an analysis of figurative expression on the holy bible in
TRANSCRIPT
An Analysis of Figurative Expression on The Holy Bible
In The Book Of Hebrew
Nuansa ErlyKasna Purba
Abstract
This study analyzed figurative meaning which found in verse in the book of Hebrew written by Paul and
addressed to the people in Hebrew. The objectives of this analysisis to explore the real meaning of that
figurative expression, and also to classify the types of figurative expression which one is the dominant in
this book (Hebrew).In this study , the writer uses descriptive qualitative method. The writer analyzes the
data based on semantics’ theory from semanticist like Gorys Keraft (2006). there are so many kinds of
figurative expression, but the writer only analyzes metaphor, hyperbole, simile, metonymy,
synecdoche, irony, and personification. The writer analyzes every data based on the steps of the
analysis, and finally the writer concludes that the most dominant of the types of figurative expression
which found in Hebrew is metaphor for 20 cases or 40%, hyperbole is 10 cases or 20%, simile is 5 cases
or 10%, and the synecdoche 3 cases or 6%, and irony is 7 cases or 14%, and personification has a same
cases with simile with 5 cases or 10%. The book of Hebrew using most of metaphor in verse is to make a
stress to the things or people which was being compared, so that the reader will find the difference and
the sameness between those comparisons.
Keywords : figurative meaning, figurative expression
1.Introduction
Linguistics itself defined s the scienntific study of linguistics. varshney (1977:2) says,”
Linguistics is the scientific study of language which studies the origin, organization, nature and
development of language descriptively, historically, and formulates the general rules relatend to
language. Linguistics is divided into some part of discipline knowledge. One of the brances in linguistics
which concern with meaning is called semantics.
Palmer (1976: 1) said that semantics is the technical term used to refer to the study of meaning
that covers the variety of aspects of language, and there is no general agreement either about what
meaning is or about the ways in which they have been described. Considering that language is an
instrumen to conveying the meaning, it means that when people study a language they will study about
meaning automatically. Sometimes speaker means something differen from what our word mean. It is
called non-literal meaning, the speaker means something different from his/her literal meaning of the
wordds, or the speaker has other intension from the meaning of the words the speaker said. The hearer
may find it is difficult to understand waht the speaker want to convey if the speakers speaks non-
literally.
Figure of speech or figurative expression is a part of non-literal menaing. It is used to make a
special effect to language, and to make language more beautiful. As Oxford Learner Dictionary defines
“Figurative is used in a way that is different from usual meaning, in order to create a particular mental
image”. Gorys Keraft (1980:112) states that there are some kinds of figure of speech: hyperbole, which
uses exaggeration; irony, which express a meaning contradictory to the stated or ostensible one;
personification, in which intimate object or abstract ideas are endowed with human qualities and action;
simile, which is an express comparisons between two unlike objects; synecdoche, in which a part
represent a hidden meaning of a word of sentence. That is the reason why the writer would like to
analyze the non-literal meaning in the Holy Bible based on semantics point of view. In general there are
two ways of language activity, firs is through the oral language which done in our daily
conversationeither formal or informal situation. Secon is through the written language. These two types
of media have similarities and differences; one of the difference between those two media that related to
the meaning aspects is that in written language media people can more broadly choose the meaning of
the words which are regarded more appropriated. The fact above caused more by different language
space, time and condition between these two language media. Through the written language media one is
able to think and choose apropriate words as he wished. This is, of course, a thing cannot be done
through the oraal language media because of the matter of the time.
Holy Bible is the holy book that is composed by the God’s voices. the Holy Bible is used by the
Christian who believe that God communicates with them thriugh the scripture. The Christian usually
used their book as the clue or guidance in running their daily life. The church society sometimes find
some difficulties when they read the Holy Bible. They missinterpret the meaning of the sentence or the
phrase. Here the writer would like to analyze the scripture since the book has non-literal meaning which
semantically can be analyzed.
The Holy Bible consist of two big parts, they are Old Testament and New Testament. The Old
Testament told about God when He released the Israel from the Egyptian’s slavery. The Israel people led
by Prophet Moses then Dod made an agreement with them in Sinai. Whole the New Testament told
about the fulfillment of God’s promise. The Old Testament tells more about how God create this world
and the story about Noah.
In this analyis, the writer has some questions as the problem of the study:
What types of figurative expression are used , 2) What are the real menaing of the figurative expression
in the Holy Bible on the book of Hebrew? And what is the dominant types of figurative
expression found in the Holy Bible on the book of Hebrew?
There are various figurative expression that found in literary works, but in this study the scope of the
analisys is the sentence which have figurative expression as found in the book of Hebrew of the Holy
Bible. The types of figurayive expression which analyzed in this study are only simile, metaphor,
hyperbole, personification, synecdoche, and ironym and metonymy.
This study is expected to be useful to increase the knowledge of the readers, and give some of
useful:Theoretically:This study can be used to acknowledge and deepen the analysis of semantics.
And practically: this study can be useful for interpreter in interpreting the figurative expression and
useful for those who are interested in studying about figurative expressions.
Theory of Semantics
Semantics is one of the part of linguistics that study about meaning. Semantics is comes from
Greek word ‘semantikos’ means ‘significant’; ‘semaine’ means ‘to show. signify’ or ‘indicate by sign’;
from sema means ‘sign’. However the word ‘meaning’ has wide range of perception and there is no
general agreement among experts about in which it could be described.
Actually, semantics has not always enjoyed a prominent role in moderen linguistics. many of
the more influental books on linguistics that have been appeared in the last thirty years devote little or no
attention to semantics. The reason for this is that many linguists have come to doubt wheter meaning can
be studied as objectively and rigorously as grammar and phonology, for the present at least.
Furthermore, whereas phonologically and grammar quite clearly fall wholly within the province of
linguistics (although the way in which a child learns the phonological and grammatical structure of his
language is of considerable interest to the psychologist), what is commonly reffered to as ‘the problem
of menaing’ might seem to be equal, is nor greater, concern with philosipy, logic and psychology, and
perhaps also to other disciplines such as anthropology and sociology.
According to Valli and Lucas (2000: 149) says semantics is the study of meaning of words and
sentence, and also the study of the rule- governed ways in which language structure meaning. The
readers have looked at the basic units used to construct sign- movement, and hilds, handshapes, location,
orientation, and non manual signal, and also have to see how these parts can be used to construct the new
units, such as the morphological components of the language, and to see how the units are put together to
form sentences, but people who use language to communicate, not only need to share the phonology,
morphology, and syntax of a language, but they also must shared value for the users of language. Palmer
(1876: 1) says, “Semantics is the term used to refer to the study of meaning”. wagiman (2008: 1) defines,
“Semantics is the study of menaing in language. it is the fact that meaning is part of language, but this
definition has not been clearly delineated and given fair treatment in the study of language intil very
recently, in the study of language, language efinitions are sometimes based on meaning, and sometimes
based on function.
Scope of Semantics
Semantics is the study of menaing in language. it is the fact that meaning is part of language,
but this definition has not been clearly delineated and given fair treatment in the study of language. in
traditional linguistics, language is viewed as the vocabulary which is cintained in literary works.
statement that a noun is a name of person or a thing, or a sentence is a expression of complete thought,
are definition which are based of meaning. On the contrary, statement that an adjective is a word that
modifies other words except noun, or an adverb that modifies other words except nouns, are definition
which are based on function. the outstanding achievement in the study of meaning in traditional
linguistics has not clearly shown what meaning is.
Wagimin (2008: 4) says, “Linguistics cimpetence cinsist of a phonological representation, a
syntactic representation, and a semantic representation for the analysis of any sentence. For decoding
processes by the listeners, the listeners moves fro, phonology to semantics; and for encoding processes,
the speaker moves from semantics to phonology. Human language is, composed of three components,
such as: phonology, which concern sosund, syntax which concern grammatical structure, and semantics,
which concern meaning”.
As there are four levels of language, pragmatics must be part of semantics, which is the study of
language meaning in context, language use, or language interaction. It is not quite proper to view
language as having four levels: phonology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. Semantics mist include
sense- the meaning of word, and sentence without relation to the world outside and reference- the
meaning of words or sentence in relation to the world outside.
Meaning
Language is used for various activities and purposes in social life. The function or language is
not provide information to hearers and readers. To study a language without reference of meaning is like
a studying road sign from the point of view of the phsical properties (how much the weight, what’s the
color, how big is the sign), not studying the implicit meaning of the sign. The term meaning is simply
derived from the word “mean”. Meaning is regarded as the message that is intended or expressed or
signified. In other word, it can be said that meaning is intended. In everyday English, everybody ise this
word in a number of different ways as in the following:
a) That was no mean (insignificant) accmplishment.
b) They are so mean (cruel).
c) This will mean (result in).
d) Without ice cream, life wouldn’t mean anything (have any purpose).
e) I mean (intend) to help if i can.
f) Keep off the grassm this means (refer to) you.
g) His losing his job meand (implies) that he will have to look again.
h) Lucky strike meanas (indicate) fine tobacco.
i) Those cloudes mean (are sign of) rain.
j) she does not mean (believe) what she said.
k) Procrastinate means (?) “to put things off”.
l) In saying that she meant (?) that we should leave.
In those sentence above, it can be seen that the word mean in (a) to (j) has their ‘equivalence’ in
other word, while the same word in (k) to (l) does not. The last two sentence, in fact, exemplify two
importantly different sorts of meaning, ie. Linguistic meaning and speaker meaning. In (k) procrastinate
has a linguistics meaning to put things off while in (l) meant to speaker’s intention or what message the
speaker intends to say in words.
Lyons (1995: 136) defines that “meaning are ideas or concepts, which can be transfered from
the mind of the speaker to the mind of hearer by embodying them, as it were, in the forms of language or
another”.
Sense and Reference
Sense
The sense of an expression is its place in a system of semantics relationships with other
expression in the language and concerned only with intra linguistic relation. In this semantics
relationship, the writer will mention about sameness of meaning, an intuitive concept which will
illustrate by example.
All people can talk about the senses, not only of words, but also of longer expression such as
phrases and sentences. In some cses, the same words can have more than one senses. For examples: the
word bank has different meaning in the following sentence:
(1) It is better if we safe our money in a bank.
(2) My house is on the south bank of the river.
Based on example (1) and (2) above, the writer can see that the word bank has a number of
different senses. In the example (1), the words bank is an organozation or a place to save our money.
Then, in the example (2), the word bank has sense the land slopping up along each river or canal or the
ground near the river.
Reference
Hurford and Heasley (1984: 25) said that “the terms ‘reference’ is deal with relationship
between language and the world. By means of reference, a speaker indicates which thing in the world
(including person) are being talked about. For example, My son is in the beach (my son=identifies
person), (the beach tree=identifies thing).
According to Palmer (1976: 30), “Reference deals with the relationship between the linguistic
elements, words, sentence, etc., and the non linguistics world of experience”. For example, the word
‘hand’ has a certain menaing, a part of body, include right and left hand, a hand have five fingers and
each finger has a finger nail. In addition, the word ‘hand’ also processes a characteristic which is known
as ‘reference’ that is ability of the hand to do anything such to take, to throw, wash, etc.
Denotation
The denottion is the true meaning of meaning contained in the word. Alternatively, simply the meaning
interpret as meaning actual denotation. Real meaning in questtion is the basic meaning of the words
contained in the dictionry. For example:
“Anton buys black sheep yesterday afternoon”
The “black sheep” in the sentence has meaning of an animal (goat) that it is black. Meaning “black
sheep” in the sentence is called the meaning of denotation. Other example is “snake”, if we look up to
the dictionary, we can see that the definition of the sanke is numerous scaly, legless, sometimes
venomenous reptiles, but in connotative meaning for the word snake could include evil or danger.
b. Connotation
Connotation can be interpreted as an idea suggested by a word in addition to its main meaning ,
or as a meaning not actually on the word or a group of words. Therefore, the meaning of connotation
offen reffered to as the meaning of allusion. Furthermore, the meaning of connotation can be translated
as meaning given to the word or group of word as a comparison for what intended to be clear and
interesting. For example:
“Anton became a scapegoat in this case”
The word ‘scapegoat’ in the sentence shall not be interpreted as an animal (goat) that is black. Because,
if so interpreted, the meaning of the whole sentence are not logical or cannot be understood. The
meaning of the word scapegoat in the sentence is a suspect in a case that was nor done. Meaning :black
sheep” in the sentences this is called the meaning of connotation
Figurative Expression
In this Part the writer will explain the definition of figurative expression clearly. Gorys Keraft
(1980: 112) explains many kinds of figurative expression, but the writer will elaborate some kind of
figurative expression which will be explained include the exsamples.
Definition of Figurative Expression
In semantics terms, there are two kinds of meaning; they are literal meaning and non-literal
meaning. Literak meaning is the way to speak instances in a neutral, factually and accurate. When, non-
literal or figurative meaning is the way to speak instances and deliberately describes something in untrue
or imposible terms in order to achieve special effect. In other word, it can be said that need interpretation
of what his or her word.
In traditional analisys, words in literal expression denote what speaker or writer mean according
to common or dictionarry usage, while figurative expression connote they add layers of meaning. As the
writer explains above that a single word may have various senses signaled by the context; that is, the
other word with which it occurs.
Figurative expression are a thing that can makes our sentence more interesting, it has a hidden
meaning, that usually cannot be understood, or translated with a literal form of the word. Figurative
expression is the expressive which uses a language that needs interpreting of the meaning of the speaker
or writer’s words.
Generally, the speaker describe something using unusual comparisons, for effect, interest, and
to make things clearer. Besides that, the use of figurative expression is to emphasize the meaning of
his/her word. Gorys Keraft (1980: 129) says, “ Gaya bahasa adalah, suatu penyimpangan bahasa secara
evaluatif atau secar emotif dari bahasa biasa entah dalam bentuk ejaan, pembentukan kata, frasa atau
aplikasi sebuah istilah, untuk memperoleh sebuak kejelasan, penekanan, hiasan, humor, atau sesuatu
efek yang lain”(evaluative or emotively of the deviation of the language even in spelling, word
formating, phrase, or term appliction to get the clear, stressed, joke, or the other effects). Then as in
Oxford Learner Dictionary define “ Figurative is used in a way that is different from the usual meaning,
in order to create a particilar mental image”
Figurative expression is also based on collocatin; it has the figurative expression only when
used with certaun other words. The figurative expression of a word almost invariable will need to be
translated with a word or phrase which is not the literal translation of the word in the language.
