Introduction: The historicity of Genesis is often debated, and other articles on this website provide evidence for a historical Genesis. However, many argue that Genesis is Hebrew poetry, and not meant to be taken literally. If Genesis is not history, then creationists have no biblical reason to accept a young earth. Therefore, this article is devoted to answering this question and defending the historicity of Genesis.

 

What is Hebrew Poetry?

 

Hebrew poetry differs greatly from English poetry. English poetry, shaped by Greek and Latin traditions, is primarily concerned with sound—the rhythm, rhyme, and verbal “hardware” that mark a text as poetic. Hebrew poetry, however, shares much with Canaanite forms of poetry and is definied by its meaning and not sound. Its verbal information and meaning, presented with parallelism of thought (not sound) is most important in Hebrew Poetry. In other words, while English poetry is defined by the format of the verse and sound, Hebrew poetry is defined by its parallelism in meaning. 

 

Examples of Hebrew Poetry: 

 

“Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: Thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.” Psalm 104:29 KJV

 

“Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: And thou renewest the face of the earth.” Psalm 104:30 KJV

 

Note how both lines in verse 29 show a parallel similarity of meaning, as do both lines in verse 30. Yet, verse 29 informationally contrasts with verse 30; verse 29 tells how God controls the death of certain creatures (like the leviathan, mentioned in verse 26), but verse 30 tells how God controls the life of His creatures. In order to get the full meaning of either verse 29 or verse 30, the total parallelism must be appreciated. 

 

Genesis isn’t Hebrew Poetry:

 

Now that an example of Hebrew Poetry has been given, an excerpt from Genesis 1-11 is below: 

 

“And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;” Genesis 4:8-11 KJV

 

There is no informational parallelism in this passage; this is history. Genesis 4:8-11 provides its audience with a narrative account of the first murder. For further proof, there is Hebrew poetry in Genesis 4, and it is unlike the historical narrative given everywhere else in Genesis 1-4. Lamech’s song in Genesis 4:23-24 is below:

 

“And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; Ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: For I have slain a man to my wounding, And a young man to my hurt. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, Truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.”

Genesis 4:23-24 KJV

 

There is much synonymous parallelism format of meaning in the first two-thirds of the poetic boasting of Lamech.

 

Adah and Zillah = Lamech's Wives 

 

Hear my voice = listen to my speech

 

A man (I killed) for wounding me = a young man for hurting me 

 

Hebrew Poetry, therefore, was known to the author of Genesis, and this means Genesis shows little poetical characteristics. Genesis is history as it illustrates what we expect from a historical narrative, careful attention to sequenced events and the inclusion of time and space context information.