eze 20:18; Eze 20:22, etc.
Zec 14:5.-See above under Amo 1:1.
Mat 2:23.-“And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.”
Through missing this Hysteresis, the commentators have created a difficulty of their own.
First, they cannot find such a prophecy in any of the prophets.
Then, they try and make a connection between netzer, a branch, and Nazarene; and, as there is none, the difficulty is only increased.
Even if the connection could be established, the difficulty would not be removed: for it says “prophets” (plural), and the word netzer is used of Christ in only one prophet, Isaiah. So the difficulty is further increased. But there is really no difficulty at all. It is absolutely created. It is assumed from the outset that it says “which was written.” But it does not say so! It says “which was SPOKEN.” The fact is, some prophecies were written down and never spoken; some were both written and spoken; while others were spoken and never written. This is one of the latter class: and there is all the difference in the world between
Thus, this beautiful Hysteresis reveals to us the historical fact that several prophets had declared by the Holy Spirit that the Messiah should be called a Nazarene. But for this Hysteresis we should never have known it.
Mat 23:35-36.-“That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.” etc.
Now, from failing to see the historical Hysteresis here, it has been hastily assumed that the reference is to 2Ch 24:20-21, where we read, “The Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest … And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the Lord.” By this inaccurate reference, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is charged with making a serious mistake. But note that when the Lord says that Zachariah was “the son of Barachias,” He could not possibly have been speaking of “the son of Jehoiada” as the same man.
If He began with Abel, the first martyr, it is not probable He would end with a murder which took place 870 years before he spoke the words, when there were many more during those 870 years.
How much more probable that he referred to Zechariah the (last but one) prophet (and the one of whom he is speaking, verse 31), who died some 500 years before the Lord spoke the words? Moreover, he is expressly called “the son of Berechiah” in Zec 1:1; Zec 1:7.
It is remarkable that there was another Zechariah, the son of Baruch, who was martyred some 36 years afterward (a.d. 69), immediately before the destruction of Jerusalem, as recorded by Josephus (Wars, iv. 5, 4).
Mat 27:9-10.-See under Gnome.
Acts 9:1-43; Acts 22:1-30; Acts 26:1-32.-In the three accounts of the conversion of Saul, we have supplementary facts, disconnected from the historical event.
2Ti 3:8.-“Jannes and Jambres” are named as two of the Egyptian wise men; whose names are not given in Exodus, but are supplied here by the Holy Spirit.
Heb 9:19.-The sprinkling of the book is supplementary information which is not given in Exo 24:1-18
Heb 11:21.-Here we have an additional fact, which at once explains and amplifies Gen 48:12, and is not in discrepancy with Gen 47:31, as is commonly supposed.
We must give the whole of this verse, because of the controversies which have raged around it: “By faith, Jacob, when he was a dying, Messed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.” The marginal reference in the A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] is Gen 47:31; but this, though followed by every one, is certainly not correct. The circumstance in Heb 11:21 is Jacob’s blessing of the sons of Joseph, which is set in company with Isaac’s blessing of his own sons. The two together giving the beautiful lesson that Isaac’s blessing was given contrary to the will of the flesh (i.e., his own will), while Jacob’s blessing was given contrary to the will of man (i.e., Joseph’s will) (Heb 11:20-21).
It is clear, therefore, that the whole emphasis of the reference is to the occasion of the blessing: of which there is not a word in Gen 47:31, and to which it does not refer. In Gen 47:31, Jacob was causing Joseph to swear that he would bury him not in Egypt, but in the land of Canaan, and “Israel bowed himself upon the bed,s head.” But it was “after these things” (Gen 48:1), that the blessing of Joseph and his sons took place. And, then, we have, in chap. Gen 48:12, the worship of Jacob who “bowed himself with his face to the earth.” Jacob must, therefore, have been in a sitting posture; for, in Gen 48:2, we read that when they told him that Joseph was approaching, “Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed”; and, from Gen 48:12, when he embraced Ephraim and Manasseh, he took them “between his knees.” It was then, we gather that, in the blessing of his own sons (for Gen 48:1-22 and Gen 49:1-33 are continuous), that he “leaned on the top of his staff.” And this inspired addition to the information is given us in Heb 11:21, to enhance and emphasize his faith, and to indicate Israel’s extreme infirmity, for it was his last dying act (Gen 49:33).
There is no necessity, therefore, for us to discuss the question of the various reading involved in the Hebrew
Heb 12:21 gives a particular which we do not find recorded in Exo 19:1-25 and Exo 20:1-26.
Jas 5:17.-The earnest prayer of Elijah is not recorded in 1Ki 17:1.
