Let Me See Your Form Seeking Poetic Structure in the Song of Songs

by Roberts, Phillip D.

• ISBN13: 9780761829133
• ISBN10: 076182913X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-03-09
• Publisher: UPA

Summary

This study tackles the problem of the Song of Song's structure by beginning at the bottom, the microstructure of the Song, rather than at the top. By employing a new type of rhetorical method, Professor Roberts defines each of the minimal structural units of the Song by identifying the formal poetic features that mark its opening and closing, coupled with the poetic features that create cohesion within it. Moving up the Song's structural ladder, larger units are identified with the same technique. While this study does not identify an overall structure, it does demonstrate how recognition of these formal structuring devices can help the interpreter define the structural units of the Song with far greater precision. The final chapter presents a catalog of these formal, poetic features that typically mark the opening and closure of structural units in the Song, as well as those that effect cohesion. Within is a catalog that can be refined and enlarged by application of the same method to other poetic texts. Other exegetical insights abound. Professor Roberts demonstrates a more highly structured pattern of the wasfs than has been recognized heretofore, and proposes a new interpretation of the adjuration refrain. He identifies a type of phonological anacrusis employed numerous times in the Song, and addresses almost every text-critical issue in the Song, many of which are resolved by attention to poetic structuring devices.

Author Biography

D. Phillip Roberts was a member of the Department of Biblical Studies faculty at Florida College.

Table of Contents

Dedication	p. iii
Contents	p. v
Foreword	p. xiii
Preface	p. xv
Acknowledgments	p. xvii
Abbreviations	p. xix
Interpretation and Structure in the Song of Songs	p. 1
The Resilience of Traditional Interpretive Paradigms	p. 1
Structural Implications of the Traditional Interpretive Paradigms	p. 4
Recent Literary Analyses of the Structure of the Song	p. 9
Seeking a New Starting Point	p. 13
Poetry and Structure in the Song of Songs	p. 15
Structural Analysis and Literary Theory	p. 15
Recent Studies of Poetic Structure in the Song of Songs	p. 17
The Method of the Present Study	p. 19
The Rudiments of Structural Analysis: Cohesion and Segmentation	p. 19
The Limits of the Analysis: Micro-Structure versus Macro-Structure	p. 21
Paradox in the Analysis: The Role of Sense Units	p. 23
The Basis of the Analysis: Poetic Structuring Devices	p. 24
Issues in Hebrew Poetry	p. 27
Prose or Poetry?	p. 28
The Nature and Role of Parallelism	p. 29
The Question of Meter	p. 31
Accentual Meter	p. 32
Alternating Meter	p. 32
Word/Concept	p. 33
Syllable Count	p. 33
Letter Count	p. 33
Syntactic Systems	p. 34
No Meter	p. 35
Parallelism and Colon Length	p. 35
Colometry	p. 36
Rhythm	p. 37
The Bicolon	p. 38
Strophes	p. 39
Inclusio and Chiasmus	p. 43
Phonological Features	p. 44
Song of Songs 1:2-2:7	p. 47
Rightly Do the Maidens Love You (1:2-4)	p. 49
The First Strophe: Therefore The Maidens Love You (1:2-3)	p. 50
