Literary devices are techniques used in literature to add meaning and interest to writing. The most commonly discussed devices are metaphors and similes, but there are so many more. These techniques are used to connect larger themes or express ideas without getting too preachy. Across various sites on the internet, I was able to find 137 literary devices! My goal is to define them, identify them in the Bible, and discuss how they impact the scriptures.

In high school, I used to get frustrated when it came to the subjectivity of such things. Once, my teacher and I argued about whether The Phantom in Phantom of the Opera represented Christine’s dream or her father. Our understandings of the symbols and metaphors within the story lead to different interpretations of the story as a whole. In Literature classes, the teacher ultimately decides the interpretation, but truthfully, only the writer knows what was actually meant. Unfortunately, this same conundrum exists with the Bible. Post high school, I found myself quite enamored with spotting the literary devices in the Bible and understanding how they shape our understanding of the text. As each of us grow and experience different things in life, the symbolism we see in a particular text may evolve—as a living book, the Bible grows with us!