CHAPTER II
PARALLELISM : A RESTATEMENT
THE literature of the Old Testament is divided
into two classes by the presence or absence of
what since Lowth has been known as paralle-
lismus membrorum, or parallelism. The occur-
rence of parallelism characterises the books of
Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes (in part),
Lamentations, Canticles, the larger part of the
prophetical books, and certain songs and snatches
that are cited and a few other passages that occur
in the historical books. Absence of parallelism
characterises the remainder of the Old Testament,
i.e. the Pentateuch and the books of Joshua,
Judges, Samuel, Kings and Chronicles (with
slight exceptions in all these books as just in-
dicated), Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Ruth, and
part of the prophetical books, including most of
Ezekiel, the biographical parts of Jeremiah, the
book of Jonah (except the psalm in chapter ii.),
and some passages in most of the remaining
prophetical books. It had become customary to
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