Jude 1:9 mentions by the Holy Spirit the contention of Satan about the body of Moses; and, in Jude 1:14, some words of a prophecy of Enoch. Trading on this reference, men have forged “the book of Enoch” evolving its fancies and trivialities out of this historical Hysteresis.
-------- Simultaneum; or, Insertion A parenthetic Insertion between the record of two simultaneous Events Si´-mul-ta´-ne-um. Latin, from simul, at the same time, together. This figure is used when, in a description of events, properly belonging to the same time, one is changed and put out of its historical place, and put in between two others, which is thus divided so as to take us by surprise.
It is, therefore, a kind of historical parenthesis, or logical Tmesis (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ).
Mark 15:12-14.-Where Pilate’s words (Mark 15:12, Mark 15:14) are interrupted by the shouts of the People (Mark 15:13). The events took place literally in this order: but, instead of describing the two events separately, Pilate’s words and the People’s are described at one and the same time.
Rev 16:13-16.-Here the description (Rev 16:14, Rev 16:16) of the work of the three unclean spirits in gathering together the kings of the earth to Armageddon is interrupted by Rev 16:15; which is an injunction specially referring to that same time, and is therefore introduced there, by Simultaneum, for the sake of emphasis.
-------- Antithesis; or, Contrast A setting of one Phrase in Contrast with another
An-tith´-e-sis. Greek,
It is a figure by which two thoughts, ideas, or phrases, are set over one against the other, in order to make the contrast more striking, and thus to emphasize it.* [Note: When this consists of words rather than of sentences, it is called Epanodos, and Antimetabole (q.v.).] The two parts so placed are hence called in Greek antitheta, and in Latin opposita and contraposita. For example:
“When our vices leave us, we flatter ourselves we leave them.”
“Curved is the line of beauty, Straight is the line of duty.”
“The prodigal robs his heir, the miser robs himself.”
“God demands man’s homage; man offers Him his patronage.”† [Note: Dr. Robert Anderson in The Silence of God.]
Man often misuses this figure, for the mere fancy of balancing sentences; and thus often falsely exaggerates a contrast which lies more in the words than in the thoughts. When this is the case it is called Antimetabole, Parison, Annominatio, etc. (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ).
It is called also CONTENTIO: i.e., comparison, or contrast. When this contrast is made by affirmatives and negatives, it is called Enantiosis, see below. The Book of Proverbs so abounds in such Antitheses that we have not given any examples from it.
Isa 1:21.-Of Jerusalem it is said “Righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers [lodge in it].
Isa 59:9.- “We wait for the light, but behold obscurity; For brightness, but we walk in darkness.”
Isa 65:13-14.-Where we have many beautiful Antitheses. See also under Symploce.
Lam 1:1.-“How doth the city sit solitary that was full of people!”
Luk 2:14.-“Glory in the highest to God, and on earth peace.” And then, after these two Antitheta, a third fact is stated as resulting from them when coming together:-“Good will toward men.”* [Note: Is it not clear that εὐδοκία (eudokia) refers to Divine complacency, and that we find the explanation in the εὐδόκμσα (eudokeesa) of Mat 3:17; Mat 12:18; Mat 17:5. Mark 1:11. Luk 3:22. 2Pe 1:7? With these, contrast God’s side (Heb 10:6; Heb 10:8; Heb 10:38); and on man’s side (2Th 2:12. How scholars can tolerate the Revisers’ reading εὐδοκίας (eudokias) is a marvel. Can a parellel be produced?] See under Ellipsis.
Rom 5:18.-“Therefore as through one offence judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so too, through the righteous act (
Rom 5:19.-“For as by one man’s disobedient act many were made sinners, so by the obedient act of one (i.e., His death) shall many be made righteous.”
See also Paronomasia and Paregmenon.
Rom 6:7-8.-“For he that died, has been justified from sin. Now, if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall live also with him.”
Rom 8:5.-“For they that are (or live) after (or according to) flesh (the Old nature) do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are (or live) after (according to) spirit (the New nature) [do mind] the things of the spirit”: i.e., the things that belong to the New nature. See under Metonymy.
Rom 8:13.-“For if ye live according to flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through spirit (the New nature) do mortify the deeds of the body (i.e., by reckoning that it died with Christ, Rom 6:11), ye will live.”
Rom 15:12.-“There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise [and raise His banner] to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.” The reference is to Isa 11:10 : where
2Co 4:17-18 contains several beautiful Antitheses.
