<li><b>Change of Topic</b> – At times, though two speeches follow one another, both addressed to the same person, they might comprise a discussion of distinct topics. As such, each might receive its own unique introduction.  This is common in legal portions of Torah, where new units of laws might each begin with: "Hashem said to Moshe", even though no one else spoke in the interim. In narrative material, often when a person's initial comment is a response to a question asked by another, but he then changes the topic to say something on his own, the new statement will receive a new introduction.</li>
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<li><b>Change of Topic</b> – At times, though two speeches follow one another, both addressed to the same person, they might comprise a discussion of distinct topics. As such, each might receive its own unique introduction.  This is common in legal portions of Torah, where new units of laws might each begin with: "Hashem said to Moshe", even though no one else spoke in the interim. </li>
<ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Legal material</b> – Shemot 30:11-17,<fn>Shemot 30:11ff and Shemot 30:17ff comprise two totally distinct commands, one regarding the half shekel donations and one regarding the building of the laver. As such, verse 17, too, opens with "ויאמר".</fn> Shemot 31:1-12,<fn>Shemot 30:1ff comprises a command to appoint Betzalel, while verse 12ff comprise a distinct command regarding Shabbat, and so it naturally begins with its own introductory speech.</fn> Shemot 34:10-27,<fn>In the initial verses, Hashem tells Moshe to relay certain commandments to the nation. In verse 27 Hashem then commands Moshe to write these down so as to make a covenant over them. As this is a new command, aimed at Moshe alone, it gets its own introduction.</fn> Shemot 35:1-4,<fn>These verses contain two distinct sets of commands, one regarding Shabbat and the other regarding the Tabernacle. Each is introduced separately.</fn> Vayikra 6:1,17<fn>The verses speak of both the Olah and Chatat offerings, each introduced with its own distinct command.</fn> Vayikra 7:22,28,<fn>Each of these verses opens a new set of commands, one regarding the prohibition of fat and blood, the other about the sacrificial portion of the priest. Thus, each begins, "Hashem said to Moshe".</fn> Vayikra 14:33-15:1, Vayikra 18:1-19:1, Bemidbar 3:11-14, Bemidbar 27:6-12,<fn>Verses 6-11 comprise Hashem's reply regarding the request of the daughter's of Tzelophchad, while verse 12 turns to a totally new topic and command, that Moshe ascend Mount Nevo. It is possible that some time elapsed between the two conversations; see Chizkuni that Moshe's request of Devarim :23, where he prays to enter the land actually happened here. Others suggest that since Hashem had been speaking of laws of inheritances, He made sure to clarify to Moshe that he would not be the one to give out the land.</fn> and many others.</li>
<li><b>Legal material</b> – Shemot 30:11-17,<fn>Shemot 30:11ff and Shemot 30:17ff comprise two totally distinct commands, one regarding the half shekel donations and one regarding the building of the laver. As such, verse 17, too, opens with "ויאמר".</fn> Shemot 31:1-12,<fn>Shemot 30:1ff comprises a command to appoint Betzalel, while verse 12ff comprise a distinct command regarding Shabbat, and so it naturally begins with its own introductory speech.</fn> Shemot 34:10-27,<fn>In the initial verses, Hashem tells Moshe to relay certain commandments to the nation. In verse 27 Hashem then commands Moshe to write these down so as to make a covenant over them. As this is a new command, aimed at Moshe alone, it gets its own introduction.</fn> Shemot 35:1-4,<fn>These verses contain two distinct sets of commands, one regarding Shabbat and the other regarding the Tabernacle. Each is introduced separately.</fn> Vayikra 6:1,17<fn>The verses speak of both the Olah and Chatat offerings, each introduced with its own distinct command.</fn> Vayikra 7:22,28,<fn>Each of these verses opens a new set of commands, one regarding the prohibition of fat and blood, the other about the sacrificial portion of the priest. Thus, each begins, "Hashem said to Moshe".</fn> Vayikra 14:33-15:1, Vayikra 18:1-19:1, Bemidbar 3:11-14, Bemidbar 27:6-12,<fn>Verses 6-11 comprise Hashem's reply regarding the request of the daughter's of Tzelophchad, while verse 12 turns to a totally new topic and command, that Moshe ascend Mount Nevo. It is possible that some time elapsed between the two conversations; see Chizkuni that Moshe's request of Devarim :23, where he prays to enter the land actually happened here. Others suggest that since Hashem had been speaking of laws of inheritances, He made sure to clarify to Moshe that he would not be the one to give out the land.</fn> and many others.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<ul>
