Catachresis; or, Incongruity
Catachresis; or, Incongruity
One word changed for another only remotely connected with it
Cat-a-chree-sis. Greek, , from (kata), against, and (chreesthai), to use. Hence, misuse.
Catachresis is a figure by which one word is changed for another, and this against or contrary to the ordinary usage and meaning of it. The word that is changed is transferred from its strict and usual signification to another that is only remotely connected with it. Hence called by the Latins ABUSIO, abuse.
In Metonymy there is a relation between the two words. In Synecdoche there is some association between them. In Hendiadys there is a real connection between them. But in Catachresis all this is wanting, and the two words or meanings, though they may have between them something remotely akin or analagous, yet have no real or strict relation; and the connection is often incongruous.
When man uses this figure, it may often be from ignorance or through carelessness, but often with good effect. Attention is sometimes arrested by a delightful incongruity, as when Young writes:
Her voice was but the shadow of a sound:
where the sense is very forcibly conveyed by changing the ordinary usage of the word shadow.
Sorrow was big at her heart.
Or when we say that a thing is beautiful to the ear, or melodious to the eye; or, when we apply the word sweet to things other than articles of food which we taste.
But, when the Holy Spirit uses this figure, it is in order to arrest us; and to attract our attention, by the apparent incongruity, and thus fix it on what He says.
Sometimes the translators introduce a Catachresis, where there is none in the Original: e.g., in Exo 38:8, they say: Moses made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass out of the looking-glasses of the women. (But see margin.) The R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] avoids this by rendering the word correctly mirrors.
The figure does not mislead; it merely acts as spice or condiment does to food.
Catachresis is of three kinds:-
i. Of two words, where the meanings are remotely akin.
ii. Of two words, where the meanings are different.
iii. Of one word, where the Greek receives its real meaning by permutation from the Hebrew, or some other language, or foreign usage.
i. Of two words, where the meanings are remotely akin
Lev 26:30.-I will cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols.
Here the word carcase is changed from its strictly correct application to flesh and blood, and its use applied to the fragments of wood or stone of an idol.
Num 9:18.-At the mouth of Jehovah.
Here it is translated commandment: but the figure arrests us; and points us to the Divine Source of the command as opposed to any human injunction. See Epistrophe.
Deu 16:7.-And thou shalt cook and eat it in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose.
Both A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] and R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] render it roast. The latter however puts seethe in the margin. Seethe is sometimes used for cook: and thus there is a remote connection with roast, as commanded, in Exo 12:8-9. So 1Sa 2:15. Compare Joe 3:13 (4:13).
Deu 32:14.-Thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape.
Here blood is used by Catachresis. For, as blood is that which comes from man, so the juice is that which comes from the grape. There is an incongruity, because the two are only remotely akin. But our attention is attracted to what is being said.
2Sa 23:17.-Is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?
The water which the three mighty men brought to David is called their blood: and thus, in one incongruous word, is eloquently expressed the shedding of their own blood, which the men had risked for Davids sake.
Job 4:12.-Now a word was brought by stealth to me.
This is a most unusual way of describing an angelic communication.
Psa 74:1.-Why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?
Psa 80:4 (5).-How long wilt thou smoke against the prayer of thy people? (margin).
Used by Catachresis for the heat of anger.
Psa 88:5.-Free among the dead: i.e., set at liberty is put by Catachresis for cast off, deserted.
Isa 62:5.-For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee.
To speak of sons marrying their mother is incongruous, and yet what else could be said? How else could it be expressed? But (baal) means not only to marry, but to possess; or as we express it to have and to hold in possession. This is the primitive and proper meaning of the word, and to marry is only a secondary usage. It means to have, own, possess. See 1Ch 4:22, who had the dominion in Moab; Isa 26:13, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us.