A possibility, which may be better in some situsain, is to retain the word in original, but to add
the sense of the word. This should be used if here seems to be a component of emotions or impact which
might otherwise be lost, as in poetry. For example:
1. Moses is read in the synagogue might be translated the law (book) written by Moses is red in
the synagogue.
2. he just gave the wheater might be translated he just gave a wheater report (or forecast)
3. the world is mad might be translated by the people of the world for world
5. he drunk three cups might be translated by he drunk three cups of tea.
Kind of Figurative Expression
There are some kinds of figurative expression will be discussed. In this study the writer will
explain 7 types of them. There are hyperbole, metaphor, personification, simile, irony, metonymy, and
synecdoche.
1. Hyperbole
Everybody many people emphasize a point with a statement containing exaggeration. For
example, “I’ve told you a thousand times not to go outside at night”, it is quite impossible for someone
to tell aq same thing to other for thousand timess, we called it exaggeration, or overstatemen the number,
size or characteristics of a thing for purpose of emphasizing.
A hyperbole is a metonymy or synechdoche with more said than the writer intended the reader
to understand. The exaggeration is deliberately used for effect, and it is not being understood as if it
were a literal description. For example:
1. I think someone has put all the sugar in the world in this coffee.
2. it is not a gun that goes on off so you can her it.
Based on the examples above for example (a) the word “all the sugar in the world” we cannot
imagine that how the sugar is, but in here the speaker say that someone put too much sugar in that coffe.
For example (b) if we translate it literally means that the situation is very quiet, but the truth, the
situation is too noisy, that’s why the speaker said so.
2.Metaphor
Metaphor is use of figure of speech which is also comparisons. Metaphor does not have the
words “like” or “as”. The comparison is always that of some likeness. The Oxford Learner Dictionary
define that a word or phrase used in imaginative way to describe something else, in order to show that
the two things have the same qualities and to make the description more powerful. For example:
“our love’s burning down”
in this sentence, live compared with burning down. Burning down means fire. love is not same with fire.
So, in this sentence our love’s burning down, love is equates with wste that can be burn or something
else like that.
3. Personification
Personification in which intelligence or life is attributed to inanimate object or abstract ideas.
many language have personification as a figure of speech in the language, but in some languages, this
particular figure of speech can only be used in legends and would need to be adjusted in all other
discourse types. For examples:
1. good coffee is like a frienship,
2. he ran like a wind.
The example (1) good coffee is like a frienship means that if we realize the taste of good coffee
is warm, rich, and strong taste, and it’s same with friendship which is always warm, rich love, and have a
strong feeling each other. For (2) he ran like a wind means that the man in the sentence was run so fast,
that’s why the speaker said that the man ran like a wind.
4.Irony
Irony comes from ironies that means deception or pretended. As a figure of speech ironi often
convey a meaning exactly opposite from their literal meaning. In ironic situation, action often has an
effect exactly opposite from what is intended.
The discordance of irony created as a mean of communication. Description or depiction of
situational ironies whether in fiction or nonfiction of sharpening or highlighting certain discordant
features of reality. For example:
“Bandung city is very beautiful with the garbage”
It is irony because this sentence is cintrary to the fact. it is imposible if a city looks beautiful
with garbage in everywhere. It means that the city is not beautiful.
5 Metonymy
Metonymy is the use of words in figure of speech involving association. Metonymy also consist
of the use of the name of the thing for that another of which it is an atrubute. Metonymy occurs in most
language but will not match the specific example of the metonymy of another language.
Here are two senses for metonymy:
1) The use of wird which there is san associative relationship which makes the figurative senses
possible. For example:
1. the kettle is boiling
This sentense does not mean that the kettle is boiling, the kettle cannot boil. In the special
collocation with boil, kettle does not mean the kitchen utensil ised for boiling the water, but rather refers
to the water which is in the kettle.
2. he has a good head
Head is the place where the brain is located. The head being used i the figurative way to rever
to the brain.
3. the response from the floor was positive
Using floor in figurative way to represent the people who are in the audiance which is seated on
the floor (probably in chairs).
2) The use of figurative senses which based on logical contiguity.
1. Moses is read in the synagogue mignt be translated the law(book) written by Moses is read in the
synagogue.
2. he just gave the whetear might be translated he just gave a wheatear report (or forecast)
Synecdoche
Figurative expression which based on part- whole relationship are also quite common some
languages which called synecdiche. This figure of speech is very common in Holy Bible, so there are
many occurences of the New Testanebt. for example:
1. Give us this day our daily Bread
One specific member, bread of the class food, is substitude for food. The prayer is really talking about
food, not just bread which is one part of the whole class of food.
2. I am not going to let him under my roof
Roof which part of the house is substituted for house.
Holy Bible
Holy bible is the holy book that is in Christian belief. It was composed by the God’s voices.
The Holy Bible is used by the Christian who belive that God communicates with them trough the
scripture. The Christian usually ides their book as the clue or guidance in running their daily life. The
church society sometimes find some difficulties when they read the Holy Bible. They misinterpret the
meaning of the sentence or the phrase. Here the writer would like to analyze the scripture since the book
has non-literak meaning which semantically can be analyzed. The writer will analyze the Holy Bible in
New King James Version published by the Indinesian Bible Society (1991).
The Holy Bible consist of two big parts, they are Old Testamen and the New Testament. The
Old Testament told about God when He released the Israel from Egyptian’s slavery. The Israel people
led by prophet Moses then God made an agreement with them in Sinai. While the New Testament told
about the fulfillment of God’s promise. The Old Testament tells more about how God create this world
and the story about Noah. Book of Hebrew is a letter that written by Paul one of God’s Prophet
addressed to the people of Hebrew (Hebrew is an ethnic). By KJV (King James Version )
2. Research Method
In doing this study , the writer uses practice descriptive research. Arikunto (2010: 3) says “
penelitian descriptive adalah penelitian yang dimaksudkan untuk menyelidiki keadaan, kondisi atau hal
hal lain yang sudah disebutkan , mana hasilnya yang di paparkan dalam bentuk laporan penelitian”
(descriptive research is research which is purposed to research the situation, condition or the other thing
that alredy mentioned, where the result will be elaborate in the research result’s form ). Therefore,
descriptive design is research design which is intended only to describe the variable. In analyzing the
data, the writer applies descriptive qualitative methods. As Darmadi (2011: 17) says “metode kualitatif
adalah metode penelitian yang digunakan untuk meneliti kondisi objek yang bersifat alami” (qualitative
method is a research method which is used to research the condition of natural object). In qualitative
method, the researcher takes part in the first role. The technique of collecting the qualitative data will be
reported descriptively.
