What Personification Means for Believers: Hearing God’s Voice

What is a personification?

In biblical literature, personification is a rhetorical strategy that attributes human characteristics, actions, or speech to abstract ideas or non-human entities.

For example, in Proverbs 8:1-4, Wisdom is depicted as a woman calling out in the streets, pleading with people to heed her instruction. Similarly, Revelation 1:18 declares, 'I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever,' where Christ personifies Death as a conquered foe. These techniques make abstract concepts like wisdom or mortality more relatable and vivid.

This device invites readers to engage with spiritual truths through familiar human experiences, bridging the gap between divine realities and human understanding. It also prepares us to explore how other abstract themes are dramatized in biblical narratives.

Examples of Personification in Scripture

The Bible employs personification to dramatize abstract concepts, inviting readers to engage with spiritual realities through vivid, human-like portrayals.

In Proverbs 1:20-21, Wisdom is depicted as a woman crying out in public spaces, urging people to heed her teachings, framing moral insight as an active, relational force. Similarly, Revelation 1:18 personifies Death as a defeated enemy, with Christ declaring His authority over it, transforming mortality into a tangible foe vanquished by divine power. Ecclesiastes 2:18-23 personifies Toil as an oppressive, inescapable burden, emphasizing the futility of human labor apart from God’s purpose. These examples reveal how personification conveys spiritual truths by making them emotionally and intellectually accessible.

Such literary techniques not only clarify theological ideas but also underscore the Bible’s intention to meet readers in their human experience, bridging the abstract and the personal.

Theological Purpose of Personification

In Song of Solomon 2:8-10 and Proverbs 27:18-19, personification transforms abstract ideals into dynamic, relatable forces that shape readers’ understanding of divine realities.

Song of Solomon 2:8-10 personifies 'Love' as a vigilant, active force - 'the voice of my beloved!' - urging the bride to respond to his call. This emphasizes God’s covenantal pursuit of His people, framed as a passionate, personal relationship. Meanwhile, Proverbs 27:18-19 personifies 'Truth' through the metaphor of a reflective pool ('as the face of its face'), suggesting that faithful stewardship (of a fig tree) and moral integrity mirror one another, underscoring the inseparability of ethical action and divine truth.

These examples engage readers by blending emotional resonance with intellectual clarity. The urgency of Love’s voice in Song of Solomon evokes longing and responsiveness, while the symmetry of Proverbs’ reflection invites contemplation of how human choices align with or distort spiritual order. Both passages use personification to bridge the gap between abstract theological concepts - divine love, moral Truth - and the tangible experiences of human relationships and labor.

By dramatizing these ideas, the Bible invites readers to participate in its narrative as active interpreters. Love is a relational imperative. Truth is a living standard. This technique reinforces that spiritual growth is both a heart-driven and mind-driven journey, preparing readers to encounter deeper themes of divine presence and human responsibility in subsequent texts.

How to Read Personifications Correctly

To interpret biblical personifications accurately, begin by identifying the abstract concept being dramatized.

First, recognize that personified entities represent abstract ideas (e.g., Wisdom in Proverbs 8:1-4 or Death in Revelation 1:18). Second, avoid treating them as autonomous characters. Their actions reflect the attributes of the concepts they embody. Third, connect these portrayals to broader theological themes, such as Christ’s authority over death or wisdom’s call to relationship with God.

Misreading personifications as literal beings risks distorting their symbolic intent. Instead, let them illuminate how the Bible uses human language to reveal divine truths, preparing readers for deeper exploration of metaphor in scripture.

Going Deeper

To deepen your understanding, compare personification with metaphor in Psalm 23 and explore its role in Wisdom literature.

Psalm 23:1-3 uses metaphor, calling God 'my shepherd,' while Proverbs 8:1-4 personifies Wisdom as a speaking woman, highlighting how both devices convey divine care but through distinct literary forms. In Wisdom literature, personification (e.g., Proverbs 1:20-21 or Job 5:6-7) dramatizes abstract struggles, making moral and existential truths more tangible for reflection.