bcs 
anitable and iaterefting ae of it are contained in the fe 
facred writings the emg ent, to ee our atten- 
; rea 
~ torical introduction to the book of Job, contained in the firft 
and fecond chapters, and then proceed to Job’s fpeech in the 
pepeaing of the third chapter, and it muft appear t 
all at once from the region of ee to that of poetry. 
e is warned of the change, r not merely by the poetical fen- 
timents and the figured ftyle ; but a the fenfible gone 
that occurs in the cadence of the fentence and t 
HEBREW POETRY. ; 
poetry ; “inftanoes of w hich occur in spete hasta? part of the 
Old Te itament;, particularly i in’ Pfalm See ane - 
LELISM.) This form of foetical colnneten among t 
Hebrews has been fatisfactor ay deduced ih e learned 4 i 
oe of whofe work we are 
were accompani 
reteneth, let the earth ice :”’ then the chorus, or femi- 
chorus, took up the corre{ponding verficle: «* Let the mul- 
titudes of the ifles be glad thereof.” | « Clouds and ‘dark- 
nefs are round about him,’ fung the one: the other replied, 
“ Judgment. and ‘a atange tae are the babitation of ‘his 
anes anner their 
ao the words: ‘* The Lord 
r 
he peculiar excellence of the Hebrew poetry muft alfo formed in this manner. is was particularly the cafe with 
appear, when we confider that its origin and earlieft appli- refpeét to the 24th Pfalm ;. the mode of perf whi _ 
Cation, as bifhop Lowth obferves, have been clearly traced particularly illuftrated by Dr. Lowth, and it mift da 
into the fervice of religion. 'To celebrate in hymns and fongs very nob! paprire effect. ‘The mode of compofition 
to the praife of Alm mighty God; to decorate the worthip of above ftat 
the Moi High with all the charmed graces of harmony; _ the Pfalms o! Dida. (Se 0234 i Ix 1.) However, independ: 
to give force and energy to the devout affections were the ently of the folemn yas igs which - is form of conf ion 
Giilee ime employment of the facred mufes. “The fame learned gave to the facred poe rews, it was in itfelf dif- 
he peculiar character of their poe-— 
try, and at impart to it that sipocees form, which, 
though chiefly adapted to this particular purpetess it neverthe- 
lefs preferves on every other occafion, In the Old Teitament 
Wwe have ; evidence, that mufic and poetry were. culti- 
from the earliett times among the Hebrews. In t 
days of the Judges we find mention of the fchools or col. 
j for the 
leges of the prophets, in 
purpofe of finging the praifes of Ce with the Mpompesi: 
ment of various inftruments. (See In t 
4000 Levites, divided i courfes, and m 
aie under Pe Foie mot tole enhioels: it was os 
fin hymns, and to orm the initrumental mufic 
public worfhip.. A ph, Homes ane Jeduthun, were the 
conitruction of the grb rew et $ i a 
to itfelf. It confiits in ‘dividing 
z =r: pede BAGS for the moft part into equal 
ich anfwer to one ane ier, in fenfe 
found. In the aoe member 0. e period fentiment 
is expreffed ; 
Ment is les. or is oes in tren terms, or fome- 
times contrafted. with itso pofit in fuch a, manner 
that the fame ftruéture, and nearly face number of words 
*8 preferved. Tee gol of all the se se 
SV Ge XVII. 
in the . 
and to the overflowing torrent. (Pfalm 
the moit ceiia kable Slav "of the . 
3 the former notéd for its height and the lofty ce. 
» Tfaiah, ch. 
tinguifhed by the hivhett eubeses of ftrong, concile, bold, and 
Concifenefs and ftrength are two of its 
moft remarkable se yragis ftics. To the concifenefs and fobri- 
ety of expreffion ebrew poetical writers, their poetry 
is indebted for Bel af i its fublimity ; and all writers, fays Dr. 
Blair, who attempt the fublime, might profit much by ‘imi- 
tating, in this refpeét, the ftyle of the Old Teftament. 
figurative expreffions. 
(See Supiime.) Bold and animated figures abound in‘ the’ 
facred books: and we find recurring inftances of metaphors; 
The Hebrew 
Compee ony allegorics, and perfonifications, ebr 
poets borrow their metaphors and comparifons from the” 
ieee in which they lived; and they prefent to us a very 
os 
beautiful view, of its natural objects, and of the arts and em 
ployments of their common life. 
de- 
duced from the particu m nd of 
Judea. During the fummer months this country had little 
or I is account hed ; 
ufly elcbens and the 7c veirelas 
want of water was grievo 
d from a plentiful thower, 
ment and benefit which were deriv 
and the buriting forth of a Filet, were BAerY P enfibl; y experi- 
red enced by the inhabitants of Jude 
es of ditlrefs or of 
ee deduced from thefe’ pentane frequently oc. 
See: ae » ch. xxxv. 1, 6, 7.) 
ring the rainy months fubjeét to frequent 
Judea was alfoa hilly é 
ry: 
a dha aa the rufhing of torrents, defcending fud- 
m the mountams, and from the annual overflowing 
Great calamities are therefore often nn cae 
> Xi. es nand 
denly 
of sa 
Q 
countr 
dars Teg covered it, and the latter for its be auty and fertility, 
the richnefs of its vines ris olives. In reference torthefe, fee 
xxxy. 2.. Solomon’s Song,: ve 15. vii. 5. Earth- 
mie were not segues o lode a5 Be the ;te Lupmava g 
31 