The Second Strophe: Rightly They Love You (1:4)	p. 53
The Two-Strophe Unit as a Whole (1:2-4)	p. 55
Contiguous Connections	p. 57
Remote Connections	p. 57
Dark But Lovely (1:5-6)	p. 57
The First Strophe: Dark as the Tents of Kedar (1:5)	p. 58
The Second Strophe: Keeper of the Vineyard (1:6)	p. 59
The Two-Strophe Unit as a Whole (1:5-6)	p. 60
Contiguous Connections	p. 62
Remote Connections	p. 63
Where Do You Pasture Your Flocks? (1:7-8)	p. 64
The First Strophe: Tell Me, Where? (1:7)	p. 64
The Second Strophe: If You Do Not Know (1:8)	p. 66
The Two-Strophe Unit as a Whole (1:7-8)	p. 67
Contiguous Connections	p. 68
Remote Connections	p. 69
The Ornaments and Fragrances of Love (1:9-14)	p. 69
The First Strophe: Ringlets of Gold (1:9-11)	p. 70
The Second Strophe: A Sachet of Myrrh (1:12-14)	p. 72
The Two-Strophe Unit as a Whole (1:9-14)	p. 74
Contiguous Connections	p. 76
Remote Connections	p. 76
Look at You	p. 77
The First Strophe: Your Eyes Are Doves (1:15)	p. 78
The Second Strophe: Our Couch Is Luxuriant (1:16-17)	p. 79
The Two-Strophe Unit as a Whole (1:15-17)	p. 81
Contiguous Connections	p. 82
Remote Connections	p. 83
The Narcissus of Sharon	p. 83
The First Strophe: A Lily Among the Thorns (2:1-2)	p. 84
The Second Strophe: An Apple Tree in the Forest (2:3)	p. 86
The Two-Strophe Unit as a Whole (2:1-3)	p. 87
Contiguous Connections	p. 88
Remote Connections	p. 89
His Banner Over Me Is Love (2:4-7)	p. 89
The First Strophe: I Am Sick with Love (2:4-5)	p. 90
The Second Strophe: His Embrace (2:6)	p. 91
The Third Strophe: The Adjuration Refrain (2:7)	p. 91
The Three-Strophe Unit as a Whole (2:4-7)	p. 92
Contiguous Connections	p. 96
Remote Connections	p. 97
The Section of 1:2-2:7 as a Whole	p. 98
Song of Songs 2:8-17	p. 102
The Arrival of the Man (2:8-9)	p. 104
The Opening: The Sound of My Beloved (2:8a)	p. 105
The First Strophe: Coming Over the Mountains (2:8b-d)	p. 105
The Enclosed Bicolon: Like a Gazelle (2:9a-b)	p. 106
The Second Strophe: Standing at the Window (9c-f)	p. 106
The "Arrival" as a Whole (2:8-9)	p. 107
The Man's Invitations to the Woman (2:10-14)	p. 108
The Opening: My Beloved Answered (2:10a)	p. 108
The Invitation to Springtime (2:10b-13)	p. 109
Come My Dear One (2:10b-d)	p. 109
Spring Is Here (2:11-13b)	p. 110
Come My Dear One (2:13c-e)	p. 113
The "Springtime" Invitation as a Whole (2:10b-13)	p. 113
The Invitation to a Secluded Dove (2:14)	p. 114
The Invitations as a Whole (2:10-14) e	p. 115
The Woman's Response (2:15-17)	p. 116
The First Strophe: Foxes and Vineyards (2:15)	p. 117
The Second Strophe: Mutual Belonging (2:16-17b)	p. 118
The Third Strophe: A Gazelle on the Mountains (2:17c-e)	p. 120
The Response as a Whole (2:15-17)	p. 121
The Section of 2:8-17 as a Whole	p. 126
Contiguous Connections	p. 127
Remote Connections	p. 129
Song of Songs 3:1-5	p. 131
The Seeking and Finding Narrative (3:1-4)	p. 132
The Seeking Panel (3:1-2)	p. 132
The First Strophe: On My Bed (3:1)	p. 133
The Second Strophe: In the Streets (3:2)	p. 134
The Finding Panel (3:3-4)	p. 135
The First Strophe: The Watchmen Found Me (3:3)	p. 136
The Second Strophe: I Found Him (3:4)	p. 137
Seeking and Finding as a Whole (3:1-4)	p. 139
