(Part 1)

JBTM Paul D. Wegner
95
wayyiqtōl forms). The first verb sets the tense, with consecutive events marked by
wāw-consecutives; that is, a wāw plus the opposite verb tense (wāw plus perfect
for non-perfective action and wāw plus imperfect for perfective action).
Poetry
a. Because tense structure is not as consistent in poetry, look for other time
indicators, such as “then,” “after,” “while,” and “in that day.” Tense may quickly
change within poetry, so track these movements. Amos 6:6–7 is a good example:
6
Who drink wine from sacrificial bowls (present)
while they anoint themselves with the finest of oils, (present)
But they have not grieved over the destruction of Joseph. (past)
7
Therefore, now they will go into exile at the head of the exiles, (future)
And your banqueting and lounging will pass away. (future)
b. When exegeting poetry in the prophets, it is important to keep in mind who is
speaking or being referred to. The pronouns may change with little notice or
other indications, though a parallel unit may help you determine the referent.
A good example of when this principle comes into play is Isa 48:15–16.
15
I [God], even I [God] have spoken; indeed I [God] have called him [Cyrus], I [God]
have brought him [Cyrus], and He [God] will make his [Cyrus’] ways successful.
16
Come near to Me [God] and listen to this: “From the first announcement I [God]
have not spoken in secret; from the time it took place, I [God] was there. And now the
LORD God [God] has sent me [Isaiah?; Cyrus?] and his [God’s] spirit.”
c. Hebrew parallelism is especially helpful in interpreting poetry; for example,
if a word in one unit is unclear, the second unit may help to clarify it. There
are a variety of forms of Hebrew parallelism, but the important principle is to
determine whether the second unit repeats the first unit by rephrasing it (“A =
B”) or whether the second unit serves to clarify, sharpen, or advance the topic
further (“A, and what’s more B”).
Apocalyptic
a. One purpose of apocalyptic material is to show that God is in control and will
ultimately prevail.
b. This type of material often uses images to describe coming events (e.g., red
horse, flying scroll, golden lampstands, etc.). Usually there is an angelic guide
to lead the author and sometimes explain the images.
c. Although the concepts are pictured figuratively, they often originate from a