Arikunto (2010: 173) states that population is the whole number of the subject or people under
observation in aresearch. the populatin of this analysis will be taken from every verses of entire chapters
of Hebrew in the Holy Bible in New King James Version published by The Indonesian Bible Society
(1991). There are 13 chapters which are written by Paul on of God’s prophet, and Paul addressed this
book to the people of Hebrewand the writer chooses this entire chapter. The writer will apply purpossove
sample methode. Arikunto (2010: 174) says, dinamakan penelitian sampel apabila kita bermaksud untuk
menggeneralisasikan hasil penelitian sampel, yang dimaksudkan dengan menggeneralisasikan adalah
mengangkat kesimpulan penelitian sebagai suatu yang berlaku bagi populasi. Some sentences from
every verse become the data which express figurative expression that become the analysis of this
study. Writer reading every verses of entire chapters of the Holy Bible especially in book of Hebrew, .
underlying all the sentences that contain the types of figurative expression, classifying the sentences into
the types of figurative expression., calculating the types of figurative expression to get the most
dominant types of figurative expression which found in the book of Hebrew., and aking the conclusions
3. The Data Analysis
After finding and collecting the data which are found in the Holy Bible especially in Hebrew
and also contain some kinds of figurative expression, the writer explained the data, but the writer
explained it based on the types one by one. the ewriter explained the types and 50 data from Hebrew.
Metaphor
Table 1: data of Metaphor
No The Data Source
1 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and
upholding all the things by the word of his power, when he had by himself
purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
Hebrew 1:3
2 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; Therefore God, even thy God,
hath anointed the with the oil of gladness above the fellows
Hebrew 1:9
3 For it became him, for who are all things, and by who are all the the things; in
bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect
through sufferings.
Hebrew 2:10
4 For every he took not of him the natur of angels; but he took of him the seed of
Abraham.
Hebrew 2:16
5 For every house in builder by some man; but he that built all thing is God. Hebrew 3:4
6 So I swore in MY wrath, “they shal not enter My rest” Hebrew 3:11
7 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and
find grace to help in time and need.
Hebrew 4:16
8 And having been prfectedm he became the author of eternak salvation to all
who obey Him
Hebrew 5:9
9 For thought by this timeyou ought to be teacher, you need some one to teach you
again the first priciples of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk
and not solid food.
Hebrew 5:12
10 Saying,” Surely blessing will blesss you, and multiplying I will mutiply you.” Hebrew 6:14
11 Where the forerunner haas entered for us, even Jesus, having become high priest
forever according the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrew 6:20
12 By so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. Hebrew 7:22
13 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who are holy, harmless, undefiled,
separate from sinners, and has become higher that the heaven.
Hebrew 7:26
14 Who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as moses has divinely
instructed when he was about to make the tabemacle. For he said, “see that you
make all the things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain”.
Hebrew 8:5
15 And above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mersy seat. If these
things we cannot speakd in detail.
Hebrew 9:5
16 Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. Hebrew 9:18
17 But thus man, after He had offered one sacrifices for sin forever, sat down at the
right habd of the God.
Hebrew 10:12
18 For that time waiting till His enemies are made His footslool. Hebrew 10:13
19 But now they desire a better, than is, a hevenly country. Therefore God is not Hebrew 11:16
ashamed to be called theor God, for He has prepared a city for them.
20 For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrew 12:29
1. Data (1) shows us that the writer uses the word “brightness” as the metaphor. we can see that
according to Webster Dictionary (1977:122), the meaning of “brightness” is something that
reflecting ot givivng out a lot of light, but on this occation he means to show the beliefs that jesus is
powerful, full of mercy and grace. The brightness: in this sentence, Jesus is compared with the
brightness (some kind of light that shine fully), and the brightness which belong to the Lord. So here,
Jesus who is believed as the Son of the Lord by the Christian is compared with one of the God’s
characteristic. In conclusion, there are two things that are compares, the first thing is designated by
the second things to express that Jesus is the symbol of the God’s glory. So, it can be classified as a
kind of metaphor which a word or phrase that ordinarily designate one thong is used to designate
another, thus making an implicit comparison.
2. Data (3) is kind of metaphor in this context.
“....the oil gladness more than your comparisons” The phrase “oil of gladness” is a symbol. As in
general knowlege, there are no kinds of oil like “oil of gladness” (in general we know there are only
oil for perfume, lubricants in the vehicle, fuel, kinds of cooking material used to fry something,etc.).
But in this sentence, it is mentioned that there is oil of gladness. It is to symbolize the blessing of the
Lord to Jesus Christ for become His only Son and become His inheritance. The writer concludes it as
metaphor because this verse compares a kind of oil (oil of gladness).
3. In data (7), ‘captain of ther salvation’ is a kind of symbol. In literal menaing, it means that there is a
rank of salvation, it is captain. But when we interprete figuratively, the meaning wilol be: that jesus
becomes the leder of human being that brings all the people to the salvation which come from the
Lord through His suffering in the world. His suffering has brought people to the Lord. So, the phrase
is to symbolize the role of Jesus in the connection between the Lord and human being.
4. In data (8) we can draw the analysys as follows
According to the Webster Dictionary (1977: 870) that the meaning of the word seed is ‘part of plant
from which a plant can grow’. ‘ the seed’ if we interprete literally means that Abraham can produce a
seed or source that can grow and much more in numbers, but as non- literal meaning it means the
generation of Abraham such as His child, grandchild and so on. In a wider understanding, it means
all the people in the world who believe in God. The seed here is compared with the generation of
Abraham that will be added more and more and spread all over the world.
5. Data (9) gives a clear clue as that it is metaphor.
Why the writer reches the conclution that this sentence belongs to metaphor, it is because the
sentence is intendedd to say that God is the creator or maker of all things even pen or matches. Of
course his literal meaning is not absolutely true even there is a logical connection when we speaks in
the context of faith of religion. But the non-literal meaning is that the sentence intends to emphasize
that God is the sourcew and the beginning of all the things that exixt in the world. Even He is not the
maker directly but He is the maiden source.
6. In the data (10), it is said that “they shal not enter My rest”. if we consult the word rest in the Webster
Dictionary (1977: 818) the meaning is ‘sleep or not being active’. here if we define the sentence
literally, the meaning will be: the subject (in this case is God) had Hos swear that the people will not
enter His rest, literally rest means a place where people enjoy their spare time, take a vacation and
having fun. But fguratively, the word ‘rest’ is means as its lexical meaning. Here’ rest’ means
heaven, the place of God. Paul the prophet who wrote this book want to tell to the hebrews that they
shall not enter the Heaven when the God is angry because of their obedience, the sinner will never be
able to enter the heaven but they will be discarded to the hell.
7. Data (15), the phrase ‘throne of grace’ is a kind of symbol of God’s palaaace where the Lord sit down
and live to observe us, it symbolyzes the place with full of love; there is no hatred mind, grace and
mercy. When we see the literal meaning from the Oxford Dictionary, throne means ‘special chair
used by a king or queen in official ceremonies’. In conclution, it is a symbol of a place where we can
get God’s mercy of our sins and weakness. It is a place where people get a right time. The help will
directly solve our problem because God understands what we need and Hins help will never be late.
8. In data (17), in Oxford Dictionary the word author means ‘a person who create or begins something’
and the meaning of the wowrd salvation is ‘saving or being saved frron the sin’. it is quite illogical if
the salvation can be written because it is and abstract thing. The phrase ‘the author of eternal
salvation’ symbolizes the Lord, Jesus Christ who become the Christian saviour whe He sacrifice
Himself in the holy cross. In conclusion, the sentence wants to express the idea of the reader that
Jesus will save the people who obey Him and live just like the way of Jesus, no more sins and
disobedience of His words. These people will be perfect and they will enter the heaven.
9. There are two symbols that are compared with two essential things in God’s words in the data (19).
The first is the milk; according to the Oxford Dictionary it means ‘whice liquid produce by female
mammals as food for their young’. But as non literally, mmilk is the symbol as the basic priciples of
God’s oracles, His sword.
The second term that is used is solid food, literally it means ‘strongly and firm made of something
that can be eaten’. As non literlly, it symbolyzes the upper level of knowledge in understanding the
God’s oracles or words means that an advance knowledge about it. In conclusion, this verse explain
that only the people who is mature in knowing the words of God will understand the real intension
of God, what God wants. The verse explain the most of people actually do not understand the basic
principles the words of God, so they should learn more about it.
10. In the data (24), the word ‘multiply’ is not suitable when it is attached with a person as its object in a
sentence like in this verse because according to the Oxford dictionary the word mutiply means add
(number) to itself, the number of time that is mentioned’. it is illogic where the people will be
mutiplied, but here again Paul the prophet wants to emphasize that God gave His promise to human
being, it is the salvationswear because the Lord himself swore when He gave it to Abraham, The
people who believe in Him will wait the time when God fulfilled His promise to the human being to
get His grace and the eternal liofe for those who believe in Him. In conclusion, the word ‘multiply’ is
metaphorically become the symbol of God’s promise.
11. Here, in data (26) the Lord it is Jesus Christ is compared as forerunner. A forerunner is a person that
usually comes first and set a place of other persons which will come later. figuratively, the sentence
means that Jesus becomes the first Man who has entered the heaven to prepare the place to the people
who believe in Him when the world will end. There, He will become the Highest Priest for all the
people forever as what Melchizedek had said in the ancient time.
12. Data (27) shows us a kind of metaphor that there is a things which symbolizes the other. In this
verse, in the previous verse in 6th chapter, again Jesus becomes the symbol of the warranty of the
salvation from God to the people. Literally the meaning of the sentence will not make any sense
when the Lord become the surety for the people. But when we interprete figuratively, we can get
suitable meaning. It means that Jesus becomes the hope for people in keeping a goos relationship
with God, He becomes people’s hope that they will be saved and enter the heaven as long as they
believe in Him. He will be the surety forever and become the priest who is differen from the other
priest who ever had failed in convincing the people to believe in God.
13. In data (28), He word ‘High Priest’ symbolizes Jesus who becomes people’s saviour and the
forerunner and also the leader of people in heaven. Jesus is holy and will be different from the other
priest who are not holy or has ever made a sin.
So here, the High Priest is compared with Lord, Jesus Christ.
14. The phrase ‘the copy and the shadow of the heavenly things’ herer in the data (30) is the comparing
between two kinds of similar activities both in the world and in heaven. But the phrase ‘the copy and
the shadow’ here is the main idea of the sentence, means that though the activities are the same they
still have differences because the activities in the world (religion ceremony and the rule of God) is
just a little part of the same kinds of activities that are done in heaven. Although the religious
ceremony is held in the church tabernacle in the world, it is holy but it is not really right and it still
has weakness, not like the ones that is held in heaven.
15. In data (32) if we res the sentence we will find the phrase ‘mercy seat’. If it is interpreted literally, it
will mean the seat (place for sit down) that has a characteristic which is mercy, full of Graceland love
because according to the Oxford Dictionary, the word seat means ‘something used for sitting on’ and
the word mercy means ‘kindness or forgiveness shown to somebody, one has the popwer to punish’.
Figuratively, the phrse is a symbol. It symbolizes the Ark of the Covenant is the holy things yhat
belongs to God which contain of the golden pot where a manna (a kind of bred that God gave to
Israel when they out from Egypt during the journey to the promise land)is placed, the Aron’s rod that
had ever budded and the tables of tablets of the covenant where the ten commandments were written.
The ‘mercy seat’ symbolizes the beauty and the holy thing that is exist in the tabernacle that is used
in the religious ceremony. The ‘mercy seat’ contains with an understanding about God’s role in the
life of Israel.
16. There is a sense of symbol usage in the data (33)
Literally, the word blood means ‘red liquid following through the body’. Alth ugh historically it is
the real blood that is used in dedicating a statement, the bloods represents the death of the testator
because in the ancient time a testamen is in force when the testator is dead.
17. In the data (35), if we interprete the clause ‘sat down at the right hand of the God’ literally, mean that
jesus will sit down in the God’s right hand and also mean that He is sitting at God’s part of body, the
meaning will make no sense.
That’s why we have to find the figurative meaning to get the proper or suitable understanding of the
sentence. Figuratively, the clause means that Jesus sits down at the right side of God in heaven. The
phrase ‘right hand og the God’ symbolizes the precious position in God’s house that is heaven. So
that clause is something which is compared with the precious position in the heaven.
18. Again in the data (36), the word ‘footstool’ is a kind of symbol. Literally, footstool means a thing
that is put under our feet; its use is as the helper for our feet to make us more comfortable in stepping
of standing. Here, it is said that the enemies will be the footstool of Jesus. It desrcribe how high and
holy Jesus is. He is nober than the entire things in the world. So the things that are used in the foot
used to designate the characteristic of Jesus who is holy and high.
19. The data (46) is the last verse on the 12th chapter.
This last verse on the 12th chapter is one of figurative expressions that is classified into metaphor
because there are two things that being compared and using the word ‘is’ as its conjunction.
According to Oxfor Dictionary, the word fire means ‘burning that produces light and heat’.
Here, God is compared with a powerful fire which can burn anything. This comparison is used to
emphasize the idea of the author to describe how powerful God is.
20. In the data (40), ‘Heavenly Country’ symbolyzes the heaven. The last city that God has prepared for
the faithful people in the end of the world. In here, it is said thet there is no country like this
‘heavenly country’ because it is the only one. Thet is God’s promise to the people who believe in
Him.
Hyperbole
Table 2: data of Hyperbole
No The Data Source
1 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and
upholding all the things by the word of his power, when he had by himself
purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
Hebrew 1:3
2 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; Therefore God, even thy God,
hath anointed the with the oil of gladness above the fellows
Hebrew 1:9
3 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things which heard, lest we
drift away
Hebrew 2:1
4 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing even to the division soul and spirit, and of join and marrow, and
is a disscemer of the thoughts and intens of the hearts.
Hebrew 4:12
5 And there is no creature hidden frim His sight, but all things are naked and
open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
Hebrew 4:13
6 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who are holy, harmless, undefiled,
separate from sinners, and has become higher that the heaven.
Hebrew 7:26
7 By faith Abel offeret to God a more exellent sacrifice than Cain, through which
he obtain witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through
it he being dead still speaks
Hebrew 11:4
8 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, work righteousness, obtain promises,
stopped the mouths of lions.
Hebrew 11:33
9 Whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has Primised, saying, “yet once
more I shake, but also heaven”.
Hebrew 12:26
10 For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrew 12:29
1. 1n the data (1) the clause ‘.....and upholding all the things by the word of His power’. There is a
sense of exaggeration here, where a subject that is the word can hold all the things i n the world.
Usually people hold something by their hands or by using some tools. A word an anstract thing that
is imposible to hold all the things in the world. This exaggeration is used to emphasize the power of
God, to describe how powerrful He is. The reader will get an extra effect beyond their logic thinking
when they read and try to understand the sentence. The writer classifies it into hyperbole which
definition is a figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasize or effect.
2. If wr interpret the meaninfg of the sentence in the data (2) literally then the meaning will be the angel
will become fire that burn something, but there is anothe hidden meaning contained in it. If the writer
analyzes base on semantic, there will be another meaning that is the non literal meaning. The non
literal meaning of the sentence is that the angels will become the symbol od God’s power. The writer
makes some conclusion from the analysis, which is the example above , can be classified into the
hyperbole because it contains the sense of exaggeration to emphasize the God’s power.
3. In the data (6) in the last part of the sentence “....lest we droft aw ,ay” there is a sense of exaggeration.
The literal meaning of the sentence is sosme one wil drift away when he did not near well just like
someone who drift away because of the stream of a river. Bt the figurative meaning is that when the
people do not hear and pay attention to the word of God, they will fall into the sins and become the
slave of evil. This sentence exaggerates the phrase ‘drift away’. So the denotative meaning become
deeper and quite different from the literal meaning of the phrase.
4. In the data (13) thete is clear description that the word of God is sharp and sharper than any two-edged
sword. In the Oxfor Dictionary, the word sword mean ‘weapon with a long steel blade fixed in
ahandle’. Paul the prophet as the author of this book wants to show the readers that the word of God
to get the extra effect beyond the reader’s mind.
5. If we interpret the data (14) literally, it will be imposible in this world if all the people things are
naked and opened because according to the Oxford Dictionary naked means ‘without chlotes on’. But
figuratively the meaning is that good knows of us all even the smallest thing from us. Nothing can be
hidden from Him. It uses exaggeratin way or hyperbole to describe the God’s power and ability
toward His creature. The sentence is to show us that we cannot hide from God because He is our God
and creator.
6. The sense of exaggeration is obviously seen in data (28). where the author of this book describes the
characteristic of Jesus that is beyond the human logical mind, told that He is higher than the heaven.
If we think logically, it will be almost impossible but when we interpret figuratively then we can get
a logic sense. It is to describe how holy is the God.
there is no person like Him that is holy, harmless, undefield or calm from the sin. So the way of
description of the jesus’ characteristic is exaggerated.
7. In data (38) we can find the sense of exaggeration. Let us realize that when people already died, they
will not be able to speak anymore, but in this verse it is said that Cain still speaks after being dead.
8. Logically, in the data (41), it is imposible to stop the mouth of lions just by faith. As we know that the
lions are beast animal, harmful, and only few people can stip them empty-handed. But here, it is told
that Daniel can stop it just by his faith. Figuratively, this verse is used to describe the power of faith,
the faith to God. people who have faith and believe in God are able to do anything even to move the
mountain. In conclusion that it exaggerates the faith.
9. In the data (45), according to Oxford University, the word shake means ‘make short quick movement,
which you cannot control’. It is imposible for such a sound can shake the world, even in the last
sentence, it is mentioned that the voice does not only shake the earth but also the heaven. It is beyond
the human mind and also ability. So, figuratively this sentence means that the voice which can shake
the earth and heaven is the voice of God. This exaggeration is used to discribe the God’s power.
10. The data (46) here contains with two kinds of figurative expression.
beside metaphor, this verse can be also classified as the human mind. If we can imagine that a
consuming fire of a great fire that is able to vanish everything by bumming it, so does God. When
He is angry, He is scary and pewrful.
Simile
Table 3: data of Simile
No The Data Source
1 They shall perish; but thou remains; and they all shall wax old as doth
a garment
Hebrew
1:11
2 Like a cloak You willfool them up, and they will changed. But you are
the same and the years will not fail.
Hebrew
1:12
3 While it said; “today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your
hearts as in the rebellion,”
Hebrew
3:15
4 This hop we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and
which enters the presence behind the evil.
Hebrew
6:19
5 Here for from one man and him as a good as dead, were born as many
as the stars of the sky in multitude- innumerable as the sand which is
by the seashore.
Hebrew
11:12
1. Data (4) is a kind of simile, in this vrse it is explained that all th things will change and become older,
creep and follow the characteristic of a thing (garment) which can change become older and
unuseable. In the Oxford Dictionary, the word garment means ‘article of clothing’. That is the literal
meaning. Then the non iteral meaning is that to describe the charasteristic of God that is eternal and
immortal. He will last forever; really different from the charasteristic of human being that is mortal
and have their ends.
the sentence compare God’s creature with ‘garment’ using word like as the conjunction.
2. The explanation of the data (5). In this sentence there are two persons that are connected by an
activity. The firs person is the human being and the second is the Lord. Here, the human being is
compared with another thing that is unconnected at all; it is a cloak (a kind of clothes). Acording to
the Oxfor Dictionary, ‘cloak’ means loose outer garment without sleeves. If we interpret literally, the
sentence means that the Lord will fold the people as if they arae a cloak. But figurayively, that the
Lord can treat human being as He wish because He has a great power and all the people belong to
Him. Then it describes that Lord is eternal but human are mortal. This sentence is compared with two
essentially unlike things and uses the word ‘like’ as the sign of comparison.
3. In the data (11), the author gives a sign to the people especially the people of Israel who listen and for
the God’s voices call them all. Here, there are two things compared; each of the things unlike to each
other. The first thing is ‘heart’ means rgan that pump the blood through the body’ and the other is the
wors ‘rebellion’ means ‘act of rebelling (against the authority)’. In this verse it describes that the
heart is licke in the condition of rebelled.
Figuratively, it means that never close your heart to God like a rebelled people, because the rebellion
people do nor remember God anymore. There is only anger in their mind, their heart reject the God’s
presence.
4. The word ‘hope’ in the data (25) means different from its lexical meaning.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, the ‘anchor’ means ‘one of the ship’s equipment and use when
the ship is stop of to make the ship slower’. On the other hand, in this sentence the anchor is used to
symbolize the hope which is based in the faith which will never end and fail because as the real
charasteristic of an anchor, when it is used in a ship it will fall to the deepest end of the sea. So does
the hope, when we use it, it will grow in our deepest heart and will never be vanished. This hope will
bring the people to the heaven.
5. This analysis in data (39) is as follows:
This sentence literally means that there is a man that cannot do anything else anymore because of the
old age will be the source of something that innumerable and uncountable. But figuratively, it means
something differrent from the literal meaning. The sentence contains with the God’s promise to a
person Abraham, that he will get a big number of generation even from the Bible history known that
Abraham and his wife Sarah were old and did not have any child yet and logically will never bear
even a child anymore. But God gave His promise to both of them because of their faith that their
generatin will fill the world and as many as the stars and sand that is uncountable. From this
interpretation we can draw a conclusion that Abraham’s generation is compared with the sand and
the stars that innumerable to show that Abraham;s generation is the whole people in the world. This
figurative speech using as, so it is classified into simile.
Metonymy
Metonymy is a figure of speech in which one wowrd or phrase is suitable for another with which it is
closely associated. There is no kind of these figuratuve expression that the writer can found in the
data of the analysis.
Synecdoche
Table 4: data of Synecdoche
No The Data Source
1 Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says
the LORD, when I make a new covenant with the house of the Israel and with
the house of judah.
Hebrew 8:8
2 Therefore stengthen the hand which hang down, and the feeble knees. Hebrew 12:12
3 And make straight paths for your feeth, so that what is lame may not be
dislocated, but rather be healed.
Hebrew 12:13
1. Data (31), If we interpret literally, the term ‘house of Judah’ of ‘house of Israel’ means a place where
Israel and Judah live. In the Bible history, Israel and Judah are the notion consist of many people. So
those phrase represent the great nation of many people, in a wider interpretation we can draw a
conclution that they represent all the people in the world because the God covenant is for all the
people not only for Israel or Judah.
2. Literally in the data (42), this sentence is a command or suggestion to make the hands and the knees
stronger. Hands and knees are part of our body. But figuratively, this sentence has a deeper meaning
that is intended to make human to be ready. ‘The hands which hang down’ and ‘the feeble knees’ or
the hands, bbut it includes their mind and soul.
in addition, it is a kind of suggestion to the believing people to be ready to welcome the God’s
coming in the end of the world.
3. It is clear that the data (43), the real meaning is not taking from /the lexical meaning of its sentence. If
we interprete the verse literally, it means that some one has to make the way he walks by feet must be
straight and not to turn to the other destination because the meaning of the word path in the Oxford
Dictionary is way or track made by people walking’. This literally meaning will not suit with its
context, so we have to interpret it figuratively.
Figuratively, the sentence is also a suggestion to the people. They should live the way of God wants
if they want to recieve the God’s grace and salvation. The phrase ‘path for your feet’ does not only
mean as its literal time in the world until God call them of the end of the world comes.
So, it is suitable that the writer classifies it into synecdoche because the verse represents a wider
meaning that it is literal meaning.
Irony
Table 5: data of Irony
No The Data Source
1 For whom, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of
egypt, led by Moses?
Hebrew 3:16
2 He can have compassion onthose who are ignorant and going astray, since he
himself is also subject to the weakness.
Hebrew 5:2
3 Of whom we have much to say and hard to explain, since you become a dull of
hearing.
Hebrew 5:11
4 For thought by this timeyou ought to be teacher, you need some one to teach you
again the first priciples of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk
and not solid food.
Hebrew 5:12
5 For everyone who partakes only of milk in unskilled in the world of
righteuousness, for he is a babe.
Hebrew 5:13
6 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who are holy, harmless, undefiled,
separate from sinners, and has become higher that the heaven.
Hebrew 7:26
7 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same
sacrifices, which never can take away the sins.
Hebrew 10:11
1. In the data (12), we can draw an analysis as follows:
Irony is defined as a kind of saying something and the opposite to their literal meaning and it is
usually used for insulting or mocking.
So, inthis sentence the author wants to mock some people in this ccase is the Israel people who want
out from Egypt and saved by the God from the Egyptians slavery. But they rebelled toward their
saviour. Even they have heard the words of God; the still do not want to obey it.
In conclusion that, irony is used to insult the people who againts the God even the God had saved
them in awider perception, it is not only for the Israel but also for all the Christian people in the
world who againts their God.
2. This verse in the data (16) has an opposite meaning with its literal meaning. If the literal meaning is
that he here is described as a person who has an ability to know the people whether the peoplle is
good or bad, between the honest and liar. But if we interpret figuratively , the real intention of the
author is not to describe the person’s ability but the author wants to critisize that person who do not
have such ability.
This meaning is to strenghten with the next clause in the end of the verse, “since he is also subject to
weakness”. So it is clear thet actually these persons also have weakness and do not have ability as it
is said previously.
3. Again in the data (18) there is different meaning between the literal and non literal meaning. While the
literal meaning is that the sentence contain with so many things to be explained. Then the non literal
meaning is although there are so much to say but it is hard to say because the hearer is hard to hear,
means that it becomes ‘dull of hearing’ or they do not like hearing what the speaker wants to say. So
this verse insult the people who do not want to hear the word of God.
4. This verse on the data (19) describes that the people who still milk is a babe and do not understand
what God wants. This sentence isults the people who have known about the principles of the God’s
word, they still need to be teacher about it, like a little child that just know the world for a moment.
There are still so many things they need to know.
5. It is clear that in the data (20) it is written to mock the people, w can see from the first clause, we
know that a solid foodis indeed consumed by adults people but what the author intends to to say is
even the people who consider himself as an adult person or have known to discern both bad (evil)
and good because they think that they have known and understood the words of God, but actually
they are pretending to do so. Just like a young people who feel deserve to know something that is
suitable to adults but actually it is not the time for him to know that.
6. In the data (28), the law here means the law that are made by Moses in the old testament, it is sid that
the priest men who was choosen by the law is a man that still has weakness and sins. It emphasize
that every human is a sinful although he is a priest. But what is the main point here is that the author
wants to critisize the law, why the law chooses the priest from the sinful person? It is the same
meaning if we say that the law itself is weak. The fault here is not in the priest but in the law itself
because the law becomes the central of consideration in choosing the priest.
7. We can analyze tha data (34) from the story.
From the Bible historym it has been a tradition that the priest is ministering and sacrificing
something to God every day. It becomes the symbol of the remission from the people’s sins. But here
the sentence critisize this tradition. from the next clause in this verse, obviously we know that it is
not worked. Finally it is just a symbol without any use because their ministering and sacrificing is not
the real sacrificing just a tradition.
Personification
Table 6: data of Personification
No The Data Source
1 For whom, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of
egypt, led by Moses?
Hebrew 3:16
2 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears
herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivatedm receives blessing from God.
Hebrew 6:7
3 But if it bears thrones and briars, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose
end is to be burned.
Hebrew 6:8
4 By faith we understand that the world was framed by the word of God, so
that the things, which are seen, were not made of things which are visible.
Hebrew 11:
13
5 To Jesus the mediator of the new covenant and to the blood of srinkling that
speaks better things than that of Abel
Hebrew 12:24
1. In the data (12), we can define ‘word’ from the dictionary as ‘written or spoken unit of language’ or
we can sya that the word is not living thing, but in this verse, it is said that the word of God is living.
We can conclude that here the object is act like a livivng thing (as if it were a person). The ‘word’ is
inanimate to describe that the word of God is never changes and it will last forever. It is eternal and
never fades away not like the living things itself that mortal has their own ends.
In addition that in this verse, it describes non literally that the word of God can pierce all the things
just like a sword can do.
2. There is a phrase in the data (22) it is the key of the analysis.
“The earth which drinks” os persinification. Earth is neither a living thing nor human because
according to the Oxford Dictionary, the word ‘earth’ means ‘the surface of the world’. In tis case the
earth is acts like a human, animal or plants that can drinks. The earth cannot do such thing like
human can do. So it is explained that the earth is imagined like a living thing. Thus, it will notb make
any sense when we interpret it literally. Figuratively, it means that every people who receive the
God’s word and applied it in his/her daily activities, and she/he will achieve the grace from Him. The
word ‘drink’ is the characteristic of human being, Wwhich receive the truth of God, whether they
obey it or not it becomes the consideratin for God they are deserved to achieve the mercy and grace.
