Bible Lexicons

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

Catachresis; or Incongruity

One word changed for another only remotely connected with it

Cat´-a-chree-sis. Greek, κατάχρησις, from καρά (kata), against, and χρῆσθαι (chreesthai), to use. Hence, misuse.

Catachresis is a figure by which one word is changed for another, and this against or contrary to the ordinary usage and meaning of it. The word that is changed is transferred from its strict and usual signification to another that is only remotely connected with it. Hence called by the Latins ABUSIO, abuse.

In Metonymy there is a relation between the two words. In Synecdoche there is some association between them. In Hendiadys there is a real connection between them. But in Catachresis all this is wanting, and the two words or meanings, though they may have between them something remotely akin or analagous, yet have no real or strict relation; and the connection is often incongruous.

When man uses this figure, it may often be from ignorance or through carelessness, but often with good effect. Attention is sometimes arrested by a delightful incongruity, as when Young writes:

"Her voice was but the shadow of a sound":

where the sense is very forcibly conveyed by changing the ordinary usage of the word "shadow."

"Sorrow was big at her heart."

Or when we say that a thing is "beautiful to the ear," or "melodious to the eye"; or, when we apply the word "sweet" to things other than articles of food which we taste.

But, when the Holy Spirit uses this figure, it is in order to arrest us; and to attract our attention, by the apparent incongruity, and thus fix it on what He says.

Sometimes the translators introduce a Catachresis, where there is none in the Original: e.g., in Exodus 38:8, they say: "Moses made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass out of the looking-glasses of the women." (But see margin.) The R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] avoids this by rendering the word correctly "mirrors."

The figure does not mislead; it merely acts as spice or condiment does to food.

Catachresis is of three kinds:-

i. Of two words, where the meanings are remotely akin.

ii. Of two words, where the meanings are different.

iii. Of one word, where the Greek receives its real meaning by permutation from the Hebrew, or some other language, or foreign usage.

i. Of two words, where the meanings are remotely akin

Leviticus 26:30.-"I will cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols."

Here the word "carcase" is changed from its strictly correct application to flesh and blood, and its use applied to the fragments of wood or stone of an idol.

Numbers 9:18.-"At the mouth of Jehovah."

Here it is translated "commandment": but the figure arrests us; and points us to the Divine Source of the command as opposed to any human injunction. See Epistrophe.

Deuteronomy 16:7.-"And thou shalt cook and eat it in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose."

Both A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] and R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] render it "roast." The latter however puts seethe in the margin. "Seethe" is sometimes used for cook: and thus there is a remote connection with roast, as commanded, in Exodus 12:8-9. So 1 Samuel 2:15. Compare Joel 3:13 (4:13).

Deuteronomy 32:14.-"Thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape."

Here "blood" is used by Catachresis. For, as "blood" is that which comes from man, so the juice is that which comes from the grape. There is an incongruity, because the two are only remotely akin. But our attention is attracted to what is being said.

2 Samuel 23:17.-"Is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?"

The water which the three mighty men brought to David is called their blood: and thus, in one incongruous word, is eloquently expressed the shedding of their own blood, which the men had risked for David’s sake.

Job 4:12.-"Now a word was brought by stealth to me."

This is a most unusual way of describing an angelic communication.

Psalms 74:1.-"Why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?"

Psalms 80:4 (5).-"How long wilt thou smoke against the prayer of thy people?" (margin).

Used by Catachresis for the heat of anger.

Psalms 88:5.-"Free among the dead": i.e., set at liberty is put by Catachresis for cast off, deserted.

Isaiah 62:5.-"For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee."

To speak of sons marrying their mother is incongruous, and yet what else could be said? How else could it be expressed? But בָּעַלּ (baal) means not only to marry, but to possess; or as we express it "to have and to hold" in possession. This is the primitive and proper meaning of the word, and to marry is only a secondary usage. It means to have, own, possess. See 1 Chronicles 4:22, "who had the dominion in Moab"; Isaiah 26:13, "other lords beside thee have had dominion over us."

It is from not seeing the beautiful figure Catachresis here, by which, through what looks like an incongruity, that Bishop Lowth and others suggest an emendation of the Hebrew Text, by reading בֹּנָיִךְ (bonahyik), thy builders, for בָּנַיִךְ (bahnayik), thy sons. The change is plausible; but it is destitute of any MS. or other ancient authority; and such arbitrary alterations of the Text are to be deprecated, being purely conjectural. Moreover, it is unnecessary, for the builder is not necessarily the possessor or the owner. The apparent incongruity of the figure arrests our attention; and, when we give the attention which is thus demanded, we find the passage means that as a young man marries a virgin, so shall Zion’s sons hold her in sure and happy possession.

Matthew 12:5.-"On the sabbath days the Priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless." It sounds incongruous to state this as a fact: but it expresses what was true according to the mistaken notions of the Pharisees as to manual works performed on the sabbath.

Romans 7:23.-"I see another law in my members." He means that he sees sin: which, through the authority with which it rules his members, he calls, by Catachresis, "law." See under Antanaclasis.

1 Corinthians 1:25.-"The foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men." It is incongruous to speak of "foolishness" or "weakness" with respect to God. So we are arrested by the use of this figure Catachresis.

Colossians 3:5.-"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth." The members which commit the sins are put by a forcible Catachresis for the sins themselves. For the sins are immediately enumerated, not the members. See chap. 2:11.

ii. Of two words, where the meanings are different

Exodus 5:21.-"Ye have made our savour to stink in the eyes of Pharaoh."