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<li><b>Narrative</b> <b>material</b> – Bereshit 9:1-17,<fn>It is possible that each new "ויאמר" introduces a new sub-topic of the conversation: permitted food, the covenant, and the sign of the covenant.</fn> Bereshit 17:3-15,<fn>Though this is all one conversation, it comprises three distinct topics, the changing of Avraham's name and promise of progeny, the command regarding circumcision, and the changing of Sarah's name. Each topic is preface with a new "ויאמר".</fn> Shemot 6:1-2,<fn>While Shemot 6:1 comprises Hashem's answer to Moshe's questioning at the end of Chapter 5, the next verse might present a change in topic, as Hashem now gives words of encouragement to be relayed to the nation.</fn> Shofetim 8:23-24,<fn>Verse 23 comprises an answer to the people's request that Gidon become king, while verse 24 is no longer part of the reply, but a distinct command to make a memorial.</fn> Shemuel I 26:17-18, Melakhim I 22:4-5,<fn>Yehoshafat first responds to Achav's question, then makes his own request.</fn> Melakhim II 3:7-8,<fn>See, though, Malbim that the new "ויאמר" marks a change of speaker, and that it is Achav who asks which route they should take.</fn> Melakhim II:22:9-10,<fn>At first Shafan tells the king that his orders have been fulfilled, but then he opens a new conversation, telling him about the Sefer Torah that was found.</fn>  Yechezkel 4:15-16<fn>While verse 15 constitutes Hashem's reply to Yechezkel's complaint, verse 16 comprises an explanation of the symbolic act.</fn></li>
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<li><b>Narrative</b> <b>material</b><fn>In narrative material, when a long speech contains several sub-topics, each might be introduced with a new "ויאמר". Often, too, when a person's initial comment is a response to a question asked by another, but he then changes the topic to say something on his own, the new statement will receive a new introduction.</fn> – Bereshit 9:1-17,<fn>It is possible that each new "ויאמר" introduces a new sub-topic of the conversation: permitted food, the covenant, and the sign of the covenant.</fn> Bereshit 17:3-15,<fn>Though this is all one conversation, it comprises three distinct topics, the changing of Avraham's name and promise of progeny, the command regarding circumcision, and the changing of Sarah's name. Each topic is preface with a new "ויאמר".</fn> Shemot 6:1-2,<fn>While Shemot 6:1 comprises Hashem's answer to Moshe's questioning at the end of Chapter 5, the next verse might present a change in topic, as Hashem now gives words of encouragement to be relayed to the nation.</fn> Shofetim 8:23-24,<fn>Verse 23 comprises an answer to the people's request that Gidon become king, while verse 24 is no longer part of the reply, but a distinct command to make a memorial.</fn> Shemuel I 26:17-18, Melakhim I 22:4-5,<fn>Yehoshafat first responds to Achav's question, then makes his own request.</fn> Melakhim II 3:7-8,<fn>See, though, Malbim that the new "ויאמר" marks a change of speaker, and that it is Achav who asks which route they should take.</fn> Melakhim II:22:9-10,<fn>At first Shafan tells the king that his orders have been fulfilled, but then he opens a new conversation, telling him about the Sefer Torah that was found.</fn>  Yechezkel 4:15-16<fn>While verse 15 constitutes Hashem's reply to Yechezkel's complaint, verse 16 comprises an explanation of the symbolic act.</fn></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b>Elaboration</b> – See Bereshit 15:2-3, 19:9, Shemot 3:14, 16:6-8<fn>See R. Avraham b. HaRambam and D"Z Hoffman</fn></li>
<li><b>Elaboration</b> – See Bereshit 15:2-3, 19:9, Shemot 3:14, 16:6-8<fn>See R. Avraham b. HaRambam and D"Z Hoffman</fn></li>
Tanakh, like many written works, is filled with repetitions. Sometimes verses repeat almost verbatim within the same chapter or story. Elsewhere, a later story will recall an earlier one using similar language. At times, even within a verse or two, phrases will repeat. How are these doublings to be understood?
