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Figures of Addition that affect words, are distributed as follows: (1) By repetition.
(2) By amplification. (3) By description. (4) By way of conclusion. (5) By interposition.
(6) By way of reasoning.
Under these six headings, we find fifty-three different varieties, so that it will be
readily seen that, however lightly we touch upon this subject, it is by no means an easy
task, and the necessity to be brief adds to the difficulty. We therefore ask the indulgence
of the reader, his prayerful sympathy and close attention.
The figure of Alliteration is difficult to set out in English, as the examples concern are
written in Hebrew and in Greek. We therefore pass on to the Acrostic, which is of
frequent occurrence in the Old Testament Scriptures, but even this will require translating
into English equivalents.
Quite a number of passages of the O.T. stand out to the eye and impress the memory,
by the fact that they are arranged so that each line begins with a letter of the alphabet, and
in alphabetical order.
Psalm 119: is a familiar example, and with very slight
modification we can use the A.V. of one stanza as it is, to set forth the effect upon the
eye, of the original.
Teth (T).---Verses 65-72.
"Thou hast dealt well with Thy servant, O Lord, according unto Thy word.
Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed Thy commandments.
'Till I was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept Thy word.
Thou art good, and doest good; teach me Thy statutes.
The proud have forged a lie against me: but I keep Thy precepts with my whole heart.
Their heart is as fat as grease: but I delight in Thy law.
'Tis good for me that I have been afflicted: that I might learn Thy statutes.
The law of Thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver."
Perhaps the most wonderful Acrostic in the O.T. is the Book of the Lamentations of
Jeremiah. There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet, and the five chapters of the
Lamentations will be found to have 22 verses each, except the third, which contains
66 verses. The first two chapters present two perfect Acrostics of the Hebrew alphabet,
each verse commencing with a letter of the alphabet in its correct order. The central
chapter of 66 verses has a peculiar variety of Acrostic--the first three verses open with
Aleph, the next three with Beth, and so on right through the alphabet. Let us make this
clear to the English reader. Our attempt must not, of course, be regarded in the light of
a translation. Moreover, the third letter in the Hebrew alphabet is equivalent to G,
and not 100: