Bible Lexicons

Bullinger's Figures of Speech Used in the BibleBullinger's Figures of Speech

Epitrechon; or Running Along

Parenthetic Addition by way of Statement thrown in, not complete in itself

Ep´-i-tre-chon, from ἐπί (epi), upon, and τρέχειν (trechein), to run: to run over or along, to overrun.

The figure is so-called because the sentence, more or less short, is rapidly thrown in as an explanatory remark.

SUBCONTINUATIO is the name given to it by the Latins; because sentences thus thrown in, by the way, as a kind of undercurrent, continue one thought or statement underneath another, or follow another immediately after.

Genesis 15:13.-"Know of a surety that thy seed* [Note: I.e., from the birth of Isaac, Abraham’s "seed," not from the call of Abraham, as .] shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs

(and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them;)
four hundred years."

The Epitrechon, like a true Parenthesis, is the result of Structure, or Correspondence:

a "Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs:

b and shall serve them;

b and they shall afflict them;

a four hundred years."

Here in "a" and "a" we have the whole sojourn, while in "b" and "b" we have the servitude in Egypt.

Genesis 46:26.-"All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt

(which came out of his loins)
besides Jacob’s sons wives, all the souls were three-score and six.

This Epitrechon points us to the difference between the enumeration here (66) and Acts 7:14, where it is 75 souls, because it there includes "all his kindred."

Exodus 12:40.-"Now the sojourning of the children of Israel

(who dwelt in Egypt)
was four hundred and thirty years."

It does not say (as most commentators read it) that they were or had been in Egypt 430 years. It was "the sojourning of the children of Israel" which continued during that time, while the Epitrechon, "who dwelt in Egypt," is a parenthetical interposition thrown in as a further explanation as to these children of Israel.

Psalms 68:18 (19) is a beautiful Epitrechon.

"Thou hast ascended on high,

Thou hast led captivity captive:

Thou hast received [and given* [Note: See Ellipsis, page 74.] ] gifts for men,

(Yea, for the rebellious also),

That the Lord God might dwell among them."

How blessed and full of precious truth and teaching is the fact thus thrown in. Reaching out and stooping down to the most unworthy recipients of such divine gifts.

Matthew 9:6.-"But that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins,

(then saith he to the sick of the palsy)
Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house."

John 2:9.-"(but the servants which drew the water knew)."

John 4:7-9.-"Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink

(For his disciples were gone away into the city to buy meat).
Then saith the woman," etc.

Acts 1:15.-"And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said

(the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty):
Men and brethren," etc.

Romans 3:7-8.-"Why yet am I also judged as a sinner? And [why] not [say]

(as we be slanderously reported, and some affirm that we say):
Let us do evil that good may come?"

Romans 8:19-21.-This parenthesis is better shown by exhibiting the four alternate members:-

A 19. Expectation.

B 20-. Reason. (Creation made subject).

A -20. Expectation.

B 21. Reason. (Creation delivered).

See under Ellipsis (page 87), and note that the words "not willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same" are an Epitrechon, and the previous statement requires to be taken up-"[waiteth, I say] in hope."

Romans 9:2-3.-"I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart

(for I used to wish, even I myself, to be accursed from Christ) for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh."

The word ηὐχόμην (eeuchomeen) is by Hyperbaton (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ) put (out of its usual place) at the beginning of the sentence in order to attract our attention; and, when we look further at it, we notice that it is in the imperfect tense, and is best as well as most correctly rendered: "I used to wish."

See under Euche, a figure so called on account of this very word, eeuchomeen.

Romans 10:6-7.-"Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven?

(that is, to bring Christ down from above);
or, Who shall descend into the deep?

(that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead)."

Ephesians 2:5 "(by grace ye are saved)."

Colossians 2:21-22 is an important Epitrechon, which writes folly on all the attempts to improve the old nature, by vows and pledges and badges.