Pondering Micah’s Structure: A Syntactical Discourse Approach to Micah’s Problems.
Joanna Hoyt, Ph. D.
October 22, 2015 12:20-1:15pm Mahler 5/7
The lack of agreement on Micah’s structure is well documented. In an effort to solve Micah’s structural riddles, this paper analyzes Micah based on discourse types. Building on Longacre’s approach to discourse analysis, this study employs an analysis of discourse types founded upon the underlying syntax.
Such an approach to the prophetic discourse types brings a new perspective to the structure of Micah.
For example, Micah 1:10-16 is largely considered a woe oracle, yet, a syntactical discourse approach to the passage reveals that the structure does not fit a woe oracle, but rather fits the structure of a covenant lawsuit. In a similar way a discourse analysis of the hope (salvation) oracles in Micah 4-5 reveals a chiasm built on discourse structure. This syntactical discourse approach to the chiasm offers new insights, such as the integration of elements of hortatory discourse at the pinnacle of the chiasm.
