Merism
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A merism is a figure of speech in which a single word or concept is represented by two or more aspects of it — often contrasting aspects, thus conveying a broader view at the expense of possible misunderstanding if it is taken too literally. Some examples of merisms in the Bible are:
| Phrase | Reference | Suggested meaning | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| the heavens and the earth | Genesis 1:1 | everything, all of creation | Compare Jeremiah 33:25 |
| evening and morning | Genesis 1:5 | a whole day | |
| (knowledge of) good and evil | Genesis 2:16-17 | guilt? experience of life? See this note to the JPS Tanakh translation. | |
| when I sit down and when I rise up | Psalm 139:1-2 | everything I do | |
| a time to be born, and a time to die etc. | Ecclesiastes 3:2-8 | all of life | fourteen poetical merisms |
| I am the first, I also am the last. Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens |
Isaiah 48:12-13 | Yahweh, Creator of all | Compare Isaiah 41:4 and Isaiah 44:6 |
| I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. |
Revelation 22:13 | Jesus Christ, Lord of all creation | Compare Isaiah references above. |
— BP
