“I have often heard you speak of Hebrew poetry not having rhyme nor rhythm and that it is written with emphasis on repetition. Could you give examples of what you mean?”
I have used this identification when referring to the five Old Testament books of poetry: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. Ironically, I am going to use passages from the prophet Isaiah to illustrate what I am talking about when discussing the Hebrew poetic format.
In Isaiah 29:1, the prophet wrote, “Ho Ariel, Ariel, the city where David encamped! add ye year to year; let the feasts come round.” Note the repetition of the name Ariel which obviously refers to Jerusalem. Not only is it poetically mentioned twice but then described as the city of David. Then, the phrase “year to year” is repeated by the last clause, “come around.” I.E., the festival held year after year would chronologically “come around” “year to year.” It is a type of poetic licensing, if you please.
Isaiah 33:22 reads, “For Jehovah is our judge, Jehovah is our lawgiver, Jehovah is our king; he will save us.” It is indeed lyrical and made such by the references to God as “Jehovah, Judge, Lawgiver, King and Savior;” but the sentence is composed in such an expressive way that even though it does not rhyme nor have rhythm, it conveys the author’s thoughts through inspiration. That is what almost all poetry does, Hebrew or not. It stimulates and, in this case, from divine inspiration!
My third suggestion is to study Isaiah 38:19. In this construction, we have, “The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: The father to the children shall make known thy truth.” Here again is poignant repetition in the opening line, “The living, the living…” This is listed as an emphatic or intensive form of expression. Back up to verse 11 of this 38th chapter. Notice the same usage in the phrasing, “I said, I shall not see Jehovah, even Jehovah…” Look also in this chapter at the 17th verse, “Behold, it was for my peace that I had great bitterness…” That’s from the ASV. In the Hebrew manuscript, however, it is stated, “Bitterness to me, bitterness.” Again, an emphatic expression, in this case, signifying “great” or “intense” emotions. Although we lose that sentiment in the English translation, it is the way of Hebrew poetry and sometimes the prophetic writings.
The prophet Isaiah continues at 40:1 with this principle of strong or forceful emotion in the literature. This scripture declares, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people…” For the sake of grammatical consideration for stress, it is repetitive. I refer you just here to the apostle Paul’s Hebrew background in some of his epistles. In particular, look at 2 Cor. 1:3-7, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound unto us, even so our comfort also aboundeth through Christ. But whether we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or whether we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which worketh in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: and our hope for you is stedfast; knowing that, as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also are ye of the comfort.” Here the word “comfort” or “comforted” is used ten times in five verses. The author wanted to intensify the concept of God’s care and, in turn, the Christian’s attention to one another. The sentence structure is not repeated in the strictest format of Hebrew poetry, but I think it indicates Paul’s customary procedure as a scribe with a Pharisaic Hebrew background.
Our last example is an exegesis of Isa. 51:9, 17, “Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of Jehovah; awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times….” and, “Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, that hast drunk at the hand of Jehovah the cup of his wrath; thou hast drunken the bowl of the cup of staggering, and drained it.” Here are two verses that have phrasing defining Hebrew poetry at its richest position. Notice “awake” is used three times in verse 9 and twice in verse 17. That again is the way of Hebrew writing, i.e., to accentuate a point; but also observe the rest of verse 9. The two clauses, i.e., “…days of old….” and “generations of ancient times…” are recurring. The prophet might well have said one or the other, but he uses both to highlight a period of time. Notice the second reference in verse 17. Not only do we acknowledge the use of “awake” but consider the poetic and metaphoric language of the phrase, “…drunk at the hand of Jehovah the cup of his wrath; thou hast drunken the bowl of the cup of staggering and drained it.” Because of the syntax of the sentence, Isaiah gives us a more thoughtful, deeper, and profound look at the disposition of God by those who violate His potential blessings.
These scriptural examples and explanations will give you insight into why Hebrew poetry does not have to rhyme or have rhythm to be poetry. It also expands our appreciation for the divinity that revealed these words via the Holy Spirit to such chosen men as Isaiah and the apostle Paul. Paul stated it best in Ephesians 3:3-5, “how that by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ; which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit.” Hebrew poetry is simply one style of writing that Jehovah has chosen to convey His messages to us.