It is from not seeing the beautiful figure Catachresis here, by which, through what looks like an incongruity, that Bishop Lowth and others suggest an emendation of the Hebrew Text, by reading (bonahyik), thy builders, for (bahnayik), thy sons. The change is plausible; but it is destitute of any MS. or other ancient authority; and such arbitrary alterations of the Text are to be deprecated, being purely conjectural. Moreover, it is unnecessary, for the builder is not necessarily the possessor or the owner. The apparent incongruity of the figure arrests our attention; and, when we give the attention which is thus demanded, we find the passage means that as a young man marries a virgin, so shall Zions sons hold her in sure and happy possession.
Hos 14:2 (3).-So will we render the calves of our lips: i.e., our lips as sacrifices. See under Metonymy; and compare Heb 13:15.
Mat 12:5.-On the sabbath days the Priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless. It sounds incongruous to state this as a fact: but it expresses what was true according to the mistaken notions of the Pharisees as to manual works performed on the sabbath.
Rom 7:23.-I see another law in my members. He means that he sees sin: which, through the authority with which it rules his members, he calls, by Catachresis, law. See under Antanaclasis.
1Co 1:25.-The foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. It is incongruous to speak of foolishness or weakness with respect to God. So we are arrested by the use of this figure Catachresis.
Col 3:5.-Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth. The members which commit the sins are put by a forcible Catachresis for the sins themselves. For the sins are immediately enumerated, not the members. See chap. 2:11.
ii. Of two words, where the meanings are different
Exo 5:21.-Ye have made our savour to stink in the eyes of Pharaoh.
Here stink and eyes are incongruously conjoined to call our attention to the highest degree of abhorrence.
Exo 20:18 (15).-And all the people saw the thunderings.
Here seeing is joined to what was only heard. But see under Zeugma, by which one verb is made to go with two different nouns. (See Rev 1:12 below).
Mar 7:21-22.-Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts an evil eye.
Here the Catachresis is only in appearance, as an evil eye is put by Metonymy for envy, which does proceed out of the heart.
Compare Mat 20:15, and see further under Asyndeton.
1Ti 6:19.-Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
Here the laying up treasure is joined with foundation, and laying hold is joined with the house which is from heaven. 2Co 5:2.
Rev 1:12.-And I turned to see the voice that spake with me.
Here voice is put by Metonymy (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ), for the person speaking. Apart from this, there is a Catachresis; seeing being joined with that which is invisible and only heard. (See Exo 20:18.)
iii. Of one word, where the Greek receives its real meaning by permutation from another language, or foreign usage
Mat 8:6. Act 4:27.-Where (pais), a child, is used of a servant, from the Hebrew (nahar), which has both meanings. The A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] renders it servant in Matt., and child in Acts; while the R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] renders it servant in both places, spelling it in Acts Servant.
Mat 11:25; Luk 10:21; Rom 14:11; Heb 13:15.- (homologein), to confess, is used of to praise or celebrate, like the Hebrew (hdah) which has both meanings. See Gen 49:8. 2Sa 22:50.
Mat 24:29.-And the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. Here, (dunameis), powers, means really armies, from the Hebrew (chayeel) which has both meanings.
Mat 28:1.- (mia), one, is the Greek cardinal numeral, but it is used here for the ordinal, first, like the Hebrew (echad), which has both meanings. See Gen 1:5, etc. (See Mar 16:9.)
Luk 1:37.-For with God nothing shall be impossible. Here, (rheema), word or saying, is used for thing, the Hebrew (davar) having both meanings. The R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] renders literally; at the expense of forcing the word (adunateesei), shall be impossible; which it renders shall be void of power.
Luk 16:17.-It is easier for heaven and earth to pass than one tittle of the law to fail. Here, (piptein), to fall or fail, is used for not to be fulfilled, or to be of no effect (Rom 9:6. 1Sa 3:19). The Hebrew (naphal) has both meanings. See Jos 23:14. Est 6:10.
The reference to the tittle is interesting, and very beautifully includes both the meanings.
