Philo’s Rules

Philo’s 21 Rules for Identifying and interpreting Enigmas

The doubling of a phrase.
An apparently superfluous expression in the text.
The repetition of statements previously made.
A change of phraseology – all these phenomena point to something special that the reader must consider.
An entirely different meaning may also be found by disregarding the ordinarily accepted division of the sentence into phrases and clauses and by considering a different combination of the words.
Synonyms [and phonetically similar words] must be carefully studied.
A play upon words must be utilized for finding a deeper meaning.
A definite, allegorical [enigmatical] sense may be gathered from certain particles, adverbs, prepositions, [unclear pronoun antecedents], etc., and in certain cases it can be gathered even from …
the part of a word.
Every word must be explained in all its meanings in order that different interpretations may be found.
The skillful interpreter may make slight changes in a word, following the rabbinical rule: “Read not so, but so.” Philo, therefore, changed accents, breathings, etc., in Greek [and Hebrew] words.[1]
Any peculiarity in a phrase justifies the assumption that some special meaning is intended. Details regarding the form of words are very important.
Consider the number of the word, if it shows any peculiarity in the singular or the plural: the tense of the verb, etc.
The gender of the noun may carry a clue.
Note the presence or omission of the article;
the artificial interpretation of a single expression;
the position of the verses of a passage; [the position of words in a phrase relative to one another];
peculiar verse combinations;
noteworthy omissions;
striking statements [i.e., angel, spirit, Holy Spirit, omen, prophecy, etc.];
numeral symbolism [i.e., Platonic; Gematria].^[2]

Some of these rules act primarily as yellow flags to signal an approaching enigmatic section of text that will require a stop, some thought, and possibly some research. The words most frequently employed are angel, spirit, and prophecy.

Other rules act as red flags, which are the solution or a part of the solution to the puzzle. For example, phrases that are repeated will contain a key word or words that are exactly the same. However, most of Philo’s Rules can serve both yellow-flag and red-flag functions.

Tag: Philo’s Rules

Philo’s 21 Rules for Identifying and interpreting Enigmas

The doubling of a phrase.

An apparently superfluous expression in the text.

The repetition of statements previously made.

A change of phraseology – all these phenomena point to something special that the reader must consider.

An entirely different meaning may also be found by disregarding the ordinarily accepted division of the sentence into phrases and clauses and by considering a different combination of the words.

Synonyms [and phonetically similar words] must be carefully studied.

A play upon words must be utilized for finding a deeper meaning.

A definite, allegorical [enigmatical] sense may be gathered from certain particles, adverbs, prepositions, [unclear pronoun antecedents], etc., and in certain cases it can be gathered even from …

the part of a word.

Every word must be explained in all its meanings in order that different interpretations may be found.

The skillful interpreter may make slight changes in a word, following the rabbinical rule: “Read not so, but so.” Philo, therefore, changed accents, breathings, etc., in Greek [and Hebrew] words.[1]

Any peculiarity in a phrase justifies the assumption that some special meaning is intended. Details regarding the form of words are very important.

Consider the number of the word, if it shows any peculiarity in the singular or the plural: the tense of the verb, etc.

The gender of the noun may carry a clue.

Note the presence or omission of the article;

the artificial interpretation of a single expression;

the position of the verses of a passage; [the position of words in a phrase relative to one another];

peculiar verse combinations;

noteworthy omissions;

striking statements [i.e., angel, spirit, Holy Spirit, omen, prophecy, etc.];

numeral symbolism [i.e., Platonic; Gematria].^[2]

Some of these rules act primarily as yellow flags to signal an approaching enigmatic section of text that will require a stop, some thought, and possibly some research. The words most frequently employed are angel, spirit, and prophecy.

Other rules act as red flags, which are the solution or a part of the solution to the puzzle. For example, phrases that are repeated will contain a key word or words that are exactly the same. However, most of Philo’s Rules can serve both yellow-flag and red-flag functions.

[1] The assumption that Philo worked only with the Greek Septuagint is incorrect.

[2] Jewish Encyclopedia Online(1906), “Philo Judaeus,” n.p.Following Philo to:

Philo’s 21 Rules for Identifying and interpreting Enigmas

The doubling of a phrase.

An apparently superfluous expression in the text.

The repetition of statements previously made.

A change of phraseology – all these phenomena point to something special that the reader must consider.

An entirely different meaning may also be found by disregarding the ordinarily accepted division of the sentence into phrases and clauses and by considering a different combination of the words.

Synonyms [and phonetically similar words] must be carefully studied.

A play upon words must be utilized for finding a deeper meaning.

A definite, allegorical [enigmatical] sense may be gathered from certain particles, adverbs, prepositions, [unclear pronoun antecedents], etc., and in certain cases it can be gathered even from …

the part of a word.

Every word must be explained in all its meanings in order that different interpretations may be found.

The skillful interpreter may make slight changes in a word, following the rabbinical rule: “Read not so, but so.” Philo, therefore, changed accents, breathings, etc., in Greek [and Hebrew] words.[1]

Any peculiarity in a phrase justifies the assumption that some special meaning is intended. Details regarding the form of words are very important.

Consider the number of the word, if it shows any peculiarity in the singular or the plural: the tense of the verb, etc.

The gender of the noun may carry a clue.

Note the presence or omission of the article;

the artificial interpretation of a single expression;

the position of the verses of a passage; [the position of words in a phrase relative to one another];

peculiar verse combinations;

noteworthy omissions;

striking statements [i.e., angel, spirit, Holy Spirit, omen, prophecy, etc.];

numeral symbolism [i.e., Platonic; Gematria].[2]

Some of these rules act primarily as yellow flags to signal an approaching enigmatic section of text that will require a stop, some thought, and possibly some research. The words most frequently employed are angel, spirit, and prophecy.

Other rules act as red flags, which are the solution or a part of the solution to the puzzle. For example, phrases that are repeated will contain a key word or words that are exactly the same. However, most of Philo’s Rules can serve both yellow-flag and red-flag functions.

[1] The assumption that Philo worked only with the Greek Septuagint is incorrect.

[2] Jewish Encyclopedia Online(1906), “Philo Judaeus,” n.p.Following Philo to:

numeral symbolism [i.e., Platonic; Gematria].^[2]