The Schools of the Prophets
By M. E. Cady
The Study of Sacred Literature
SACRED literature was one of the chief subjects taught in the schools of the prophets, and probably the larger portion of it was sacred poetry. Early in Bible history we find the writers departing from the prose to the poetical style when giving expression to stirring or sublime thoughts. All we have of ancient Hebrew history and poetry is contained in the Sacred Scriptures, as the other writings of the Hebrews were lost during the captivity and exile. The books, or parchments, composing the Scriptures alone were miraculously preserved. The first poetical expression—one of triumph—is found in Gen. 4:23:—
“Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice;
Ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech:
For I have slain a man for wounding me,
And a young man for bruising me.” The Song of the Red Sea is a triumph poem, sung to celebrate the victory over Pharaoh’s pursuing hosts. Exodus 15. The Song of Deborah is another triumph poem, celebrating the victory over the army of Sisera. Some of these poems were sung to the accompaniment of instrumental music and dancing, as when Saul and David were hailed by the women of Israel, celebrating their victories over their enemies. Undoubtedly “the book of the wars of the Lord” and “the book of Jasher” contained many martial poems which were sung to commemorate victories gained on the march to the Promised Land, and those also gained while subduing the inhabitants of Canaan. Other poems are mentioned; as, The Song of the Well (Num. 21:17-20), David’s Lamentation Over Saul and Jonathan (2 Sam. 1:17-27). These, with many others that might be mentioned, go to show that the Hebrew literature abounded with poetry. But in addition to the poetical fragments mentioned above, we have whole books of poetry in the Bible; one of these is believed to have been written by Moses, in the land of Midian, long before the founding of the schools of the prophets. Of this poetical book a modern literary critic has said, “It will be found at the last that the book of Job towers above all the poetry of the world.” This book of inspired poetry probably was the principal textbook of sacred poetry used in the schools of the prophets founded by Samuel and Elijah. Other poetical books were written by two leading pupils in these schools, both of whom were kings of Israel during the period of its greatest prosperity. David wrote many of the psalms, and Solomon wrote in poetical form three thousand proverbs. A portion of these are found in the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Solomon was a man of great literary skill and ability. This literary master speaks of his painstaking efforts to produce entertaining and wholesome literature, in the following words: “And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. The preacher sought to find out acceptable words [diction]; and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.” Solomon then adds a few words as to the value of wise, wholesome literature: “The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.” The wise man offers a word of warning and caution against indiscriminate and excessive reading, of which many are guilty because of the making of “many books.” He urges that all literature be measured by the unerring standard—the law of God—to determine whether it is worth our time and effort in reading; for God’s law makes plain “the whole duty of man.” These are his words: “And further, by these [words of truth], my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study [“reading,” margin] is a weariness of the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” Eccl. 12:9-13. Another contribution from the pen of Solomon is the Song of Solomon. It is evident that the students in the schools of the prophets established by Elijah studied five poetical works: Job, the Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. In addition to these they studied the fragmentary poems contained in the parchment rolls of the Old Testament Scriptures, and in the historical and biographical books of the sacred history library. This abundant material provided for a thorough course in the study of sacred literature, to say nothing of the abundant material at hand for the study of the prose composition in the writings of the Hebrews. Because the poetry of the Bible, in1translation, lost largely its rhythmic and metric form, some have concluded that there were no poets among the Hebrew writers. But Hebrew poetry did not consist of a rhyming of words, but rather a rhyming of thought, which consisted of a repetition of the thought in the first line of a couplet, in the second line, but expressed in different wording. This poetical form is called parallelism. It was used to give emphasis to the thought expressed. The poems were read or sung, the readers or singers being divided into two groups. The leader of one group would recite the first line, and this then would be recited by his group. The leader of the second group would recite the same thought expressed in other words in the second line, then it would be expressed by his group. The song and recitation exercise was carried on in connection with religious worship, accompanied by instrumental music. The following are a few examples of parallelism:— Psalm 19:—
1. “The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament showeth his handiwork.
2. “Day unto day uttereth speech,
And night unto night showeth knowledge,” etc. Psalm 21:—
1. “The king shall joy in thy strength,
O Lord;
And in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!
2. “Thou hast given him his heart’s desire,
And hast not withholden the request of his lips.
3. “For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness:
Thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head.” Another poetic form found especially in the psalms is the strophe and the antistrophe, which correspond in some degree to the stanza made up of a certain number of lines, or verses. The end of the strophe is sometimes indicated by the word Selah. Psalm 114 will illustrate the antistrophe and the strophe. Strophe 1:—
“When Israel went forth out of Egypt,
The house of Jacob from a people of strange language;
Judah became his sanctuary,
Israel his dominion.” Strophe 2:—
“The sea saw it, and fled;
Jordan was driven back.
The mountains skipped like rams,
The little hills like young sheep.” Antistrophe 2:—
“What aileth thee, O thou sea, that thou fleest?
Thou Jordan, that thou turnest back?
Ye mountains, that ye skip like rams?
Ye little hills, like young sheep?” Antistrophe 1:—
“Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the God of Jacob: Which turned the rock into a pool of water,
The flint into a fountain of waters.” The strophe and the antistrophe were also recited or sung by leaders and their groups, accompanied by instrumental music, on occasions of worship, forming a very impressive religious service. While the poetical form has largely been lost in translation, yet the spirit and power still remain. The psalms and proverbs seem as fresh and vigorous as if penned but yesterday. They are as applicable to life and conduct as when they were written. There are no signs of age or decay. They ring true to the experience of human life in all ages, and therefore can never grow old. What masters of letters must those teachers in the schools of the prophets have been who gave to the world a David and a Solomon. David was not only a ready writer, but also a ready speaker, using both the tongue and the pen with great facility. “My heart bubbleth up with good matter: . . . my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” Ps. 45:1, margin. A heart bubbling up with good matter was the secret of power to fullness of expression with both his pen and his tongue. Concerning the Bible as a literary treasure, we have the following words of commendation:—
“In its wide range of style and subjects, the Bible has something to interest every mind and appeal to every heart. . . . It contains philosophy the most profound, poetry the sweetest and the most sublime, the most impassioned and the most pathetic. Immeasurably superior in value to the productions of any human author are the Bible writings.”—“Education,” page 125. “As an educating power, the Bible is of more value than the writings of all the philosophers of all ages. In its wide range of style and subjects, there is something to interest and instruct every mind, to ennoble every interest. . . . There is poetry which has called forth the wonder and admiration of the world. In glowing beauty, in sublime and solemn majesty, in touching pathos, it is unequaled by the most brilliant productions of human genius.”—“Counsels to Teachers,” pages 428, 429.