Poetry of the Hebrews

POETRY of the Hebrews. No Point of Criticism has been more canvass’d among the Learned, than this concerning the Poetry of the Hebrews. The most skilful Commentators, and the most able Criticks, have abundantly labour’d this Argument, and yet we cannot say the Matter is exhausted, or the Difficulty clear’d up. Doubts and Difficulties still remain, and are likely always to remain, since we cannot pretend to know, nor ever shall know, the true Pronunciation of the Hebrew Language; and consequently we cannot perceive either the Harmony of the Words, or the Quantity of the Syllables, which yet constitute the whole Beauty of Verses. Nor have we in Hebrew, as we have in Greek and Latin, Rules for ascertaining the Quantity of Syllables, the Number of Feet, Rules for the Cadence and Construction of Verses; and yet it is plain the Hebrews observed all these Things, at least in some measure, since in their Poems we observe Letters added to, or cut off from, the Ends of the Words, which shew some Submission to the Rhyme, or to the Number, or to the Measure of the Syllables. Nor have we now any Notion of the Tune and Dance which generally accompany’d the Hebrew Poetry; for we know that they were sung, and were made on purpose for it. And the Scripture frequently speaks of Choirs and Dances in the Ceremonies of Religion. Thus we know but very imperfectly, and are not like to know much better, the Verses and Poetry of the Hebrews.

From the manner in which Josephus, Origen, Eusebius, and St. Jerome have spoke of the Hebrew Poetry, it should seem that in their Time the Beauty and Rules of it were very well known. Josephus¹ affirms in several Places, that the Songs composed by Moses are in Heroick Verse, and that David compos’d several Sorts of Verses and Songs, Odes and Hymns, in Honour of God, some of which were in Trimeters, or Verses of three Feet, and others in Vid. Eusfeb. Præp. l. xi. c. 3.Pentameters, or Verses of five Feet. Origen and Eusebius have espoused the same Sentiments, whether it were out of mere Deference to the Opinion of Josephus, or whether their own Judgments were convinc’d of it, is uncertain. Origen understood the Hebrew, and Eusebius was one of the most learned Men of his Time.

St. Jerome has carry’d this Notion still Præfat. in Chronic. Euseb.farther, affirming, that the Psalter was composed in Alcaick, Iambick, and Sapphick Verses, in the manner of those of In Ep. 135. ad Paul. Urb.Pindar and Horace. And that the Songs in Deuteronomy and Isaiah, the Book of Job, and those of Solomon, are in Hexameter and Pentameter Verses. He says elsewhere, that the Canticle of Deuteronomy is in Iambick Verses of four Feet, as also Psalm cxviii. Beati immaculati in viâ, and cxliv. Exaltabo te, Deus meus Rex; whereas Psalm cx. Confitebor tibi, Domine, and cxi. Beatus vir qui timet Dominum, are in Iambick Verses only of three Feet.

He observes in the Lamentations of Jeremiah a kind of Sapphick Verses, and Verses of three Measures. In several Places he speaks of the Book of Psalms,² as of a Work composed of Lyrick Verses, like those of Pindar, Alcæus, Horace, Catullus, and Serenus. In his Preface to the Book of Job, he says, that from these Words, Pereat dies in quâ natus sum, are Hexameter Verses, composed of Dactyls and Spondees, wherein are sometimes intermix’d other Feet of the same Measure, though they have not the same Number of Syllables, because of the Variation of the Language. Sometimes (says he) without any Regard to the Quantity of Syllables, the Poet makes you perceive a kind of Cadence or Harmony, which sensibly affects those that are skilful in the Rules of Poetry.

Mercer. in Job. c. iii. Meibom. Journ. des Sçavans, p. 1699.Philo says,³ that the Essenians have antient Poems, the Verses of which are of several Forms and Measures. Some of ‘em have three Members, others are Hymns which were sung at the Sacrifices, others were rehearsed at Meals, and others were accompany’d with Dances. We are inform’d, that Franciscus Vetablus had discover’d the true Method of the Verses of Job and the Psalter, but as yet nobody has been let into Vetablus’s Secret. Theodore Herbert thought he had found Verses in the Bible, like to those in Greek and Latin, and he has really taken Notice of some. Meibomius boasted, that for above two hundred Years nobody but himself had arrived at the Knowledge of the Hebrew Poetry; but he kept this Knowledge to himself, and did not think proper to communicate it to the World. We only know, that by means of his Poetry, and of the Alterations he makes in the Text, he takes the whole Scripture to Pieces. Francis Gomar, in his Treatise call’d Davidis Lyra, has pretended to give the Rules of the Hebrew Poetry, just like those of the Greek and Latin; but he brought upon himself a Confutation from Lud. Capellus, which has not been answer’d yet.

M. Le Clerc has compos’d a very ingenious Dissertation, to shew, that the Hebrew Poetry was in Rhymes, pretty much like the French or English; and his Opinion nion has been espoused by a good Number of Partisans. Others maintain, that in the old Hebrew Verses there is neither Measure nor Feet to be found. Scaliger even affirms, that their Language, as well as Scalig. Animad. in Chronic. Eufeb. p. 7. col. 1.those of the Syrians, Arabians, and Abyssins, is not capable of the Restraint of Feet or Measures. Austin of Eugubium says, that the Hebrews have neither Heroick Verses, nor Iambicks, nor of any other Measure; but only something that resembles it, like the Songs of barbarous Nations. This Opinion is supported by Louis Capel, Martin Martinius, Samuel Bohlius, Wasmurh, Aust. Pfeiffer, and some others. Grotius⁴ also declares for this, and is indeed the Sentiment which we think the most probable. See our Dissertation upon the Hebrew Poetry, prefix’d to our Commentary upon Exodus, and the Authors we have already cited.

As to the Poetry of the modern Hebrews, the Reader may consult the Grammarians, and particularly Buxtorf’s Thesaurus, which gives the Rules of it, and the several Kinds into which it is divided. See also Morini Exercit. Biblic. l. 2. Exer. 18. c. 7. p. 537, &c.

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