While Midrash will often seek meaning in repetition, distinguishing between each appearance of a phrase and demonstrating that each has its own significance, Peshat commentators often attribute repetition to "דרכי המקראות", recognizing some reiterations to be literary or stylistic devices. Doublings might come to elaborate on and clarify a previous statement, connect narratives, highlight an important point, or simply beautify the text. At times, too, they might simply reflect everyday speech in which repetition is a natural means of expressing strong emotions or emphasis. Below, we will will explore several literary devices which entail repetition and how they might explain apparent redundancies in the Biblical text.
Heading Followed by Details: כלל ופרט
Some cases of repetition in Tanakh might be accounted for by the principle commonly known as a "כלל ופרט" or "כלל ואחר כך מפרש". This is a literary device in which a narrative opens with a general statement which is then elaborated upon. The verse/s following the heading provide explanatory notes or details which involve a restatement of the original verse. Several examples follow. Alternative readings of the doublings can be found in the footnotes.
"וַיָּרׇץ לָבָן אֶל הָאִישׁ" (Bereshit 24:29-30) – Bereshit 24:29-30 shares that Lavan ran to Avraham's servant, "וַיָּרׇץ לָבָן אֶל הָאִישׁ", then speaks of his seeing the jewelry on Rivka, and finally repeats, "וַיָּבֹא אֶל הָאִישׁ". ShadalBereshit 24:30About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto explains that Lavan did not approach the servant twice, but rather verse 29 is a general statement which is explained by verse 30 which details what prompted Lavan run to the servant. After seeing the jewellery on Rivka, Lavan decided it was worth greeting the servant.1
"וַיָּשֶׁב מֹשֶׁה אֶת דִּבְרֵי הָעָם אֶל י״י" (Shemot 19:8-9) – In the description of the preparations for revelation, we are told twice that Moshe relayed the people's words to Hashem, in Shemot 19:8 and 19:9. RashbamShemot 19:8-9Vayikra 9:24Vayikra 10:2About R. Shemuel b. Meir suggests that the repetition is another example of the Torah being "כולל ואחר כך מפרש", as verse 9 provides the context of verse 8.3
"וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי י״י וַתֹּאכַל עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ" (Vayikra 9:24) – Vayikra 9:24 describes a Divine fire consuming Aharon's offerings on the eighth day of the consecration ceremony ("וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי י״י וַתֹּאכַל עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ"). Vayikra 10:1-2, then speak of the deaths of Nadav and Avihu, where the verse similarly shares, " וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי י״י וַתֹּאכַל אוֹתָם". According to most commentators these refer to two distinct events. RashbamShemot 19:8-9Vayikra 9:24Vayikra 10:2About R. Shemuel b. Meir, though, suggests that Vayikra 9:24 is not the conclusion to chapter 9 but the heading of the story of Nadav and Avihu, telling the reader of a fire that is to come in the continuation of the story.4
Service of Yom Hakippurim (Vayikra 16) – In the description of the cultic service of Yom HaKipurrim in Vayikra 16, there is a dual doubling. Twice the chapter mentions the sacrificing of Aharon's sin-offering of the cow (in verses 6 and 11) and twice it mentions the sacrificing of the nation's sin-offering of the goat (in verses 9 and 15). It is possible that the offerings are really first sacrificed in verses 11 and 15 and that verses 6-9 are simply an abstract of what is to come. They introduce the sacrifices and atonement to be achieved and then the verses backtrack to provide the details of the procedure.
