Literary Analysis: Structure, Literary Context, and Textual Features of a Biblical Text.Literary Analysis (approx. 500 words) Discuss the contents of the text and its particularities. This is not a re-telling of the text in your own words. Use the following as a guide.

QUESTION

I am doing mine on Ezra 1:1-11

4. Literary Analysis (approx. 500 words)
Discuss the contents of the text and its particularities. This is not a re-telling of the text in your
own words. Use the following as a guide.
Structure. Give an outline of the biblical text you are researching. Here is an example of an
outline of a biblical passage:
The Allegory of the Great Tree (Ezekiel 31:1-18)
1. Introduction of the oracle (vv. 1-2a)
a. Date formula (v. 1a)
b. Prophetic word formula (“the word of the Lord came to me, saying”) (v. 1b)
c. Command to Ezekiel to prophesy against Pharaoh, king of Egypt (v. 2a)
2. The magnificent tree (vv. 2b-9)
a. Rhetorical question (inclusio): to whom to you compare? (v. 2b)
b. Allegory of the tree (vv. 3-9)
3. The downfall of the tree (vv. 10-14)
a. An introduction of the oracle and reason for judgment: pride (v. 10)
b. Report of the punishment: the nations will cut down the tree (vv. 11-14)
4. The tree in the underworld (vv. 15-18)
a. Messenger formula (“thus says the Lord”) (v. 15a)
b. Report of the tree’s fall to Sheol/the underworld (vv. 16-17)
5. Conclusion: summary of previous material (v. 18)
a. Rhetorical question (inclusio): to whom to you compare? (v. 18a)
b. Prophetic utterance formula (“oracle/utterance of the Lord”) (v. 18b)
Literary context. Read the literary context of the passage. Ideally, read the whole book from
which the passage derives (we have been reading whole books in this class to facilitate this
process). How does the passage you are examining relate to its surrounding literary context?
How does the passage relate to other biblical texts (in the OT)?1
Textual features. Discuss various textual features depending on the text’s genre. See relevant
articles in Longman & Enns’ Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings.
[This is the most important section of the paper. Focus your comments on textual features in this
section of the assignment. Above all, be very specific here. Include specific examples and
biblical references to back up your conclusions.]
In general, look for the following:
• repeated words, phrases, or concepts (in Hebrew, look for repeated root words)
1 You can talk about the New Testament in the part about “theological reflection” below, but not before. This is not
a theological paper about the NT.
• key themes
• verb tense (present, past, future tense) and changes in verb tense (if you know Hebrew, be
precise!)
• subject of verbs and changes in the subject of verbs
• subject matter and changes in subject matter.
• rhetorical questions (questions that are asked but not answered, and their answer is
usually implied)
For a narrative text, look for the following:
• plot development (opening scene, developing/rising action in the story, climax—when
the story’s action reaches its highest point, conclusion of the story—this is where the
action tapers off)
• point of view: is the narrative first person or is there a third person narrator? Is the
narrator omniscient, seeing more details than the story’s characters? Or is the perspective
of the narrator limited like the characters?
• characterization—the development of characters (How are they described? Are they
flat—barely described? Or round—more fully described?)
• dialogue (this is one key aspect of identifying narratives)
• ambiguity—what does the narrative not openly talk about? Are there gaps in the narrative
that you as the reader are left to work out? Carefully delineate what the narrative says and
doesn’t say.
• summarizing or formulaic statements

ANSWER

Literary Analysis: Structure, Literary Context, and Textual Features of a Biblical Text

The passage I will be examining is “The Allegory of the Great Tree” from Ezekiel 31:1-18. Here is an outline of the structure of the passage:

Introduction of the oracle (vv. 1-2a)
Date formula (v. 1a)
Prophetic word formula (“the word of the Lord came to me, saying”) (v. 1b)
Command to Ezekiel to prophesy against Pharaoh, king of Egypt (v. 2a)

The magnificent tree (vv. 2b-9)
Rhetorical question (inclusio): to whom do you compare? (v. 2b)
Allegory of the tree (vv. 3-9)

 The downfall of the tree (vv. 10-14)
Introduction of the oracle and reason for judgment: pride (v. 10)
Report of the punishment: the nations will cut down the tree (vv. 11-14)

The tree in the underworld (vv. 15-18)
Messenger formula (“thus says the Lord”) (v. 15a)
Report of the tree’s fall to Sheol/the underworld (vv. 16-17)

Conclusion: summary of previous material (v. 18)
Rhetorical question (inclusio): to whom do you compare? (v. 18a)
Prophetic utterance formula (“oracle/utterance of the Lord”) (v. 18b)

Now let’s explore the literary context of the passage. It is essential to read the whole book of Ezekiel to understand how this passage relates to its surrounding literary context. In Ezekiel, the prophet is given visions and messages from God, which he delivers to the exiled Israelites in Babylon. The passage I am examining relates to the overall theme of judgment and restoration in the book. It specifically addresses the pride and downfall of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and serves as a warning to other nations.

Moving on to the textual features, we can analyze various aspects depending on the text’s genre. In this case, we are dealing with a prophetic passage and allegory. Some key textual features to consider are:

Repeated words, phrases, or concepts: Look for recurring terms or motifs that emphasize the central message of the passage. For example, the repeated rhetorical question “to whom do you compare?” highlights the greatness and uniqueness of the tree.

Key themes: Identify the main themes present in the allegory. Possible themes could include pride, judgment, the downfall of the mighty, and the sovereignty of God.

Verb tense and changes: Examine the verb tense to understand the temporal dimension of the narrative. Changes in verb tense might indicate shifts in time or emphasize specific actions or consequences.

Subject of verbs and changes: Analyze the subject of verbs to determine the focus of the narrative and any shifts in emphasis or perspective.

 Subject matter and changes: Consider how the subject matter evolves throughout the passage and if there are any transitions or shifts in focus.

Rhetorical questions: Take note of any rhetorical questions posed in the text and their implied answers. These questions serve to engage the reader and emphasize certain ideas or concepts.

By examining these textual features, we gain a deeper understanding of the narrative structure and literary elements employed in the passage.

In conclusion, the “Allegory of the Great Tree” in Ezekiel 31:1-18 presents a structured narrative that conveys a message of judgment and warns against pride. Through careful analysis of the structure, literary context, and textual features, we can discern the allegorical elements, key themes, and narrative techniques employed in the passage. This analysis allows us to appreciate the complexity and depth of the biblical text and its significance within the broader context of the book of Ezekiel.