Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Figure of Speech in The Scripture
Figure of Speech in The Scripture
August 7,
2013
Figures of speech are universal to human communication. Every language, including the
biblical languages, has them.
Calling something figurative that is literal. For example, the 6 days of Creation in Genesis 1
are literal 24-hour periods. But many who want to believe Creation couldn’t have happened
that quickly say they are figurative.
Calling something literal that is figurative. For example, John 8:58, “Before Abraham was, I
am” is used to support that Jesus is eternal and pre-existed Abraham. Really, it is the figure
of speech heterosis or switching of word forms (here, verb tense). It emphasizes the certainty
of Jesus’ coming.
1/6
It is not honest biblical interpretation to call something figurative simply because you don’t
understand it or don’t want to believe it.
The words in God’s Word are perfect. God has a reason for everything He says – where He
says it; when He says it; to whom He says it; and how He says it.
Figures of speech in the Bible are precise and exact, not haphazard.
But when a statement appears to be contrary to our experience, or to known fact, or to the
general teaching of truth, then we can expect that a figure of speech is present.
If a word or words are truly a figure of speech, then that figure can be named and
described. It will have a specific identifiable purpose.
1 Corinthians 11:16-21, Paul calls himself a fool. He isn’t one, but is using the figure
“sarcasm.”
Isaiah 55:12, “the trees will clap their hands.” Trees don’t have hands and don’t clap. The
figure is personification.
The words are clear and literal, but meant to convey a deeper lesson or application, such as
in a parable.
The words are clear and literal, but are put together in a grammatical or structural way that
brings emphasis to the section. This kind of figure may be lost in translation.
Genesis 2:17, “you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when
you eat of it you will surely die.” The Hebrew reads, “dying you will die,” using the figure
“many inflections,” that is the same word in different forms.
Ephesians 3:18, “to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” The
“ands” is the figure “Many ands” and gives separate emphasis to each part, more than a
comma would.
2/6
The study of figures of speech is complex because of the number of languages (Hebrew,
Greek, Aramaic and English) involved, and because each language has many figures.
But the patterns of language are so universally common to mankind that most of the figures
of speech cross over from language to language in a recognizable way.
Various scholars through the centuries have offered systems of classifying figures of speech.
The clearest and best documented is by E. W. Bullinger, as follows:
Antenantiosis – meaning “opposite.” Psalm 84:11, “No good thing does He withhold from
those whose walk is blameless,” meaning He will give him every good thing.
3/6
Epizeuxis – duplication; repetition of the same word in a sentence.
Isaiah 40:1, “Comfort, comfort my people…” John 1:51 (KJV), “Verily, verily I say unto you…”
Translated in the NIV as “I tell you the truth.”
Anaphora – like sentence beginnings; repetition of the same word at the beginning of
successive sentences.
Matthew 5:3-11, “Blessed are the poor…Blessed are those who mourn…Blessed are the
meek…”
Epistrophe – like sentence endings; repetition of the same word at the end of successive
sentences.
Psalm 115:9-11 all end in “he is their help and shield.”
Epanadiplosis – encircling; the same word and the beginning and end of a sentence.
Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always; I will say it again, rejoice.”
Anadiplosis – like sentence endings and beginnings; the same word at the end of a
sentence and beginning of the next sentence.
Psalm 121:1 and 2, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My
help comes from the Lord…”
Polyptoton – many inflections. The repetition of the same word in different forms.
Ephesians 6:18 (KJV), “Praying always with all prayer…”
Revelation 17:6 (KJV), “I wondered with great wonder…”
Hyperbole– exaggeration
2 Samuel 1:23, “Saul and Jonathan…they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than
lions.”
4/6
3. Figures Involving Change (words or meaning changed)
*Metonymy and synecdoche are very similar. The distinction is that in metonymy, the
exchange is made between two related nouns; in synecdoche, the exchange is made
between two related ideas.
Hendiadys – two for one; two words used, one thing meant.
1 Timothy 1:17, “honor and glory” meaning “glorious honor.”
Luke 1:17, “He will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah…” (the powerful
spirit, or spiritual power of Elijah)
Gnome – quotation
Matthew 1:22 and 23 quotes Isaiah 7:14.
Amphibologia – double meaning; has two interpretations both of which are true.
Acts 13:22, “…‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do
everything I want him to do.’” A man after my own heart could have two correct
interpretations. From God’s perspective, David was like-hearted with God; from David’s, he
was after, or seeking, God’s heart.
6/6