LECTURE IX. OF POETIC IMAGERY FROM THE SACRED HISTORY. The imagery from the sacred history is the most luminous and evident of all-The peculiar nature of this kind of metaphor explained, as used by the Hebrew poets-The order of the topics which commonly furnish them: the Chaos and Creation; the Deluge; the destruction of Sodom; the emigration of the Israelites from Egypt; the descent of God upon mount Sinai— This species of metaphor excellently adapted to the sacred poetry, and particularly to the prophetic; not easy to form any comparison between the sacred and profane poetry in this respect. FOUR distinct classes of imagery having been specified as capable of being introduced in a metaphorical form into the poetry of the Hebrews, the last of these, or that which is suggested by the more remarkable transactions recorded in the sacred history, now remains to be examined. Here, however, since the nature of the subject differs in some degree from the former objects of our investigation, so the manner of treating it must be also different. The principal design of our late disquisition was, by considering the circumstances, customs, opinions, and sentiments of the Hebrews, to facilitate our approach to the interior beauties of their poetry; and by duly examining the nature of the circumstances, to estimate more properly the force and power of each: to dispel as much as possible the mists of antiquity; to restore their native perspicuity to such passages as appear obscure, their native agreeableness to such as now inspire us with sentiments of disgust, their proper allurement and elegance to those which seem harsh and vulgar, and their original dignity to those which the changeableness of custom has rendered contemptible or mean. In this division of our subject, on the contrary, but little will occur either difficult or obscure; nothing which will seem to require explication or defence; all will be at once perspicuous, splendid, and sublime. Sacred history illuminates this class of imagery with its proper light, and renders it scarcely less conspicuous to us than to the Hebrews themselves. There is, indeed, this difference, that to the Hebrews the objects of these allusions were all national and domestic; and the power of them in moving or delighting the mind was of course proportionably greater; nay, frequently, the very place, the scene of action, cer tain traces, and express tokens of so many miracles lying before their eyes, must have increased the effect. To us, on the other hand, however we may hold these facts in veneration, however great and striking they may be in themselves, the distance of time and place must of necessity render them less interesting. : The manner in which these metaphors are formed, is well deserving of observation, and is in fact as follows. In describing or embellishing illustrious actions, or future events of a miraculous nature, the Hebrew poets are accustomed to introduce allusions to the actions of former times, such as possess a conspicuous place in their history; and thus they illuminate with colours, foreign indeed, but similar, the future by the past, the recent by the antique, facts less known by others more generally understood and as this property seems peculiar to the poetry of the Hebrews, at least is but seldom to be met with in that of other nations, I have determined to illustrate this part of my subject with a greater variety of examples than usual. I mean, therefore, to instance in a regular order certain topics or common-places of Scripture, which seem to have furnished, if not all, at least the principal part of these allusions: it will be necessary at the same time to remark their figurative power and effect, and the regular and uniform method pursued in the application of them, which has been already stated as characteristical of the poetical imagery of the Hebrews. The first of these topics, or common-places, is the Chaos and the Creation, which compose the first pages of the sacred history. These are constantly alluded to, as expressive of any remarkable change," whether prosperous or adverse, in the public affairs; of the overthrow or restoration of kingdoms and nations and are consequently very common in the prophetic poetry, particularly when any unusual degree of boldness is attempted. If the subject be the destruction of the Jewish empire by the Chaldeans, or a strong denunciation of ruin against the enemies of Israel, it is depicted in exactly the same colours, as if universal nature were about to relapse into the primeval chaos. Thus Jeremiah, in that sublime, and indeed more than poetical vision, in which is represented the impending desolation of Judea : "Aspexi terram, ecce autem vacua est et informis; "Aspexi montes, ecce autem intremiscunt, "Volucresque coeli omnes evanuerunt! "A vultu Iehovae, ab aestu irae eius flagrantis."1 And on a similar subject Isaiah expresses himself with wonderful force and