The Adjuration Refrain (3:5)	p. 141
The Section of 3:1-5 as a Whole	p. 141
Contiguous Connections	p. 143
Remote Connections	p. 145
Song of Songs 3:6-11	p. 146
The First Strophe: Who Is This? (3:6)	p. 149
The Second Strophe: Solomon's Litter (6:8-9)	p. 150
The Third Strophe: Decked Out with Love (3:9-10)	p. 152
The Fourth Strophe: The Day of His Joy (3:11)	p. 156
The Section of 3:6-11 as a Whole	p. 158
Contiguous Connections	p. 160
Remote Connections	p. 161
Song of Songs 4:1-7	p. 163
The Opening Declaration of Beauty (4:1a-b)	p. 164
The List of Body Features (4:1c-6b)	p. 165
The Veiled Segment (4:1c-3)	p. 165
The Transitional Opening (4:1c-d)	p. 166
The First Strophe (4:1e-2)	p. 166
The Second Strophe (4:3)	p. 168
The Below-the-Veil Segment (4:4-6b)	p. 169
The First Strophe (4:4)	p. 170
The Second Strophe (4:5-6b)	p. 171
The List of Body Features as a Whole	p. 173
The Mountain of Myrrh and the Hill of Incense (4:6c-d)	p. 173
The Closing Declaration of Beauty (4:7)	p. 175
The Wasf of 4:1-7 as a Whole	p. 175
Contiguous Connections	p. 176
Remote Connections	p. 177
Song of Songs 4:8-5:1	p. 178
The Man's Invitation and Praise of the Woman (4:8-15)	p. 180
Come with Me from Lebanon (4:8)	p. 180
You Have Taken My Heart (4:9)	p. 182
You Are Better Than Wine and the Fragrance of Balsam (4:10-11)	p. 182
The First Strophe: Better Than Wine (4:10)	p. 183
The Second Strophe: Fragrance of Balsam (4:11)	p. 183
The Two-Strophe Unit as a Whole (4:10-11)	p. 184
You Are a Closed Garden (4:12-15)	p. 184
The Opening Strophe: A Sealed Fountain (4:12)	p. 185
The Middle Strophe: A Garden of Spices (4:13-14)	p. 186
The Closing Strophe: A Garden Spring (4:15)	p. 187
The Garden Unit as a Whole (4:12-15)	p. 188
The Invitation and Praise as a Whole (4:8-15)	p. 189
The Woman's Response and Invitation (4:16)	p. 191
I Have Come to My Garden (5:1a-d)	p. 193
Eat, Lovers, and Drink (5:1e-f)	p. 193
The Section of 4:8-5:1 as a Whole	p. 194
Contiguous Connections	p. 197
Remote Connections	p. 198
Song of Songs 5:2-6:3	p. 199
The Narrative Segment (5:2-8)	p. 203
The Door Scene (5:2-6c)	p. 203
The Opening: Asleep But Awake (5:2a)	p. 204
The First Panel: Request Denied (5:2b-4)	p. 204
The Opening: My Beloved Knocking (5:2b)	p. 204
The Man's Request (5:2c-f)	p. 205
The Woman's Response (5:3)	p. 205
The Closing Bicolon (5:4)	p. 206
The First Panel As a Whole (5:2b-4)	p. 207
The Second Panel: Request Granted (5:5-6b)	p. 207
Movement to Open (5:5)	p. 208
Open and Gone (5:6a-b)	p. 208
The Closing: My Heart Sank (5:6c)	p. 209
The Door Scene as a Whole (5:2b-6c)	p. 210
The Street Scene (6d-8)	p. 212
Search and Encounter (5:6d-7)	p. 212
The Adjuration Refrain (5:8)	p. 213
The Street Scene as a Whole (6d-8)	p. 213
The Narrative Segment as a Whole (5:2-8)	p. 214
The First Dialogue (5:9-16)	p. 215
The Opening Question: What is Your Beloved? (5:9)	p. 215
The Wasf Describing the Man (5:10-16b)	p. 215
The Opening Praise (10a-b)	p. 215
The List of Body Features (5:11-15b)	p. 216
Features Relating to the Head (5:11-13)	p. 216
Features Below the Head (5:14-15b)	p. 218
The Body Features as a Whole (5:11-15b)	p. 218
The Closing Praise (5:15c-16b)	p. 219
The Wasf as a Whole (5:10-16b)	p. 221
