Dictionary:Hendiadys/0

Hendiadys

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Overview

A hendiadys is a  figure of speech in which two words connected by a conjunction ("and") are used to express but a single idea.  Often the hendiadys consists of either two nouns or two adjectives which take the place of a noun and its modifier. For example, one might say "nice and warm" to mean "nicely warm" or  "sound and fury" instead of "furious sound". The word itself derives from the Greek and literally means "one by means of two" ; hence the Hebrew term "שניים שהם אחד" (two which are one). In Tanakh there are several phrases which have been understood by some to be a hendiadys, sometimes shedding new light on the verses in which they appear.

Proposed Hendiadys in Tanakh

The following phrases might be examples of Biblical hendiadys:

• Bereshit 1:2 – תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ:
• Bereshit 3:16 – עִצְּבוֹנֵךְ וְהֵרֹנֵךְ:
• Bereshit 4:12 – נָע וָנָד:
• Bereshit 23:4 – גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב:
• Bereshit 24:27 – חסד ואמת:
• Bereshit 31:14 – חֵלֶק וְנַחֲלָה: