The device of progression, one of the stylistic devices used by biblical authors, has
not yet been examined closely or comprehensively. This article is intended not so
much to fill the gap, as to point to the various kinds and functions of this
rhetorical device, to show examples, and thus to open the way for a more extensive
and thorough study of the subject. After describing the device, an attempt is made
to define it: a rhetorical technique, or contrivance, that organizes data for the
author in a multi-phased, hierarchical structure, wherein the elements are arranged
in an ascending or descending order. Different examples of its use are presented,
and the conclusion is reached that the progressive structure serves not only to make
order in the data sequence, but also to organize it so that, as well as having an
esthetic value, the text is given added meaning.
Buber, M.1994‘Leitwort Style in Pentateuch Narrative’ and
‘Leitwort and Discourse Type: An Example’, in
L. Rosenwald
with
E. Fox
(eds.), Scripture and Translation: Martin Buber and Franz
Rosenzweig (
Bloomington: Indiana University Press
): 114-128, 143-150.
13.
Buber, S.
(ed.) 1899Midrash Lamentations Rabbah (
Wilna: Druck v. Verlag von Wittwe &
Gebrüder Romm
[Hebrew and Aramaic]).
14.
Cassuto, U.1964A Commentary on the Book of Genesis—Part II: From Noah to
Abraham—Genesis VI 9-XI 32 with an Appendix, a Fragment of Part
III (trans. I. Abrahams;
Jerusalem: Magnes Press/Hebrew University Press
[Hebrew edn 1949]).
15.
1967A Commentary on the Book of Exodus (trans. I. Abrahams;
Jerusalem: Magnes Press/Hebrew University Press
[Hebrew edn 1951]).
16.
Childs, B.S.1974The Book of Exodus (
Philadelphia: Westminster Press
).
17.
Davidson, A.B.1893Job (CB;
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
).
18.
Driver, S.R.1913Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel (
Oxford: Clarendon Press
, 2nd rev. and enlarged edn).
19.
Driver, S.R.
, and
G.B. Gray1921The Book of Job, I (ICC;
New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons
).
20.
Dupriez, B.1991A Dictionary of Literary Devices: Gradus, A-Z (trans. A.W. Halsall;
Toronto: University of Toronto Press
[French edn 1984]).
21.
Durham, J.I.1987Exodus (WBC, 3;
Waco, TX: Word Books
).
22.
Ehrlich, A.B. 1969 Mikrâ Ki-Pheschutô, I-III (= The Bible
According to its Literal Meaning; New York: Ktav [Hebrew edn 1900]).
23.
Fokkelman, J.P.1975Narrative Art in Genesis: Specimens of Stylistic and Structural Analysis (
Assen: Van Gorcum
).
24.
1981-93Narrative Art and Poetry in the Books of Samuel: A Full Interpretation Based on
Stylistic and Structural Analysis (4 vols.;
Assen: Van Gorcum
).
25.
1996‘Genesis 37 and 38 at the Interface of Structural Analysis and
Hermeneutics’, in
L.J. de Regt
,
J. de Waard
and
J.P. Fokkelman
(eds.), Literary Structure and Rhetorical Strategies in the Hebrew
Bible (Assen: Van Gorcum;
Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns
): 152-187.
26.
Freedman, H.
(trans.) 1961Genesis in Two Volumes, I (Midrash Rabbah;
London: Soncino Press
, 3rd edn [1st edn 1939]).
27.
Garsiel, M.1985I Samuel (The World of the Bible Encyclopaedia;
Ramat Gan: Revivim Publishing House
).
28.
Gordis, R.1965The Book of God and Man (
Chicago: University of Chicago Press
).
29.
Gunkel, H.1998The Legends of Genesis: The Israelite Literature (The Biblical
Encyclopaedia Library, 16;
Jerusalem: Bialik Institute
[Hebrew]).
30.
Habel, N.1965‘The Form and Significance of the Call Narratives’
, ZAW77:
297-323
.
Hasan-Rokem, G.2000Web of Life: Folklore and Midrash in Rabbinic Literature (trans. B.
Stein;
Stanford: Stanford University Press
).
33.
Herrick, M.T.1965‘Rhetoric and Poetics’, in
A. Preminger
(ed.), Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics (
Princeton: Princeton University Press
): 702-705.
34.
Hoffman, Y.1996A Blemished Perfection: The Book of Job in Context (JSOTSup, 213; trans.
J. Chipman;
Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press
[Hebrew edn 1995]).
35.
Jacob, B.1992The Second Book of the Bible: Exodus (trans. W. Jacob and Y. Elman;
Hoboken, NJ: Ktav
).
36.