2Co 6:8-10 contains a series of beautiful Antitheses. In 2Co 6:4-5 -, we have a seven-fold passive experience:- patience, afflictions, necessities, distresses, stripes, imprisonments, tumults In 2Co 6:5-6-, we have a seven-fold self-denial:- labours, watchings, fastings, pureness, knowledge, longsuffering. kindness. In 2Co 6:6; 2Co 6:8 -, we have a seven-fold means to endure:- the Holy Ghost, love unfeigned, the word of truth, the power of God, the armour of righteousness, honour and dishonour, evil report and good report. In 2Co 6:8-10, we have a seven-fold result in the following Antitheses:- deceivers, and yet true; unknown, yet well-known; dying, yet living; chastened, yet not killed; sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; poor, yet enriching others; having nothing, yet possessing all things.
Php 3:7.-“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.”
Note that, by Antithesis, our attention is called to the fact that Paul is here speaking, by the Spirit, of his “gains,” not of his sins. Of his gains, as a man and an Israelite; which included the hope of resurrection as well as righteousness, of course: but he was willing to give them all up for that righteousness which he had in Christ, and for that “out-rising from among the dead,” which he should have at Christ’s appearing.
He does not, in Php 3:11, speak of something which he could attain to as a Christian more than other Christians; but he is contrasting his “gains,” as a Jew, and putting them in Antithesis with his greater gains as a Christian.
2Pe 2:19.-“While they promise them (i.e. their dupes) liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption.”
-------- Enantiosis; or, contraries Affirmation or Negation by Contraries
E-nan-ti-oō´-sis. Greek,
Psa 1:1.-We have here a beautiful series of affirmation by contraries.
Isa 45:22.-“I am God, and there is none else.”
Luk 7:44-46.-The difference between reality and formality is beautifully shown by a series of contrasts which are affirmatives by contraries.
Rom 8:15.-“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption (or a sonship-spirit), whereby we cry, “Abba, Father.”
Php 3:9.-“And be found in him (Christ), not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that [righteousness] which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” See under Synecdoche.
-------- Anacoluthon; or, Non-sequence A breaking off the sequence of Thought
An´-a-co-luū´-thon. Greek,
Human writings of deep thought or feeling or argument frequently have the figure Anacoluthon, which in these cases is mere irregularity attributable to inadvertence, arising from the negligence or carelessness of the writer.
But, in the case of the Scriptures, where the Holy Spirit is the Author, and all is perfect, the figure not only imparts grace, but strength and force to the language, and is intended to catch and fix the attention of the reader. In this case, of course, what is abandoned is not further necessary. It has served its purpose in arresting, and so the argument passes on to that to which the attention is to be given.
1. Sometimes the accusative stands alone at the beginning of a sentence This is not an “accusative absolute,” but is to be rendered “as for” or “as to.”
Luk 21:6.-Here, the Lord says: “These things which ye behold”: and then He turns off, and says: “There will come days.” So that we must supply the words “As to” these things, etc.
Acts 10:36.-Here, again, the sentence begins with the accusative: “The word which He sent unto the children of Israel.” Some MSS., not understanding the Anacoluthon, omit the relative pronoun “which.” But the sense is “As touching the word which He hath sent,” etc. Or it may depend on
Rom 8:3.-“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh.” Here, the argument breaks off to speak of what God has done: “God (by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin) did: namely, “He condemned sin in the flesh in order that the righteous-requirement (
2. Sometimes the leading proposition is interrupted by a parenthesis, and, when the subject is resumed, the grammatical connection is changed
3. Sometimes the construction suddenly changes (without a paten. thesis) by a change of persons; or, from participles to finite verbs; or, from singular to plural, and vice versa Mark 6:11.-“And whosoever shall not receive you … shake off the dust of your feet against them.”
Here, the Anacoluthon is seen only when we take the Critical Text approved by T. [Note: . Tischendorf and his critical Greek Text.] Tr. [Note: r. Tregelles and his critical Greek Text.] A. [Note: . Alford and his critical Greek Text.] WH. [Note: H. Westcott and Hort, and their critical Greek Text.] , and R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] viz.,
Luk 11:11.-“From which of you, the father, shall his son ask bread? Will he give him a stone?”
Here the plural “you” is broken off for the singular “he.”
1Co 7:13.-“And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her,” etc.
Here the break is from the feminine to the masculine.
2Co 5:6; 2Co 5:8.-Here the change is from participles to finite verbs:
“Being confident then always, and conscious that being at home [here] in the body, we are from home, away from the Lord (for by faith we are walking, not by sight). We are confident, however, and are content rather to be from home [here] out of the body, and to be at home with the Lord [there].”