3. Again in the data (23), the earth is acted as if it were a person. If we thionk ligically, the earth will
never bear anything because it is not a living thing. Literally, the meaning will not make any sense.
The non literal meaning is that the people that symbolize the earth will be observe by God. The
people who show a sinner or bas behavior even they already receive the God’s word, will get a
puinishment. They will be ignored and rejected. They are not allowed to enter the heaven, but they
will get cursed and wasted to the hell where they will get burnt as the end of their life.
4. In logic thinking in the data (37), it is impossible that a word can create the whole world, because it is
impossible for something that is not living can create something (in the Oxford dictionary ‘word’
means ‘written or spoken unit of language’). So the word of God is acted like a person, where it can
create the world.
Actually the sentence wants to emphasize that the word of God is our foundation in life, we have to
live according to His word, and so we can understand how high He is and know that He is the only
God to be praised.
5. In this verse on the data (44) it is said that there is a kind of blood that speaks better than the other
kind of blood. If we think logically, how come a blood can speaks like a human can do?
In the Oxford Dictionary, the word blood means ‘red liquid flowing through the body’. Here, blood
is acted as if it were a person which has a mouth and its part of speaking organs.
Actually, this personification is used to describe that faith has a great influence to the people. In this
sentence, it is said that the blood from a faithful person (Abel) could talk to God and make his wish
accepted by God.
Frequency
There are 50 figurative expression in the Holy Bible especially in Hebrew, below are the
number and the percentage of each type of figurative expression that exist in the Holy Bible especially in
Hebrew.
Table 7: The percentage of the most dominant
No Types of Figurative Expression Number of Cases Percentage
1 Metaphor 20 40%
2 Hyperbole 10 20%
3 Simile 5 10%
4 Metonymy - -
5 Synecdoche 3 6%
6 Irony 7 14%
7 Personification 5 10%
Total 50 100%
After calculting the frequency and finding the most dominat of the figurative expression which
found in the Holy Bible especially in Hebrew, the writer has already written it down in table 2, but not
only in table 2, the writer also draws it into diagram, as follows:
Findings
After diong this analysis, the writer draws a conclusion that the most dominant types of
figurative expression that found in the book of Hebrew is metaphor. Hebrew was published in 60-70 M.
That time the people of Hebrew stay in Rome against as real threat to the people of Hebrew, it makes the
people of Jews become trus in God, and the Ten Commandment. Paul as the writer uses this opportunity
to announce and independence by God to all people in Rome. The writer ionterprets this finding because
the Hebrew is written with some words that are arranged literally, to make the languagw more easier to
understand, and in teresting to read, and alsi ti stimulate the reader’s to interpreet the semtence properly
to find the real meaning in ordser to kknow what God words are.
Metaphore is quite suitable to be used in the book of Hebrew because in Hebrew contain a
deeper meaning than lexical ones because it is ambiguity, it can imply more than one meaning. Metaphor
i a comparison between two things or people, by comparing the sameness or difference. In this analysis
the writer conclude that the book of Hebrew using most of metaphor to give stress and also to show the
quality of those things and people which are compared, For example in data 1, Paul the writer of the
book of Hebrew, compares Jesus with Brightness. Brightness means light, so it means that Jesus has a
light, but it is not clear yet. Figuratively it means that Jesus is powerful. So that the reader will
understand these comparisons, that Jesus is as bright as the light even more.
The Result
Table 8: the result
No Source Kind of Figurative Expression
M H S M I SML P
1 Hebrew 1:3 ✓ ✓
2 Hebrew 1:7 ✓
3 Hebrew 1:9 ✓
4 Hebrew 1:11 ✓
5 Hebrew 1:12 ✓
6 Hebrew 2:1 ✓
7 Hebrew 2:10 ✓
8 Hebrew 2:16 ✓
9 Hebrew 3:4 ✓
10 Hebrew 3:11 ✓
11 Hebrew 3:15 ✓
12 Hebrew 3:16 ✓ ✓
13 Hebrew 4:12 ✓
14 Hebrew 4:13 ✓
15 Hebrew 4:16 ✓
16 Hebrew 5:2 ✓
17 Hebrew 5:9 ✓
18 Hebrew 5:11 ✓
19 Hebrew 5:12 ✓
20 Hebrew 5:13 ✓
21 Hebrew 5:14 ✓
22 Hebrew 6:7 ✓
23 Hebrew 6:8 ✓
24 Hebrew 6:14 ✓
25 Hebrew 6:19 ✓
26 Hebrew 6:20 ✓
27 Hebrew 7:22 ✓
28 Hebrew 7:26 ✓ ✓ ✓
29 Hebrew 7: 28 ✓
30 Hebrew 8:5 ✓
31 Hebrew 8:8 ✓
32 Hebrew 9:5 ✓
33 Hebrew 9:18 ✓
34 Hebrew 10:11 ✓
35 Hebrew 10:12 ✓
36 Hebrew 10:13 ✓
37 Hebrew 11: 13 ✓
38 Hebrew 11:4 ✓
39 Hebrew 11:12 ✓
40 Hebrew 11:16 ✓
41 Hebrew 11:33 ✓
42 Hebrew 12:12 ✓
43 Hebrew 12:13 ✓
44 Hebrew 12:24 ✓
45 Hebrew 12:26 ✓
46 Hebrew 12:29 ✓ ✓
Explanation: M: Metaphor SML: Simile
H: Hyperbole P: Personification
S: Synecdoche
M: Metonymy
I: Irony
4. Conclusions
After doing the analysis completly, the writer draws some conclusion as follows:
1. Holy Bible uses so many kinds of figurative expression especially in the book of Hebrew. These
figurative expression are classified into the non literal meaning. Non literlal meaning occurs when a
sentence or expression has hidden meaning besides the lexical meaning. Non literal meaning is the
way to express an idea in abstract or imaginative way. Here, the usageof figurative epression is to
modify the lexical meaning of the sentencein the Holy Bible: Hebrew. When a sentence contains
with a kind of figurative expression, the meaning will be quite different from the lexical meaning to
hide or maybe to beautify the style of writing.
2. Kinds of figurative expression found in the Holy Bible are as follows:
Metaphor consist of 20 cases or 40%
Hyperbole consist of 10 cases or 20%
Simile consist of 5 cases or 10%
Synecdoche consist of 3 cases or 6%
Irony consist of 7 cases 14%
Personification consist of 5 cases or 10%
3. Based on the description above, the writer conclude that metaphor becomes the most dominant kinds
of figurative expression that is used in the Holy bible: Hebrew.
This analysis is a brief analysis of semantics aspect toward the use of non literal meaning in the
figurative expression that are foun in the Holy Bible. However, the writer realize that the discussion of
this study is still far from being perfect, so it is qiute possible to fond some mistakes in the analysis. It is
quite possible too to find some article explanation in the study , because the writer’s knowledge is quiye
limited to give a very detail analysis. Thus, any cinstructive critisism and suggestion are humbly
welcome.
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Keraft, Gorys. 2006. Diksi dan Gaya Bahasa. Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama.
Hurford, J.R. 1984. Semantics: A Course Book. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Larson, M.L. 1984. Meaning Based Translation: A Guide To Cross Language Equivalence. America:
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Palmer, F.R. 1976. Semantics: A New Outline. Londin: Cambridge University Press.
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