Repetition in Scripture

By Venessa Holtzhausen

Gen 41:32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

If repetition is the best form of emphasis, God goes overboard in the chapter-long, prophetic book of Obadiah. Between Obadiah 11 and 14, a total of four verses, the phrase “in the day” or “on the day” occurs ten times. It acts as a kind of refrain in the prophet’s song of lamentation over the nation of Edom. It repetitiously reminds the reader or listener of a specific time when the Edomites’ iniquity came to a head, sealing their fate. It is also a prophetic clue. The redundancy of the Greek ages of the ages and its English forever and ever is intentional. Some scholars claim they cannot find this grammatical repetition in classical Greek, which makes sense, since it came down from the Hebrew. In English we use the superlative: the greatest; the most glorious; most powerful, etc. Though not technically a superlative, the Hebrews repeated words for emphasis.

The first occurrence I know of is in Genesis 2:17, when Adam was warned in the day he ate of the tree: dying you shall die. Another occurrence is in Psalm 110:1, the most often quoted OT verse in the NT: The LORD (Jehovah) said unto my Lord (Adonai), sit at my right hand until I put your enemies underfoot of your feet. Unfortunately, these two repetitions are almost universally translated in English as “surely die” and “footstool.”

Paul used the repetition ages of the ages in some of his letters, usually of God’s glory and power. John also used it for many of God’s attributes in Revelation, but one of John’s repetitions has passed down unscathed into English. It was printed in the original 1611 KJV in large caps/small caps. Later it was changed to all caps. So the KJV, in spite of its many many flaws, not only retained but booted up the Hebrew emphasis of KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

In the Scripture Joseph tell us also why the dream came twice or should I rather say, God spoke twice:

• The matter has been fixed by God
• And God will shortly cause it to happen.

It is like God said it, and then He confirmed it to happen and fast also.

We should take notice of this. When you get a Scripture or prophecy or dream twice, pay attention to it. God is speaking to you and it is urgent or confirmation. 

Amen!