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Redundancy In Torah

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Introduction

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
  • "וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה" (Bereshit 28:10) – Bereshit 28:10 tells the reader that Yaakov went to Charan ("וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה"), the next verses proceed to speak of his dream in Beit El, and then Bereshit 29:1 repeats that he headed to Charan ("וַיֵּלֶךְ אַרְצָה בְנֵי קֶדֶם"). R"Y Bekhor ShorBereshit 28:10About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor and  R. Avraham b. HaRambamBereshit 28:10About R. Avraham Maimonides explain that this is a "כלל ופרט".  The story opens with a general heading sharing that Yaakov went from Beer Sheva to Charan, then steps back to explain what happened along the way.2
  • "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.

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

II. Resumptive repetition of a full verse or more to connect consecutive books 

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.14 In some of the examples, the resumption is formulated in a past perfect form which further hints to the achronology.15

  • Bereshit 37:36 and Bereshit 39:1 -The saga of Yosef's sale is interrupted by teh story of yehuida and Tamar.  The narrative resumption might hint to the fact that the two eents overlapped in time.
  • 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.16
  • 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 20:12-16 – 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 sentence

  • [Bereshit 6:9-10 (אלה תולדות/ ויולד) – Ramban]