Literary:Redundancy/0
Redundancy In Torah
![](http://media.alhatorah.org/Modules/interactive.png)
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". Shadal 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 Shor and R. Avraham b. HaRambam 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. Rashbam 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. Rashbam, 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. Rashbam 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
- Bereshit 22:8 resumes Bereshit 22:6 – See Shadal6
- Bereshit 39:1 resumes Bereshit 37:36 – See Rashi, Radak, Ibn Kaspi
- Bereshit 43:24 resumes Bereshit 43:177
- Shemot 6:29-30 resumes Shemot 6:10-12 – See Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Shadal.8
- Vayikra 8:13 resumes Vayikra 8:6 – See Ibn Ezra
- Vayikra 16:11 resumes Vayikra 16:6 – See Ibn Ezra9
- Vayikra 23:4 resumes Vayikra 23:2 – See Ramban, R. D"Z Hoffmann10
- Bemidbar 5:18 resumes Bemidbar 5:1611
- Bemidbar 13:16-17 resumes Bemidbar 13:3-412
- Bemidbar 21:31 resumes Bemidbar 21:25
- Devarim 4:45-49 resumes Devarim 1:1-5 – See Ramban
- Yehoshua 14:15 resumes Yehoshua 11:22-23 – See Rashi
- Shemuel I 14:6 resumes Shemuel I 14:1 – See Metzudot13
- Shemuel I 29:1 resumes Shemuel I 28:1-214
- Melakhim II 7:8 resumes Melakhim II 7:5
- Melakhim II 17:23 resumes Melakhim II 17:6
- Divrei HaYamim I 5:3 resumes Divrei HaYamim I 5:1
- Divrei HaYamim I 9:35 resumes Divrei HaYamim I 8:29 – See Radak
- Divrei HaYamim II 2:17 resumes 2:1 – See commentary attributed to Rashi
- Divrei HaYamim II 21:10 resumes Divrei HaYamim II 21:8 – See commentary attributed to Rashi
II. Resumptive repetition of a full verse or more to connect consecutive books
- Shemot 1:1 resumes Bereshit 46:8 – See Ramban15
- Shofetim 2:6-9 resumes Yehoshua 24:28-3116
- Ezra 1:1-2 resumes Divrei HaYamim II 36:22-23 – See Ramban on Shemot 1:1
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 sentence
- Bereshit 6:9-10 (אלה תולדות/ ויולד) – Ramban
- Bereshit 21:16 (וַתֵּשֶׁב מִנֶּגֶד)
- Shemot 4:9 (וְהָיוּ) – Ramban21
- Bemidbar 7:18-19 (הִקְרִיב) – Ibn Ezra22
- Vayikra 27:3 (וְהָיָה עֶרְכְּךָ) – See Ramban
- Devarim 17:5 (אֶת הָאִישׁ אוֹ אֶת הָאִשָּׁה) –
- Devarim 18:6 (יָבֹא/ וּבָא) - Ramban
- Shemuel I 29:10 (הַשְׁכֵּם/וְהִשְׁכַּמְתֶּם)
- Melakhim II 24:2 (וַיְשַׁלַּח/וַיְשַׁלְּחֵם) – See Metzudot
- Yirmeyahu 20:5 (וְנָתַתִּי/אֶתֵּן ) – See Metzudot
V. "Double VaYomer" – See discussion below.
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 a change in speaker in between. 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"), 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, with some viewing this as a literary device and "a way of the text", and others assuming that one must learn something distinct from each phrase:
- "צָרִיךְ לִדָּרֵשׁ" – R. Yochanan in several places23 asserts that any time the word "וַיֹּאמֶר" appears twice one is supposed to learn something out from the verse, implying that this is not a literary device, but rather each case might have its own explanation.
- Resumptive Repetition – 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. Some examples follow:
- Bereshit 22:7 – See Ibn Ezra and R. D"Z Hoffmann.24
- Bereshit 30:27-28 – See R. Yosef Bekhor Shor
- Bereshit 46:2 – See Ramban and R. D"Z Hoffmann
- Shemot 1:15-16 – See Ramban and R. D"Z Hoffmann
- Vayikra 16:1-2 – See R"Y Bekhor Shor
- Esther 7:5 – See R"Y Bekhor Shor25
- Emphasis
- Pause:Lack of Response
- Bereshit 15:2-3 – See Abarbanel that Avraham at first only hinted to his complaint, and only when Hashem did not respond did he elaborate. Cf. Netziv.
- Bereshit 20:9-10 It is possible that avimelekh's accusation is met by silence by the shocked Avraham, leading to him restate his claim in calmer tones. See Shadal and compare Netziv.
- Bereshit 30:27-28 – See Netziv and R. D"Z Hoffmann that Lavan is hesitant to offer Yaakov' wages and only after his words are met with silence does he ocntinue with an offer.
- Bemidbar 32:3-5 – Reuven and Gad hesitantly hint to their request, hoping Moshe will understand without them needing to elaborate but when his is silent they are forced to say what they want explicitly (abarbanel above).
- Bereshit 37:21
- Bereshit 47:3-4 – See Abarbanel that the brothers pause after saying that they are shepherds hoping that Paroh on hi own will suggest that they move to Goshen. When Paroh is not forthcoming they speak again, spelling out their request.
- Change of Addressee – at times the word "" will appear twice not because there is a change in speaker, but because there is a new audience. Some examples:
- Bereshit 9:25-26 – Noach first addresses Canaan and then turns to Shem (R. Reggio)26
- Esther 7:5 – See Bavli Megillah 16a that Achashverosh first spoke to Esther via a translator and then addressed her directly.. [This, though, is not the simple reading of the verse].
- Change of speaker
- Bereshit 19:9 – Though there is no explicit change of speaker, R. Reggio suggests that each utterance was said by a different group of Sodomites.
- "He thought"... "He Said"
Poetic Doubling (פסוקי דשמואל)
Rashbam notes a phenomenon, dubbed after him "פסוקי דשמואל,"27 found in several poetic passages, in which a verse opens, diverges to mention the subject, and then doubles the opening before finishing the thought.28 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 sin such cases?
- Resumptive repetition –Though Rashbam does not say so explicitly,29 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.30
- Emphasis – One might alternatively understand such doublings as serving to emphasize a point (see Radak),31 or coming to highlight that whatever action spoken of occurred multiple times or for long duration (see Ibn Ezra).32
- Aesthetics – It is also possible that these are all simply poetic flourishes, with the phrases doubled for aesthetic reasons.
- Examples include: Bereshit 49:22, Shemot 15:6, 11, 16, Shofetim 5:12, Tehillim 92:10, 93:3, 94:3, 115:1, Tehillim 118:16, 124:1-2, Kohelet 1:2