These words are usually misquoted “absent from the body, present with the Lord,” as though it meant that the moment we are absent from the body we are present with the Lord. But this is exactly what it does not say: and the Anacoluthon calls our attention to this. The whole subject is resurrection, starting from 2Co 4:14. Our two bodies are contrasted in 2Co 5:1-5: viz.: “the earthly house of this tabernacle (i.e., this mortal body)” is contrasted with “our
There is no thought (here or elsewhere) of our being at home, or “with the Lord,” apart from resurrection and our resurrection bodies.
Gal 6:1.-“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”
Here the abrupt transition from the plural to the singular, which is a kind of Enallage (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ), makes the general precept applicable to each individual, in order to emphasize the absolute necessity of the “spirit of meekness” which is enjoined. The figure calls our attention also to the fact that restoration is the object, and not judgment. Experience would lead us to believe that the text read: “Ye which are spiritual judge such an one in the spirit of bitterness and harshness, not considering thyself!” Hence the use of this figure to arrest our attention, and correct our error.
Eph 1:20.-“Having raised him … he set him.”
Col 1:26.-“The secret which had been lying hid from the ages and from the generations, but lately was made manifest to his Saints.”
Other examples may be found, e.g.:- Change from first person to the second: Gal 3:25-26; Gal 4:5-6; Gal 4:20.
Change from second person to the first: Eph 2:2-3; Eph 2:13-14; Eph 4:31-32; Eph 5:2 (textual reading). Col 1:10-13; Col 3:3-4. 1Th 5:5.
Change from second person plural to singular: Rom 12:16-20. 1Co 4:6-7. Gal 4:6-7.
Change from third person to second: Jas 2:16.
4. Sometimes the construction is broken off altogether, andis not completed at all Mark 11:32.-“But if we shall say, Of men;-they feared the people.”
Here, the reasonings of the rulers are broken off, and the sense must be supplied by Ellipsis (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ).
Rom 5:12.-This is usually given as an example of what appears to be an Anacoluthon; because the sense seems broken off at the end of Rom 5:12 : but the structure of the passage shows us the connection, and where the sense or argument is resumed. Many suppose that this is Rom 5:15; but the Correspondence of subjects shows that it must be Rom 5:18. The section to which Rom 5:12 belongs is that from Rom 5:12-21, and is as follows:- The structure of Rom 5:12-21.
AaRom 5:12. By one man, sin: then, death upon all. bRom 5:13. Sin not imputed where no Law exists. cRom 5:14. The reign of death.
B Rom 5:15. Not as the offence, so the gracious gift.
B Rom 5:16-17. Not as by one person, so the gift.
AaRom 5:18-19. By one man’s offence, all men under condemnation; by one man’s disobedient act the many were constituted sinners; and the counterpart. bRom 5:20. The offence abounded when Law came-and the counterpart. cRom 5:21. The reign of sin-and the counterpart.
Here, we see that Rom 5:12 corresponds with Rom 5:18-19, and consequently all between (viz., Rom 5:13-17) is practically in a parenthesis. Moreover, note that the three members of A are stated with their counterparts, and are thus distinguished from the three in A. [Note: . Alford and his critical Greek Text.]
1Ti 1:3-4.-Here, the A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] supplies the sense by adding “so do.” The R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] adds “so do I now.”
5. Sometimes the change consists of a sudden transition from the indirect to the direct form of speech Mark 6:9.-“But being shod with sandals; and put not on two coats.
Luk 5:14.-“He charged him to tell no man, but go and show thyself,” etc. This may be explained by the Ellipsis of the verb “say,” “but [he said] go and show thyself,” etc.
John 5:44.-“How can ye believe, receiving honour one from another? and the honour that is only from God, ye seek not.”
Acts 1:4.-“Wait for the Father’s promise which ye heard of me.” The A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] and R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] treat this as Ellipsis, supplying the words “which [saith or said he] ye have heard of me.”
Acts 17:3.-“Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered and have risen from among the dead, and that this is the Christ whom I announce to you.” The R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] (and A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] margin) treat this as Ellipsis, “whom [said he] I preach,” etc.
6. Sometimes the change is from the direct form, which passes into the indirect
John 13:29.-“Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.”
Acts 14:22.- “Establishing the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many tribulations must we enter into the Kingdom of God.”
See under Ellipsis.
Acts 23:23.-“Get ready two hundred soldiers that they may go to Cæsarea.” The natural sequence would have been “and go.”
7. Sometimes two equivalent constructions are united in the same proposition It is scarcely necessary to present these in full. The student can readily search them out for himself.
See Mark 6:7; Mark 12:38. Rom 12:4. 1Co 14:5. Eph 5:27; Eph 5:33. And in the Old Testament the following may be noticed:- Gen 35:3. Jos 23:16. Jdg 16:24. Neh 10:30.