The Use of Distributive Repetition in Biblical Hebrew (Esther 4:3)
Esther 4:3 in Hebrew וּבְכָל־מְדִינָ֣ה וּמְדִינָ֗ה מְקֹום֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דְּבַר־הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ וְדָתֹו֙ מַגִּ֔יעַ אֵ֤בֶל גָּדֹול֙ לַיְּהוּדִ֔ים וְצֹ֥ום וּבְכִ֖י וּמִסְפֵּ֑ד שַׂ֣ק וָאֵ֔פֶר יֻצַּ֖ע לָֽרַבִּֽים׃ Introduction to Distributive Repetition In Esther 4:3, we encounter the phrase וּבְכָל־מְדִינָ֣ה וּמְדִינָ֗ה, which translates to "in every province and province." This structure is an example of distributive repetition, a common feature in Biblical…