"וַיָּשֶׁב אֶת אֶלֶף וּמֵאָה הַכֶּסֶף לְאִמּוֹ" (Shofetim 17:3-4) – In both Shofetim 17:3 and 17:4 the verses speak of Michah returning the money he stole to his mother. RashbamShemot 19:8-9Vayikra 9:24Vayikra 10:2About R. Shemuel b. Meir suggests that verse 3 is a general statement of what took place, while the following verse backtracks, providing the details.5
Resumptive Repetition
Another literary device which might explain several cases of seeming redundancy in the Biblical text is a technique known as resumptive repetition. Since Tanakh does not have parentheses, commas, and other similar markers, it will sometimes use repetition to hint to the reader that a section of text is parenthetical. By repeating the last statement made before the digression, Tanakh lets the reader know that the tangent has ended and that the earlier narrative is now resuming. At times, too, this technique points to achronology in the text, indicating that the intervening unit occurred simultaneously with the surrounding story.
I. Resumptive repetition of a phrase or more to resume an earlier narrative
III. Resumptive repetition as an indicator of achronology – In the examples below the resumptive repetition serves not only to resume the original narrative but also to indicate that the intervening unit occurred simultaneously.17 In some of the examples, the resumption is formulated in a past perfect form which further hints to the achronology.18
Bereshit 37:36 and Bereshit 39:1 – The saga of Yosef's sale is interrupted by the story of Yehuda and Tamar. The narrative resumption might hint to the fact that the two events overlapped in time.19
Shemuel I 4:11 and Shemuel I 5:1 – Shemuel 4:11 mentions the Philistine's taking of the ark, then switches focus to speak of events taking place in the Israelite camp, only returning to speak of what happened to the ark in Chapter 5. The simultaneity of the two events is highlighted by the resumptive repetition.
Shemuel I 14:1 and 6 – The chapter breaks off the narrative of Yonatan's foray into the Philistine camp to spotlight Shaul's simultaneous inactivity in the Israelite camp and then resumes the original narrative. Here, too, the text points to the synchroneity of the events by employing a narrative resumption.
Shemuel I 28:1-2 and Shemuel I 29:1– Chapter 28 opens with the Philistines gathering for battle ("וַיִּקְבְּצוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים אֶת מַחֲנֵיהֶם"), but then cuts off to tell the story of Shaul and Ba'alat Ha'Ov. The original narrative is resumed in Chapter 29, echoing "יִּקְבְּצוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים אֶת כׇּל מַחֲנֵיהֶם". It is likely that here, too, the technique indicates that the two stories overlapped in time.20
Shemuel II 13:34-37 – Shemuel II 13:34 tells of Avshalom fleeing after having murdered Amnon. The point is repeated in verse 37. Sandwiched in between the two verses is a description of what is simultaneously going on in the palace when word of the murder arrives.
Melakhim I 20:12 and 16 – The narrator switches off between the Aramean and Israelite camps, employing resumptive repetition to highlight the split screen.
