Alphabetic biblical compositions (Acrostics)

[rlvaughn]

I recently read a post on the (much more) liberal Baptist Life forum which talked about The Voice translation which illustrates the alphabetic style of writing in the Hebrew. For example, in Psalm 25 the translation begins the first verse with a word starting with "A", the second starting with "B", the third starting with a "C", the fourth starting with "D", and so forth. This interested me to restudy the topic and even write about it HERE. I'm not here to recommend The Voice -- I don't even think it is a good translation idea to try to recreate the alphabetic pattern in the receptor language. I did, nevertheless, find it a unique way to show people what you are talking about when trying to explain the alphabetic patterns in certain scriptures.

What do you think of the use of the alphabetic or acrostic style of writing in the Hebrew text? What was its purpose? Do we who read in some other language lose some of the meaning by not knowing about the pattern?

 

[Van]

Sometime gifted writers can present something in a more powerful, more moving, more memorable way using word play, poetry, and other means to tie something together - the logos - for our benefit.

My example would be the first 8 verses of Psalm 119.

 

[Deacon]

Acrostic Psalm 145 offers a unique look at modern textual criticism.
Modern version ofen add verse 13b found in a few Hebrew manuscripts and in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises
and faithful in all he does.
​

It seems the letter "N" (nun) is commonly missing from the textus receptus.

Ancient manuscripts complete the acrostic.

Rob

 

[rlvaughn]

Interestingly, in “Evil and the Disruption of Order: a Structural Analysis of the Acrostics in the First Book of Psalms” Ronald Benun argues that the missing and "misplaced" letters are "purposeful disruptions" -- "that these disruptions are an original feature of these psalms and are placed purposefully as part of a sophisticated literary structure."

 

[Deacon]

Interestingly, in “Evil and the Disruption of Order: a Structural Analysis of the Acrostics in the First Book of Psalms” Ronald Benun argues that the missing and "misplaced" letters are "purposeful disruptions" -- "that these disruptions are an original feature of these psalms and are placed purposefully as part of a sophisticated literary structure."

I should have used that excuse when taking Calculus in college.

Rob

 

[rlvaughn]

Our excuses are probably pretty comical, but Benun makes serious assertions as to why some of the "acrostics" were not strictly alphabetical.