The (cheren), horn, is called in the Greek (keraia), little horn (Mat 5:18 and Luk 16:17). Another, and commoner Hebrew name is (taageem), little crowns.* [Note: The plural of (cheren), horn, is (chrahnoth), horns.]
The Massorah explains that the little horn or crown is an ornament or little flourish (something like a tiny fleur-de-lis, of various forms, or a mere hair-line flourish) placed above certain letters and coming out from their top, according to certain definite and prescribed rules. Thus the common fancy, which is as old as Jerome, is exploded: which explained the tittle as being the difference between two similar letters: e.g., Daleth () and Resh (); Beth () and Kaph (), etc.
The meaning of the passage is that it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one of these Taagim, or little crowns to fall, or for the minutest word of God not to be fulfilled.
Act 10:22. Luk 1:6; Luk 2:25.- (dikaios), which is an adjective, and means strictly righteous, is used generally for a good man, like the Heb., (tzaddeek), which has both meanings.
Act 13:34.-The sure mercies of David.
Here the words (ta hosia), holy or just things, are used for promises made, and mercies vouchsafed, in pure grace; the Heb. (chasadeem) having both meanings. The quotation is from Isa 15:3; and the reference is to Jehovahs unconditional covenant made with David in 2Sa 7:1-29 The passage means I will give to you the faithful promises made to David.
The A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] gives an unusually long marginal note; and the R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] renders it I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David; which is very laboured and obscure, compared with the simplicity of meaning conveyed and brought out by the figure Catachresis, which shows that 2Sa 7:1-29 was in question, and the holy things, i.e., the promises, there made in grace to David.
1Co 2:6.-Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect.
Here the word (teleios) receives its true meaning, initiated, from the Greek mysteries, where it was used of one who had been initiated into them.
1Co 15:54.-Death is swallowed up in victory: i.e., for ever, as the Heb. (netzach) means, as well as victory, when it has the Lamed () prefixed. See Isa 25:8 (R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] ). Amo 1:11 (both A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] and R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] ). Also Psa 13:1 (2). Pro 21:28.
2Co 6:12; 2Co 7:15. Luk 1:78. Col 3:12. Php 1:8.- (splangna), bowels, is used for mercy, like the Heb., (rachameem), which has both meanings.
See Gen 43:30. Psa 51:1 (3). Pro 12:10. When used with the word mercies itself, it denotes tender mercies.
Gal 2:21.-I do not frustrate (or esteem at a small price) the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead (i.e., died) in vain. Here, (drean), a free gift, is put for (mateen), in vain; and the A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] so translates it. The R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] renders it for nought. But, like the Heb. (chinnam), means in vain, while means without a cause. See Psa 109:3.
1Th 4:4, and 1Pe 3:7, where (skeuos), a vase or utensil, is used for the Heb. (klee), which has a wider meaning, instrument or weapon. See Hos 13:15, and 1Sa 21:3-6.
Heb 11:31; Jam 2:25.-The harlot Rahab: where (pornee), a harlot, receives its true meaning from the Heb. (znah) which means a female hostess, or landlady, as well as harlot.
1Pe 3:14.- (dikaiosunee), righteousness, is used of ordinary piety, kindness, etc. So 2Co 9:9. Mat 6:1 according to one reading (see Metonymy and Synecdoche).
Rev 2:7; Rev 22:2; Rev 22:14.-The tree of life. In the Greek (xylon) means wood; but receives its meaning of tree from the Heb. (eytz), tree, which is frequently rendered (xylon) in the LXX. [Note: XX. The Septuagint Version (325 b.c.).]
Rev 14:8; Rev 18:3.-She hath made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Here, (thumos), wrath, means heat, as well as anger; like the Heb. (cheymah), heat, venom, or poison. See Job 6:4, where the LXX. [Note: XX. The Septuagint Version (325 b.c.).] renders it (thumos), evil or affliction, as Mat 6:34. So that the meaning is the heating or poisonous wine of her fornication.