sublimity : "Et extendet super eam lineam vastitatis et perpendiculum confusionis."2 Each of them not only had in his mind the Mosaic chaos, but actually uses the words of the divine historian. The same subjects are amplified and embellished by the prophets with several adjuncts: "Nigrescent sol et luna; Retrahentque splendorem suum stellae : "Et ex Sione rugiet Iehova, "Et ex Hierosolymis edet vocem; "Et commovebuntur coeli et tellus."3 "Et contabescet omnis coelorum exercitus; "Coeli etiam ipsi instar schedulae convolventur: "Et omnis eorum exercitus decidet, "Sicut cassa de vite folia, 86 Utque marcida ex arbore sua ficus."4 On the contrary, when he foretels the restoration of the Israelites : "At Ego Jehova sum Deus tuus, "Qui subito tranquillat mare, cum fremunt fluctus eius; "Nomen illi Iehova exercituum: "Indidi verba mea ori tuo, "Et sub umbra manus meae te protexi : "Ut plantem coelos, ut fundem terram, 'Utque dicam Sioni, meus tu es populus."5(4) "Nam solatur Iehova Sionem, "Solatur omnes eius vastitates: "Et reddet deserta eius Edeni similia, "Et solitudinem eius ut Paradisum Jehovae : "Reperietur in ea laetitia et gaudium; "Gratiarum actio, et cantionum sonitus."6 In the former of these two last quoted examples, the universal deluge is exactly delineated, and on similar subjects the same imagery generally occurs. Thus, as the devastation of the holy land is frequent 1 JER. iv. 23-26. 2 ISAI. xxxiv. 11. 3 Joel iii. 15, 16. 4 ISAI. xxxiv. 4. 5 ISA1. li. 15, 16. 6 ISAI. li. 3. ly represented by the restoration of ancient chaos, so the same event is sometimes expressed in metaphors suggested by the universal deluge: "Ecce Iehova evacuat terram, eamque vastat; "Et fundamenta terrae concutiuntur. Confringendo confringit se tellus ; "Commovendo penitus commovetur tellus : "Et e loco suo vacillat, ut tugurium unius noctis."7 These are great ideas; indeed the human mind cannot easily conceive any thing greater or more sublime. There is nothing, however, of this kind more forcible and elevated than that imagery which is taken from the destruction of Sodom, that being the next in order of these topics, and generally applied to express the punishments to be inflicted by the Almighty on the wicked: "Depluet super impios prunas ardentes, 66 'Ignem et sulphur et ventum turbinum : hoc iis poculum exhauri"endum est."8(B) "Nam agitur dies ultionis Iehovae ; "Annus poenarum sumendarum Sionis vindici :* "Et vertentur torrentes eius in picem, "Et pulvis eius in sulphur ; "Et terra eius in ardentem picem redigetur : "Noctes diesque inextincta ardebit: "Fumus eius in aeternum ascendet: "In perpetuas aetates iacebit deserta; "Per infinita saecula nemo eam peragrabit."9(c) The emigration of the Israelites from Egypt, as it affords materials for many magnificent descriptions, is commonly applied in a metaphorical manner to many events, which bear no unapt resemblance to it. Does God promise to his people liberty, assistance, security, and favour? The Exodus occurs spontaneously to the mind of the poet; the dividing of the sea, the destruction of the enemy, the desert which was safely traversed, and the torrents bursting forth from the rocks, are so many splendid objects that force themselves on his imagination: "Ita edicit Iehova, "Qui praebet per aequor viam, 7 ISAI. xxiv. 1, 18, 19, 20. 8 PSAL. xi. 6. 9 ISAI. xxxiv. 8, 9, 10. "Et per aquas validas semitam: "Qui educit currum et equum, exercitum et robur ; "Oppressi sunt, ut stupa extincti : "Ne recolite priora, "Et antiqua ne considerate : "Ecce ego novum quiddam sum facturus; There is also another prophecy of the same divine poet, which in one sense (though I think not the principal) is to be understood as relating to the liberation of the Israelites from the Babylonish captivity. In the exordium the same imagery is introduced, but in a very noble personification, than which nothing can be more sublime : Expergiscere, expergiscere, indue robur, o lacerte Iehovae! "Annon tu ille es, qui excidisti superbum, vulnerasti crocodilum? Of the same kind is the last of these topics which I shall instance, the descent of JEHOVAH at the delivery of the law. When the Almighty is described as coming to execute judgement, to deliver the pious, and to destroy his enemies, or in any manner exerting his divine power upon earth, the description is embellished from that tremendous scene which was exhibited upon mount Sinai :12 there is no imagery more frequently recurred to than this, and there is none more sublime: I will only trouble you with two examples: "Ecce autem Iehova e loco suo prodit; "Et descendit, et super terrae fastigia graditur. "Et valles sese discindunt: "Instar cerae ante ignem; “Instar aquarum per declive praecipitantium."13 "Tum concussa est et intremuit tellus; "Et fundamenta montium commoventur, "Vehementer conquassantur; nam ira illius exaestuat. 10 ISAI. xliii. 16-19. See also xlviii. 21. 11 ISAI. li. 9, 10. 13 Mic. i. 3, 4. |