th a moral or religious application.

_Proverb._--A brief, pithy saying, condensing in witty or striking form
the wisdom of experience; a familiar and widely known popular saying in
epigrammatic form.

11. Old Testament Parables, Etc.--"Of parables in the strictest sense
the Old Testament contains only two" (2 Sam. 12:1-; and Isa. 5:1-).
"Other stories, such as that of the trees assembled to elect a king
(Judges 9:8), and of the thistle and cedar (2 Kings 14:9), are more
strictly fables. Still others, such as Ezekiel's account of the two
eagles and the vine (17:2-), and of the caldron (24:3-) are allegories.
The small number of parabolic narratives to be found in the Old
Testament must not, however, be taken as an indication of indifference
toward this literary form as suitable for moral instruction. The number
is only apparently small. In reality, similitudes, which, though not
explicitly couched in the terms of fictitious narrative, suggest and
furnish the materials for such narrative, are abundant."--Zenos, _Stand.
Bible Dict._, article "Parables."

By applying the term "parable" in its broadest sense, to include all
ordinary forms of analogy, we may list the following as the most
impressive parables of the Old Testament. Trees electing a king (Judges
9:7-); the poor man's ewe lamb (2 Sam. 12:1-); the contending brothers
and the avengers (2 Sam. 14:1-); story of the escaped captive (1 Kings
20:35-); the thistle and the cedar (2 Kings 14:9); the vineyard and its
wild grapes (Isa. 5:1-); the eagles and the vine (Ezek. 17:3-); the
lion's whelps (Ezek. 19:2-); the seething pot (Ezek. 24:3-).

FOOTNOTES:

[612] Mark 3:10; compare Matt. 9:20, 21; 14:36; Mark 6:56; Luke 6:19

[613] Mark 3:9.

[614] Luke 5:10; page 197 herein.

[615] Note 1, end of chapter.

[616] Matt. 13:3-9; compare Mark 4:3-9; Luke 8:5-8.

[617] Mark 4:13.

[618] Matt. 13:18-23; compare Mark 4:13-20; Luke 8:11-15.

[619] Note 2, end of chapter.

[620] Pages 254 and 274.

[621] Matt. 13:24-30.

[622] Verses 36-43.

[623] Note 3, end of chapter.

[624] Note 4, end of chapter.

[625] Doc. and Cov. 86:4-7; read the entire section.

[626] Mark 4:26-29.

[627] Note 5, end of chapter.

[628] 1 Cor. 3:6.

[629] Read the Lord's early promise of souls as the hire of the
appointed harvesters: John 4:35-38; see also Matt. 9:37, 38; Luke 10:2.

[630] Matt. 13:31, 32; compare Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18, 19.

[631] Matt. 17:20; compare Lu