34 



REV. A. H. PINN^ ON THE 



tion of the idea of unity with a previous work, for Lamentations 

 was often reckoned as part of the book of Jeremiah. 



In the Greek version, these titles disappear, " and in their 

 place we find descriptive names, suggested in almost every case 

 by words in the version itself.''* Other books of the Old 

 Testament have " descriptive names," but they describe the 

 nature of the contents (e.g., Psalms, ^aXfjuol ; Chronicles, 

 IlapaXeLiTOfjbevwv), and do not summarize the subject as do 

 Genesis or Exodus. 



It is not unreasonable to say that both Hebrew and Greek 

 titles do distinguish between the first five books and the rest 

 of the Old Testament. No doubt this primarily suggests 

 separation, but that separation implies that the five stand 

 together in a common isolation. 



(c) Style. 



Turning now to internal evidence, we have next to consider 

 the question of style, which figures so largely in the arguments 

 for the analysis of this work. 



Speaking broadly, we may say that three distinctive styles 

 have been insisted on : — 



I. Flowing and picturesque (JE). 

 II. Prosaic and formal (P). 

 III. Fervid and impassioned (D). 



(i) When, however, we find that style I is mainly employed 

 in vivid narratives whose interest might almost be termed 

 romantic ; that style II occurs chiefly in statements of legis- 

 lation, statistics, genealogies, details of journeys and con- 

 struction ; and that style III is almost confined to what profess 

 to be reports of discourses delivered at a time of exceptional 

 emotion, the variations cease to be surprising or incongruous. 

 They become almost a necessity of intelligent composition, such 

 as a talented author would naturally employ. Such variations 

 of style to suit different subjects might easily be paralleled from 

 modern works and histories of whose unity there can be no 

 question. 



(ii) When, too, we find that the characteristics of style I 

 repeatedly cross and interlace with those of style II — as is said 

 to be the case in the account of the Flood, the narrative of 



Swete, " Introduction," p. 214. 