IV. Resumptive repetition of individual words within a sentence21
VI. Poetic Doubling (פסוקי דשמואל) – See discussion below.
Double Vayomer
In many verses, one finds that the word "וַיֹּאמֶר" is mentioned twice despite there not being an explicit change in speaker in between.25 At times, there is no speech at all in between the two occurrences of the word "וַיֹּאמֶר" (as in Bereshit 22:7:"וַיֹּאמֶר יִצְחָק אֶל אַבְרָהָם אָבִיו וַיֹּאמֶר אָבִי"),26 while at other times, the initial "וַיֹּאמֶר" is followed by a speech, but in the middle of that speech, the word "וַיֹּאמֶר" appears again, seemingly for no reason. Several explanations have been given for the phenomenon,27 with some viewing this as a literary device and "a way of the text",28 and others assuming that there is something to be learned from the doubling in each case:29
I. Cases in which no speech interrupts the two "ויאמר"'s
Resumptive Repetition – Ibn Janach, Ibn Ezra, R"Y Bekhor Shor,30 and others31 suggest that in many cases, especially when no speech interrupts the two "וַיֹּאמֶר"s, the doubling might be another example of resumptive repetition, where the word is doubled due to a digression or an intervening explanatory note which breaks the flow of the verse. Thus, for instance in Shemot 1:15-16, the elaboration "אֲשֶׁר שֵׁם הָאַחַת שִׁפְרָה וְשֵׁם הַשֵּׁנִית פּוּעָה" severs the initial "וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם" from the content of his speech, necessitating repetition of the word וַיֹּאמֶר"".32
Actual repetition – Ibn Ezra and Radak suggest that a double "" might indicate that the speaker repeated himself, usually due to great emotion. For example, in Esther 7:5, Achashevorsh might have repeated his question "" iin his great fury.
Other examples Bereshit 22:7,46 Melakhim I 20:28,47
II. Cases in which there are two speeches
Pause – In cases where a new "ויאמר" interrupts a long speech, the doubling might indicate that there was a pause between the two utterances. This pause might indicate that there was a lack of expected or desired response, necessitating the speaker to resume speaking,48 or that there was an unstated event49 or passage of time that occurred in the middle. The speaker might also intentionally pause for dramatic effect.
Change of Addressee – At times the word "וַיֹּאמֶר" will appear twice because a new individual is being addressed. Similarly, one speech might be an inner speech, said to one's self, and only the other said aloud to others. In such cases one might translate the doubling as "He thought... he said..."
New Speaker – The doubling might alternatively indicate that there are multiple speakers, and that the second speech is said by a new person even though he / she is not mentioned in the text.
Change of Topic – At times, though two speeches follow one another, both addressed to the same person, they might comprise a discussion of distinct topics. As such, each might receive its own unique introduction. This is common in legal portions of Torah, where new units of laws might each begin with: "Hashem said to Moshe", even though no one else spoke in the interim.
Legal material – Shemot 30:11-17,104 Shemot 31:1-12,105 Shemot 34:10-27,106 Shemot 35:1-4,107 Vayikra 6:1,17108 Vayikra 7:22,28,109 Vayikra 14:33-15:1, Vayikra 18:1-19:1, Bemidbar 3:11-14, Bemidbar 27:6-12,110 and many others.
Narrativematerial111 – Bereshit 9:1-17,112 Bereshit 17:3-15,113 Shemot 6:1-2,114 Shofetim 8:23-24,115 Shemuel I 26:17-18, Melakhim I 22:4-5,116 Melakhim II 3:7-8,117 Melakhim II:22:9-10,118 Yechezkel 4:15-16119
Elaboration – See Bereshit 15:2-3, 19:9, Shemot 3:14, 16:6-8120
Poetic Doubling (פסוקי דשמואל)
Rashbam notes a phenomenon, dubbed after him "פסוקי דשמואל,"121 found in several poetic passages, in which a verse opens, diverges to mention the subject, and then doubles the opening before finishing the thought.122 For example, see Bereshit 49:22: "בֵּן פֹּרָת יוֹסֵף בֵּן פֹּרָת עֲלֵי עָיִן" or Tehillim 92:10: "כִּי הִנֵּה אֹיְבֶיךָ י״י כִּי הִנֵּה אֹיְבֶיךָ יֹאבֵדוּ". What is the purpose of the doubling in such cases?
Resumptive repetition –Though RashbamBereshit 49:22Shemot 15:6About R. Shemuel b. Meir does not say so explicitly,123 he might view such verses as examples of resumptive repetition. Even though the digression is but a word long, the flow of the thought is interrupted by mention of the subject and thus needs to be resumed.124
Emphasis – One might alternatively understand such doublings as serving to emphasize a point (see Radak),125 or coming to highlight that whatever action spoken of occurred multiple times or for long duration (see Ibn Ezra).126
Aesthetics – It is also possible that these are all simply poetic flourishes, with the phrases doubled for aesthetic reasons.
