Dictionary:Hendiadys/0
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Hendiadys
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:
- אוב וידעוני
- אורים ותומים
- אמת ומשפט
- גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב – Bereshit 23:4
- חסד ואמת – Bereshit 24:27
- חֵלֶק וְנַחֲלָה – Bereshit 31:14
- חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט – Shemot 15:25, Devarim 4:8, Yehoshua 24:25 and more
- מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה – Shemuel II 8:15, Melakhim I 10:9, Yeshayahu 9:6, 32:16, 33:5, 59:14, Yirmeyahu 4:2, 9:23, and many more.1
- נָע וָנָד – Bereshit 4:12
- עני ואביון – See Tehillim 35:10
- עִצְּבוֹנֵךְ וְהֵרֹנֵךְ – Bereshit 3:16
- תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ – Bereshit 1:2