Here "stink" and "eyes" are incongruously conjoined to call our attention to the highest degree of abhorrence.

Exodus 20:18 (15).-"And all the people saw the thunderings."

Here seeing is joined to what was only heard. But see under Zeugma, by which one verb is made to go with two different nouns. (See Revelation 1:12 below).

Mark 7:21-22.-"Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts … an evil eye."

Here the Catachresis is only in appearance, as "an evil eye" is put by Metonymy for envy, which does proceed out of the heart.

Compare Matthew 20:15, and see further under Asyndeton.

1 Timothy 6:19.-"Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life."

Revelation 1:12.-"And I turned to see the voice that spake with me."

Here "voice" is put by Metonymy (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ), for the person speaking. Apart from this, there is a Catachresis; seeing being joined with that which is invisible and only heard. (See Exodus 20:18.)

iii. Of one word, where the Greek receives its real meaning by permutation from another language, or foreign usage

Matthew 8:6. Acts 4:27.-Where παῖς (pais), a child, is used of a servant, from the Hebrew נַעַר (nahar), which has both meanings. The A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] renders it "servant" in Matt., and "child" in Acts; while the R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] renders it "servant" in both places, spelling it in Acts "Servant."

Matthew 24:29.-"And the powers of the heavens shall be shaken." Here, δυνάμεις (dunameis), powers, means really armies, from the Hebrew הַיִל (chayeel) which has both meanings.

Matthew 28:1.-μία (mia), one, is the Greek cardinal numeral, but it is used here for the ordinal, first, like the Hebrew אֶחָד (echad), which has both meanings. See Genesis 1:5, etc. (See Mark 16:9.)

Luke 1:37.-"For with God nothing shall be impossible." Here, ῥῆμα (rheema), word or saying, is used for thing, the Hebrew דָּבָר (davar) having both meanings. The R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] renders ῥῆμα literally; at the expense of forcing the word ἀδυναρήσει (adunateesei), shall be impossible; which it renders "shall be void of power."

The reference to the "tittle" is interesting, and very beautifully includes both the meanings.

The קֶרֶן (cheren), horn, is called in the Greek κεραία (keraia), little horn (Matthew 5:18 and Luke 16:17). Another, and commoner Hebrew name is תַּאֲגִרם (taageem), little crowns.* [Note: The plural of קֶרֶן (cheren), horn, is קְרָנוֹת (ch’rahnoth), horns.]

The Massorah explains that the little horn or crown is an ornament or little flourish (something like a tiny fleur-de-lis, of various forms, or a mere hair-line flourish) placed above certain letters and coming out from their top, according to certain definite and prescribed rules. Thus the common fancy, which is as old as Jerome, is exploded: which explained the "tittle" as being the difference between two similar letters: e.g., Daleth (ד) and Resh (ר); Beth (ב) and Kaph (כ), etc.

The meaning of the passage is that it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one of these Taagim, or little crowns to fall, or for the minutest word of God not to be fulfilled.

Acts 10:22. Luke 1:6; Luke 2:25.-δίκαιος (dikaios), which is an adjective, and means strictly righteous, is used generally for a good man, like the Heb., צַדִּיק (tzaddeek), which has both meanings.

Acts 13:34.-"The sure mercies of David."

Here the words τὰ ὅσια (ta hosia), holy or just things, are used for promises made, and mercies vouchsafed, in pure grace; the Heb. חֲסַדִים (chasadeem) having both meanings. The quotation is from Isaiah 15:3; and the reference is to Jehovah’s unconditional covenant made with David in 2 Samuel 7:1-29 The passage means "I will give to you the faithful promises made to David."

The A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] gives an unusually long marginal note; and the R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] renders it "I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David"; which is very laboured and obscure, compared with the simplicity of meaning conveyed and brought out by the figure Catachresis, which shows that 2 Samuel 7:1-29 was in question, and the holy things, i.e., the promises, there made in grace to David.

1 Corinthians 2:6.-"Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect."

Here the word τέλειος (teleios) receives its true meaning, initiated, from the Greek mysteries, where it was used of one who had been initiated into them.

2 Corinthians 6:12; 2 Corinthians 7:15. Luke 1:78. Colossians 3:12. Philippians 1:8.- σπλάγχνα (splangna), bowels, is used for mercy, like the Heb., רחֲמִים (rachameem), which has both meanings.

See Genesis 43:30. Psalms 51:1 (3). Proverbs 12:10. When used with the word "mercies" itself, it denotes tender mercies.

Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25.-"The harlot Rahab": where πόρνη (pornee), a harlot, receives its true meaning from the Heb. זוֹנָה (zônah) which means a female hostess, or landlady, as well as harlot.

1 Peter 3:14.-δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosunee), righteousness, is used of ordinary piety, kindness, etc. So 2 Corinthians 9:9. Matthew 6:1 according to one reading (see Metonymy and Synecdoche).

Revelation 2:7; Revelation 22:2; Revelation 22:14.-"The tree of life." In the Greek ξύλον (xylon) means wood; but receives its meaning of "tree" from the Heb. עֵץ (eytz), tree, which is frequently rendered ξύλον (xylon) in the LXX. [Note: XX. The Septuagint Version (325 b.c.).]

Revelation 14:8; Revelation 18:3.-"She hath made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." Here, θυμός (thumos), wrath, means heat, as well as anger; like the Heb. חֵמָה (cheymah), heat, venom, or poison. See Job 6:4, where the LXX. [Note: XX. The Septuagint Version (325 b.c.).] renders it θυμός (thumos), evil or affliction, as Matthew 6:34. So that the meaning is "the heating or poisonous wine of her fornication."