Apostrophe
Apostrophe
A Turning Aside from the direct Subject-Matter to address others
A-pos-tro-phe. Greek, , a turning away from, from (apo), away from, and (strephein), to turn.
The figure is so called when the speaker turns away from the real auditory whom he is addressing, and speaks to an imaginary one. It is a sudden breaking off in the course of speech, diverting it to some new person or thing.
It is called also PROSPHONESIS (, pros-ph-neeo-sis), an addressing ones self to: from (pros), to, and (phnein), to speak.
Also by the Latins, AVERSIO, aversion, or a turning from.
The examples of the use of this figure may be arranged as follows:-
APOSTROPHE Addressed
I.To God.
II.To Men.
1.Definite.
2.Ones self.
3.Indefinite.
4.In prophecies.
III.To Animals.
IV.To Inanimate Things.
I. Apostrophe to God
Neh 4:4 (3:36).-Nehemiah turns from his description of the opposition of his enemies to address God (by Apostrophe) in prayer: Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, etc.
There is another beautiful and sudden Apostrophe in
Neh 6:9.-For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now, therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.
Psa 33:1-22 -After addressing us concerning God in the third person, the Psalmist suddenly turns away, and concludes (verse 22) with a brief Apostrophe addressed to God,
Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
Psa 82:1-8 -After speaking of God (verse 8) and the wickedness of man (verses 1-7), he suddenly concludes with the Apostrophe,
Arise, O God, judge the earth; for thou shalt inherit all nations.
Psa 104:24.-After enlarging on the wonderful works of God, he exclaims, O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
Psa 109:1-31 -After describing how his enemies had rewarded him evil for good, and spoken evil against him (verses 6-20), he suddenly turns aside in verse 21, and prays, But do thou for me, O God the Lord (Jehovah Adonai), for thy names sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me, etc.
II. Apostrophe to Men: either Living or Dead
1. To certain definite persons
2Sa 1:24-25.-In Davids lament over Saul and Jonathan, he suddenly turns, and, (in verse 24), addresses the daughters of Israel. And in verse 25 he turns from these to dead Jonathan.
2Sa 7:23.-In the midst of Davids beautiful prayer, he suddenly turns from addressing Jehovah as to what He had done, and speaks to the people to do for you great things and terrible.
Psa 2:10-12.-After speaking of what God will do, the Psalmist suddenly turns, and addresses the kings and judges of the earth (10-12).
Psa 6:8 (9).-He turns from his prayer in trouble to address those who had brought the trouble upon him. Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity, etc.
Isa 1:4-5.-The prophet turns from the third person to the second, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. Why should ye be stricken any more? etc.
Jer 5:10 is an Apostrophe, addressed to the enemy who should fulfil the prophecy which was being delivered.
Jer 11:1-23 -After prophesying the evils to come upon the houses of Israel and Judah, he breaks off in verse 18, and speaks of himself,
And the Lord hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings.
Act 15:10.-After speaking to the apostles and elders as to what God had been doing, Peter suddenly turns and addresses them as to what they proposed to do.
Rom 11:13-14.-He turns and addresses you Gentiles in the midst of his revelation concerning the past and future of Israel.
Jam 4:1-17 -He has been addressing the poor and oppressed: but, in verses 1-6 he turns away, and apostrophizes the rich oppressors, returning to his former subject in verse 7.
2. To ones own self
This is done by the common Hebrew idiom, by which ones soul is put (by Synecdoche) for ones self.
Psa 42:5; Psa 42:11 (6, 12).-Why art thou cast down, O my soul.
See also under Cycloides, Heterosis, and Synecdoche.
Psa 103:1; Psa 103:22.-Bless the Lord, O my soul.
So Psa 104:1; Psa 146:1, etc.
3. To some second person or persons indefinite (put, by Synecdoche, for anyone)
Psa 27:14.-After prayer to God for himself, David turns and addresses anyone who is in like circumstances, and exhorts him. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.
See also under Epanadiplosis.
Psa 34:12 (13).-He suddenly turns from the plural to the singular, and addresses some undefined individual: Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile, etc.
Gal 6:1.-Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; [now comes the Apostrophe, to some, or rather each, individual] considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
See also Rom 2:17 (thou); 9:19 (Thou), 20 (O man); 12:20 (thine); 13:3 (thou); 14:4 (thou), 10 (thou). 1Co 7:16 (O wife, O man). See under Antimetathesis and Metonymy. Gal 4:7 (thou).
4. In Prophecies
In certain solemn prophecies, the Prophet is told what to say directly (instead of indirectly or obliquely).
Isa 6:9.-And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not, etc.
(See under Polyptoton, and compare Mat 13:14. Act 28:26-27, etc.)
Isa 23:16.-Tyre is addressed as a person, after a prophecy concerning the city.
See also 47:1.
III. Apostrophe to Animals
Psa 148:7 (dragons), 10 (beasts).
Joe 2:22.-Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field, etc.
IV. Apostrophe to Inanimate Things
Deu 32:1.-Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak: and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
Thus solemnly and emphatically opens this Song of Moses (which describes the whole history of Israel from the beginning to the end) and call us to give our attention to it and to consider it.
As every Israelite was expected to learn and study it (see verses 44-47) its importance to the interpreter of prophecy must be very great indeed. It is the key to Israels history-past, present, and future.
Its structure may be seen under Correspondence (page 375).
2Sa 1:21.-Ye mountains of Gilboa.
1Ki 13:2.-And he cried against the altar in the word of the Lord and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord, etc.
Psa 114:5.-What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back? Ye mountains that ye skipped like rams? and ye little hills, like lambs? Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord (Adon), at the presence of the God (Eloah) of Jacob.
Psa 148:3-5.-Praise ye him, sun and moon; praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise Him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens, etc.
Isa 1:2.-Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord hath spoken.
These words were chosen for, and invariably put in, the title-page of the early printed editions of the English Bible.
Jer 2:12.-Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, etc.
Jer 22:29.-O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord. See Epizeuxis.
Jer 47:6.-O thou sword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? See Eze 21:16.
Eze 13:11.-After saying that an overflowing storm shall burst upon the work of the false prophets, he turns away and addresses the hailstones. And ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.
Eze 36:4; Eze 36:8.-Ye mountains of Israel, compare verse 1.
Hos 13:14.-O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction. See 1Co 15:55.
Joe 2:1-32 -After prophesying concerning the land, he turns away and addresses it in verse 21. Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things.
Mic 6:2.-Hear ye, O mountains, the Lords controversy, etc.
Zec 11:1.-Open thy doors, O Lebanon, etc.
Verse 2.-Howl, fir-tree; etc. howl, O ye oaks of Bashan.
Fuente: Figures of Speech Used in the Bible
APOSTROPHE
APOSTROPHE is when the language (address) is suddenly turned to another person, whether present or absent, differently from what one had begun with.-Act 15:10, , . See Gnom.-Jam 5:1, , . See Gnom.
Fuente: Gnomon Technical Terms
Apostrophe
To death and the grave
Hos 13:14; 1Co 15:55