Biblical Hebrew wields repetition and wordplay not merely for style, but to amplify theological gravity, poetic beauty, and oral resonance. Lexical and syntactic repetitions—such as in Ecclesiastes’ refrain הֶבֶל הֲבָלִים—hammer home existential themes, while alliteration and assonance (e.g., Psalm 122:6) cast prayer in melodic texture. Paronomasia, as in Jeremiah’s שָׁקֵד / שֹׁקֵד, unveils divine irony and semantic layering, and root repetition (e.g., ר־א־ה / ר־ע) threads narrative grief with prophetic clarity. These devices forge auditory cohesion and theological depth, allowing Scripture to speak through echo, pun, and poetic cadence. In Hebrew, sound itself becomes sanctified meaning.
Introduction
Biblical Hebrew is a language of rich texture and literary artistry, where repetition and wordplay are not merely stylistic flourishes but serve as essential tools for emphasis, rhythm, and theological depth. Through devices such as alliteration, assonance, paronomasia, and various forms of repetition, Hebrew poets and prophets crafted speech that resonated both audibly and spiritually. This article explores these rhetorical features in depth, providing examples from across the Hebrew Bible that demonstrate how sound and structure contribute to meaning.
1. Repetition: The Power of Echo
Repetition is one of the most pervasive features in Hebrew poetry and narrative. It occurs on multiple levels:
A. Lexical Repetition
The repetition of key words enhances thematic cohesion, emphasis, or intensity.
Example:
קֹהֶלֶת הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים אָמַר קֹהֶלֶת הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים הַכֹּל הָבֶל
“Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
(Ecclesiastes 1:2)
Here, הֶבֶל (“vanity”) is repeated five times to establish the futility theme from the outset.
B. Syntactic Parallelism
Closely related clauses repeat structure and often content, forming the backbone of Hebrew poetry.
Example:
יְהוָה שֹׁמְרֶךָ, יְהוָה צִלְּךָ עַל־יַד יְמִינֶךָ
“The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand.”
(Psalm 121:5)
The repetition reinforces divine protection through mirrored phrasing.
C. Climactic Repetition (Anadiplosis)
The end of one line becomes the beginning of the next, creating a chain of emphasis.
Example:
קוֹל יְהוָה עַל הַמַּיִם, אֵל הַכָּבוֹד הִרְעִים; יְהוָה, עַל מַיִם רַבִּים
“The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD over many waters.”
(Psalm 29:3)
The phrase קוֹל יְהוָה (“voice of the LORD”) echoes throughout the psalm like thunder itself.
2. Alliteration: Repetition of Consonants
Alliteration involves the repetition of the same consonant sound, usually at the beginning of words, enhancing poetic rhythm and mnemonic impact.
Example:
כִּי־שָׁם צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־הַבְּרָכָה
“For there the LORD commanded the blessing…”
(Psalm 133:3)
Repetition of the צ (tsade) and ש (shin) sounds produces a strong auditory pattern that highlights the sacred setting.
Psalm 27:1 (selected consonants)
יְהוָה אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי מִמִּי אִירָא
“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?”
Repetition of א, י, and מ reinforces the emotional urgency of trust and fear.
3. Assonance: Repetition of Vowel Sounds
Assonance is the repetition of similar vowel sounds in nearby words, enhancing the musicality and flow of the line.
Example:
עָרוּכָה בַשָּׁמַיִם תְּבוּנָה
“Wisdom is set in the heavens…”
(Job 28:20)
The repeated ā and ū sounds create a melodic cadence in the verse.
Psalm 122:6
שַׁאֲלוּ שְׁלוֹם יְרוּשָׁלָ͏ִם
“Pray for the peace of Yerushalayim.”
The repetition of sh and long ō vowel sounds conveys a gentle, meditative tone appropriate to a prayer for peace.
4. Paronomasia: Wordplay Based on Similarity of Sound
Paronomasia is a rhetorical device where two or more words sound similar but differ in meaning. This can enhance irony, deepen symbolism, or unify themes.
Example:
אֵין חָכָם כָּאִישׁ שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ לַחֲשׁוֹב
“No wise man is like the man who knows how to think.”
(Play on חָכָם and חֲשׁוֹב – wisdom and thought)
Jeremiah 1:11–12
מַקֵּל שָׁקֵד אֲנִי רֹאֶה… כִּי שֹׁקֵד אֲנִי עַל דְּבָרִי
“I see an almond branch… for I am watching over my word…”
A paronomastic play on שָׁקֵד (“almond”) and שֹׁקֵד (“watching”), creating an auditory connection between the vision and God’s vigilance.
5. Wordplay Through Root Repetition
Hebrew words often share trilateral roots, and repetition of roots reinforces meaning through a web of related terms.
Example:
רְאֵה רָעָה רָאִיתִי לְעַמִּי
“Behold, I have seen evil for my people.”
(Lamentations 1:12)
Repetition of the root ר־א־ה (to see) and ר־ע (evil) evokes visual judgment and deep suffering.
6. Theological and Literary Functions
1. Emphasis and Memorability
Repetition and wordplay are auditory cues that reinforce key themes and assist memorization, essential in oral cultures.
2. Theological Symbolism
Devices like paronomasia often reveal divine irony or prophetic insight, as in the almond branch vision in Jeremiah.
3. Emotional Impact
Assonance and alliteration amplify emotion, especially in psalms of lament, praise, and prophetic outbursts.
4. Structural Unity
Repeated roots or phrases bind large texts together, such as repeated refrains in Psalms or recurring judgment motifs in the Prophets.
Where Sound Meets Spirit
Repetition and wordplay in Biblical Hebrew are not mere rhetorical flourishes—they are deeply woven into the fabric of the biblical message. From the poetic thunder of Psalm 29 to the prophetic puns of Jeremiah, these literary techniques serve to highlight divine truth, evoke emotional resonance, and shape theological reflection. In the sacred tongue of the Scriptures, sound is never neutral; it is meaning made musical, theology made tactile.
