Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Steve Miller" <smille10 AT sbcglobal.net>]

> From: kenneth greifer Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2007 7:19 PM
> 
> I have read that there are poetic forms of the  words "from" mem nun
> spelled
> mem nun yud, "unto" ayin dalet  spelled ayin dalet yud, and  "upon" ayin
> lamed spelled ayin lamed yud. Are these forms always used in poetry or are
> both forms of the words used in poetry, and how do they know when a quote
> is
> poetic ?
> 
> Are these words used in prophecies or psalms or both?

[Steve Miller] Both forms are used in poetry. 

mem nun yud is used only in poetry including poetic prophecy: Jud 5:14
(Deborah's song), 22 times in Job, 11 in Psalms, Isa 30:11. Even the places
where it means "from me" are only used poetically in the Hebrew.
It is used non-poetically in Aramaic (Ez 4:21, 7:13; Dan 2:5,8), where it
means "from me".

Ayin dalet yud is also only used in poetry including poetic prophecy: Num
24:20, 24 (Balaam's blessing), Job 7:4; 20:5; Ps 83:17; 92:7; 104:23;
132:12, 14; 147:6; Isa 26:4; 65:18. Even when it means "unto me", it is
still only used poetically.

Ayin lamed yud is much more common than the previous two. It usually is
non-poetic, and when it is non-poetic, it always means "upon me". When it
just means "upon", not "upon me", it is always poetic: Gen 49:17, 22
(Jacob's blessing on Dan & Joseph), Num 24:6 (Balaam's blessing), Deut 32:2
(song of Moses); Job 6:6; 7:1,12; 8:9; 9:26; 10:1; 15:27; 16:10, 13-15; Prov
8:2; 30:19; Isa 18:4; Lam 4:5; Micah 5:7.

I don't know how to answer your question of how to know if a passage is
poetic. To me it is usually obvious, but hard to define. There is some of:
repetition, symbolism, parallel structure, song-like, and/or words pregnant
with meaning.

-Steve Miller
Detroit www.voiceInWilderness.info
Now no discipline at the present time seems to be a matter of joy, but of
grief; but afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those
who have been exercised by it.  (Hebrews 12:11)