Metaphors of Miscarriage in the Psalms

The article applies the conceptual blending theory of metaphor to a specific imagery in the Psalms: metaphors of miscarriage or stillbirth. It asks whether miscarriage is considered a real threat or a “mere” metaphor in these texts, and situates the texts within the conceptual systems about miscarriage and stillbirth in the Hebrew Bible and the ancient Near East. In the Psalms, miscarriage and stillbirth are described by three terms with different connotations: שכל (bereavement) in Ps 35:12, נפל ( falling down) in Ps 58:9, and יצא (going forth/coming out) in Ps 144:14. Conceptual blending offers a framework to integrate both “literal” and “metaphoric” references to miscarriage in the Psalms.