The Closing Response: This is My Beloved (5:16c-d)	p. 221
The First Dialogue as a Whole (5:9-16)	p. 221
Contiguous Connections	p. 222
The Second Dialogue (6:1-3)	p. 222
The Opening Question: Where Is Your Beloved? (6:1)	p. 222
The Response: He Has Gone to His Garden (6:2-3)	p. 223
Grazing in the Garden (6:2)	p. 223
The Closing Refrain of Belonging (6:3)	p. 224
The Second Dialogue as a Whole (6:1-3)	p. 224
Contiguous Connections	p. 226
The Section of 5:2-6:3 as a Whole	p. 226
Contiguous Connections	p. 227
Remote Connections	p. 228
Song of Songs 6:4-10	p. 230
The Opening Praise (6:4)	p. 231
The List of Body Features (6:5-7)	p. 234
The First Strophe (6:5-6)	p. 234
The Second Strophe (6:7)	p. 236
The List of Body Features as a Whole (6:5-7)	p. 236
The Uniqueness of the Woman (6:8-9)	p. 237
The First Strophe: The Many Women of the Court (6:8)	p. 237
The Second Strophe: The Unique One of Her Mother (6:9a-c)	p. 238
The Third Strophe: The Many Praise the One (6:9d-e)	p. 239
The "Unique One" Segment as a Whole (6:8-9)	p. 239
The Closing Praise (6:10)	p. 240
The Wasf of 6:4-10 as a Whole	p. 241
Contiguous Connections	p. 244
Remote Connections	p. 245
Song of Songs 6:11-12	p. 246
Going to the Nut Garden (6:11)	p. 248
Internal Analysis of 6:11	p. 248
Contiguous Connections	p. 249
Remote Connections	p. 250
The Chariots of Amminadib (6:12)	p. 251
Internal Analysis of 6:12	p. 251
Contiguous Connections	p. 255
Remote Connections	p. 256
The Section of 6:11-12 as a Whole	p. 256
Contiguous Connections	p. 256
Song of Songs 7:1-11	p. 259
The First Description of the Woman (7:1-7)	p. 261
Come Back, O Shulammite (7:1)	p. 262
Internal Analysis of the Shulammite Strophe (7:1)	p. 262
Contiguous Connections	p. 265
The Wasf (7:2-7)	p. 266
The Opening Declaration of Beauty (7:2a-b)	p. 266
The Body Features Below the Head (7:2c-5a)	p. 267
The Body Features of the Head (7:5b-6c)	p. 269
The Closing Declaration of Beauty (7:7a-b)	p. 273
The Wasf as a Whole (7:2-6)	p. 274
The First Description as a Whole (7:1-7)	p. 276
The Second, Interactive Description of the Woman (7:8-10)	p. 276
Height as Palm Tree (7:8-9b)	p. 278
Breasts as Clusters of Grapes (7:9c-10)	p. 280
The Closing Refrain of Belonging (7:11)	p. 284
The Second Description as a Whole (7:8-11)	p. 284
The Section of 7:1-11 as a Whole	p. 286
Contiguous Connections	p. 289
Remote Connections	p. 290
Song of Songs 7:12-8:4	p. 292
Vineyards in Bloom; Choice Fruits in Store (7:12-14)	p. 294
The First Strophe: Vineyards in Bloom (7:12-13)	p. 294
The Second Strophe: Choice Fruits in Store (7:14)	p. 298
The "Vineyards and Fruits" Segment as a Whole (7:12-14)	p. 301
To My Mother's House (8:1-4)	p. 304
The First Strophe: Would That You Were My Brother (8:1)	p. 305
The Second Strophe: I Would Take You Home with Me (8:2)	p. 306
The Third Strophe: His Embrace (8:3)	p. 309
The Fourth Strophe: The Adjuration Refrain (8:4)	p. 310
The "Mother's House" Segment as a Whole (8:1-4)	p. 311
The Section of 7:12-8:4 as a Whole	p. 312
Contiguous Connections	p. 315
Remote Connections	p. 316
Song of Songs 8:5-7	p. 318
Who is This ? (8:5a-b)	p. 320
Under the Apple Tree (8:5c-e)	p. 321
A Seal Upon Your Heart (8:6)	p. 323
