Bible Lexicons

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

Antimetabole; or Counterchange

Epanodos, with Contrast or Opposition

An´-ti-me-tab´-o-lee, from ἀντί (anti), against, μετά (meta), reversely, and βάλλειν (ballein), to throw.

This figure repeats the word or words in a reverse order, for the purpose of opposing one thing to another, or of contrasting two or more things. It is the figure of Epanodos with this special added object of opposing words against one another.

It is also called DIALLELON, from διά (dia), through, and λαλέω (laleo), to speak, to say (or place by speaking) one thing against another. Also METATHESIS, Me-tath´-e-sis, i.e., transposition, from μετά (meta), beyond, or over, and τίθημι (titheemi), to place. This name is also given in Etymology, where letters are transposed. The Latins called it COMMUTATIO, commutation, i.e., changing about.

Genesis 4:4-5.-

a And the Lord had respect

b unto Abel and to his offering:

b But unto Cain, and his offering

a he had not respect.

2 Chronicles 32:7-8.-

a There be more with us

b than with him;

b With him is an arm of flesh,

a but with us is the Lord our God.

Isaiah 5:20.-"Woe unto them that call

evil

good, and

good

evil;

that put darkness

for light,

and light for

darkness;

that put bitter

for sweet,

and sweet for

bitter."

Isaiah 55:8.-

a "For my thoughts

b are not your thoughts,

b neither are your ways

a my ways, saith the Lord."

In verse 9 these words are in their natural order.

In verses 8 and 9 taken together, the figure is a simple Epanodos:

a "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

b Neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

b For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways,

a and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Here in a and a we have "thoughts"; while in b and b we have "ways."

Further, there is another involved Epanodos in b and b, between the "my" and "your"; as there is between a and b.

Mark 2:27.-

a "The sabbath

b was made for man,

b and not man for

a the sabbath."

John 8:47.-

a "He that is of God,

b heareth God’s words,

b ye therefore hear them not (i.e., the words)

a because ye are not of God."

John 15:16.-

a "Ye have not chosen

b me,

b but I

a have chosen you."

John 14:17.-"Even the Spirit of Truth;

a whom the world cannot receive,

b because it seeth him not,

c neither knoweth him:

c but ye know him;

b for he dwelleth with you,

a and shall be in you."

Here the words are not repeated in b and c, but the fact is stated as to seeing and receiving

1 Corinthians 11:8-9.-

a "For the man

b is not of the woman;

b but the woman

a of the man.

c Neither was the man created

d for the woman,

d but the woman

c for the man."

Galatians 5:17.-

a "The flesh lusteth

b against the spirit,

b and the spirit

a against the flesh."

1 John 2:18.-

a Last time (little children)

b Antichrist to come (and as)

b many come (even now)

a last time (whereby).

2 John 1:6.-

a "This is love, that we walk

b after his commandments.

b This is the commandment,

a that … ye should walk in it."

3 John 1:11.-

a "Follow not that which is evil,

b but that which is good;

b He that doeth good is of God,

a but he that doeth evil hath not seen God."

Other examples of introverted parallelism (of lines) may be studied in Genesis 12:16. Deuteronomy 16:5-6; Deuteronomy 28:1-2. 1 Samuel 1:2; 1 Samuel 25:3; 2 Samuel 3:1. 1 Kings 16:22. Proverbs 30:8-9. Isaiah 56:3-7. Joel 2:18-21; Joel 2:30-31. Micah 3:12; Micah 4:1-2. Zechariah 9:5. But they are to be found everywhere, and they abound in the Psalms.

These examples Will be sufficient to explain and illustrate the figure and show its importance.

See further under Parallelism and Correspondence.

(c) Similar in sound (but different in sense)