Klein, R.W.19831 Samuel (WBC, 10;
Waco, TX: Word Books
).
37.
Kugel, J.L.1981The Idea of Biblical Poetry: Parallelism and its History (
New Haven: Yale University Press
).
38.
Leibowitz, N.1976Studies in Shemot in the Context of Ancient and Modern Jewish Bible
Commentary (trans. A. Newman;
Jerusalem: World Zionist Organization
Department for Torah Education and Culture
[Hebrew edn 1973]).
39.
1981Studies in Bereshit (Genesis) in the Context of Ancient and Modern Jewish Bible
Commentary (trans. A. Newman;
Jerusalem: World Zionist Organization
Department for Torah Education and Culture
, 4th edn [Hebrew edn 1970]).
40.
Leibush, M. (Malbim: Meir Loeb ben Yechiel Michael)1911The Prophets and the Writings. V. Isaiah (
Wilna: Druck v. Verlag von Wittwe &
Gebrüder Romm
[Hebrew]).
41.
Luzzatto, S.D.1971Commentary to the Five Books of Moses (Tel-Aviv: Dvir, 2nd edn
[Padua: n.p., 1871] [Hebrew]).
42.
Maag, V. 1982 Hiob: Wandlung und Verarbeitung des Problems in Novelle,
Dialogdichtung und Spatfassungen (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht).
43.
Margalioth, M.
(ed.) 1947The Midrash Ha-Gadol on the Pentateuch: The Book of Genesis (
Jerusalem: Mossad Harav Kook
[Hebrew]).
44.
McCarter, P.K.1980I Samuel (AB, 8;
Garden City, NY: Doubleday
).
45.
Na’aman, N.1990‘The “Conquest of Canaan” in Joshua and in
History’, in
N. Na’aman
and
I. Finkelstein
(eds.), From Nomadism to Monarchy: Archaeological and Historical Aspects
of Early Israel (
Jerusalem: Yad Ben Zvi/Israel Exploration Society
[Hebrew]): 284-347.
46.
O’Connell, R.H.1996The Rhetoric of the Book of Judges (
Leiden: E.J. Brill
).
47.
Pardes, I.1992Countertraditions in the Bible: A Feminist Approach (
Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press
).
48.
Polak, F.1994Biblical Narrative: Aspects of Art and Design (
Jerusalem: Bialik Institute
[Hebrew]).
49.
Pope, M.H.1965Job (AB, 15;
Garden City, NY: Doubleday
).
50.
Propp, W.H.C.1999Exodus 1-18 (AB, 2;
New York: Doubleday
).
51.
Qara, R. Joseph1972On the Former Prophets (
Jerusalem: Makor Publishing
, Epenstein edn [Hebrew]).
Regt, L.J. de
,
J. de Waard
and
J.P. Fokkelman1996Literary Structure and Rhetorical Strategies in the Hebrew Bible (Assen:
Van Gorcum;
Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns
).
54.
Rosenbaum, M.
, and
A.M. Silbermann
(in collaboration with
A. Blashki
and
L. Josheph
) 1929Pentateuch with Targum Onkelos, Haphtaroth and Prayers for Sabbath and
Rashi’s Commentary: Genesis (
London: Shapiro Vallentine
).
55.
Sarna, N.M.1989Genesis (JPS Torah Commentary;
Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America
).
56.
Segal, M.Z.1960Introduction to the Scripture (
Jerusalem: Kiryat Sefer
[Hebrew]).
57.
Shalev, M.1999Elements of Conjuration (
Tel Aviv: Am Oved Publishers
[Hebrew]).
58.
Skinner, J.1910Genesis (ICC;
New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons
).
59.
Smith, H.P.1904The Books of Samuel (ICC;
New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons
).
60.
Snaith, N.1968The Book of Job (
London: SCM Press
).
61.
Speiser, E.A.1964Genesis (AB, 1;
Garden City, NY: Doubleday
).
62.
Townsend, J.T.
(trans. and ed.) 1989Midrash Tanhuma. I. Genesis (S. Buber Recension;
Hoboken, NJ: Ktav
).
63.
Weiss, M. 1965 ‘Weiteres über die Bauformen des
Erzählens in der Bibel’, Bib 40: 181-206.
64.
1983The Story of Job’s Beginning—Job 1-2: A Literary
Analysis (
Jerusalem: Magnes Press/Hebrew University Press
[Hebrew edn 1969]).
65.
1984The Bible from Within: The Method of Total Interpretation (trans. B.
Schwartz;
Jerusalem: Magnes Press/Hebrew University Press
[Hebrew edn 1962]).
66.
Wenham, G.J.1987Genesis 1-15 (WBC, 1;
Waco, TX: Word Books
).