Closing Aphorisms: Inextinguishable, Priceless Love (8:7)	p. 328
The Section of 8:5-7 as a Whole	p. 331
Contiguous Connections	p. 338
Remote Connections	p. 339
Song of Songs 8:8-14:	p. 340
What Will We Do for Our Sister? (8:8-10)	p. 341
The First Strophe: A Little Sister with No Breasts (8:8)	p. 342
The Second Strophe: If She Is a Wall (8:9)	p. 343
The Third Strophe: I Am a Wall with Towers (8:10)	p. 348
The Three-Strophe Unit as a Whole (8:8-10)	p. 350
Contiguous Connections	p. 351
Remote Connections	p. 352
Solomon's Vineyard and Mine (8:11-12)	p. 353
The First Strophe: Solomon Had a Vineyard (8:11)	p. 354
The Second Strophe: My Vineyard (8:12)	p. 357
The Two-Strophe Unit as a Whole (8:11-12)	p. 358
Contiguous Connections	p. 359
Remote Connections	p. 360
Upon the Mountains of Balsam (8:13-14)	p. 361
The First Strophe: Let Me Hear Your Voice (8:13)	p. 362
The Second Strophe: Be Like a Gazelle (8:14)	p. 364
The Two-Strophe Unit as a Whole (8:13-14)	p. 365
Contiguous Connections	p. 366
Remote Connections	p. 367
The Section of 8:8-14 as a Whole	p. 368
Contiguous Connections	p. 369
Summaries and Conclusions	p. 370
Conclusions Relating to Method	p. 370
Features Effecting Opening	p. 370
Features Effecting Opening in Minimal Structural Segments	p. 370
Vocatives	p. 371
Deictic Particles and Demonstratives	p. 371
Imperatives, Jussives, Cohortatives, and Interrogatives	p. 371
Independent Personal Pronouns	p. 372
Longer, Four-Stress Cola	p. 372
Phonological Intensity	p. 374
Types of Parallelism	p. 374
Semantic Expressions of Beginning	p. 375
Dialogical Changes	p. 375
Any Type of Change	p. 376
Features Effecting Opening at Higher Structural Levels	p. 376
The Lack of Distinctive Opening at Higher Levels	p. 376
Monocola and the Opening of Narrative Segments	p. 376
Features Effecting Closure	p. 377
Features Effecting Closure in Minimal Structural Segments	p. 377
[Characters not reproducible]-Initial Final Cola	p. 377
Longer or Shorter Cola	p. 378
Strong Parallelism	p. 379
Chiastic Parallelism	p. 379
Phonological Features	p. 380
Inclusio	p. 381
Semantic Features	p. 381
Miscellaneous Features	p. 382
Features Effecting Closure at Higher Structural Levels	p. 382
[Characters not reproducible]-Initial Final Cola	p. 382
Refrains	p. 383
Inclusios	p. 384
Monocola	p. 385
Thematic Closure	p. 385
Multi-Layered Closure	p. 386
Features Effecting Cohesion	p. 386
Features Effecting Cohesion in Minimal Structural Segments	p. 386
Grammatical Features	p. 386
Lexical Repetition	p. 387
Grammatical Repetition	p. 387
Phonological Repetition	p. 388
Bivalent Cola	p. 389
Features Effecting Cohesion at Higher Structural Levels	p. 390
Narratological Features	p. 390
Dialogical Features	p. 390
Grammatical Features	p. 390
Inclusio	p. 391
Chiasmus	p. 391
Lexical Repetition	p. 391
Similar Opening and Closing Cola	p. 391
Grammatical Repetitions	p. 392
Phonological Features	p. 392
Superimposed Structures	p. 393
General Observations on Opening, Closure, and Cohesion	p. 393
Conclusions Relating to Exegetical Appropriation	p. 394
Suggestions Relating to the Unity and Structure of the Song	p. 394
Bibliography	p. 397
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