Bible Lexicons

Bullinger's Figures of Speech Used in the BibleBullinger's Figures of Speech

Amoebaeon; or Refrain

The Repetition of the same Phrase at the End of successive Paragraphs

Am-œ-bAE´-on. It is from the Greek ἀμοιβή (amoibee), change, alteration (from ἀμείβειν (ameibein), to change. It is used of the repetition of the same phrase or sentence, where it occurs in poetry at the end of successive periods.

Cycloides may occur at the beginning, or middle, or any part of the circle, but AmœbAEon only at the end.

This burden, therefore, thus emphasized is the main point for us to notice in what is being said.

Psalms 118:1-4.-Where, we have the refrain "For His mercy endureth for ever." (See under Symploce).

Psalms 136:1-26 -Where at the end of every verse, we have the refrain, "For His mercy endureth for ever."

Isaiah 9:12; Isaiah 9:17; Isaiah 9:21; Isaiah 10:4.-Where we have the four-fold burden, to emphasize the solemn warning, "For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still."

Amos 4:6; Amos 4:8-11.-Here we have the solemn refrain five times repeated "Yet have ye not returned unto me saith the Lord."

Matthew 6:2; Matthew 6:5; Matthew 6:16.-Where we have the thrice repeated lesson, "Verily … they have their reward." See under Idiom.

Luke 13:3; Luke 5:1-39.-Where, twice, we have the solemn words, "I tell you, Nay; but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish."

John 6:39-40; John 6:44; John 6:54.-Four times we have the glorious fact repeated for our assurance, I will raise him up at the last day."

Revelation 2:7; Revelation 2:11; Revelation 2:17; Revelation 2:29; Revelation 3:6; Revelation 3:13; Revelation 3:22.-Seven times, at the end of each of these Epistles is the solemn burden repeated "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches."

These words are in the figure called Polyptoton (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ,) but this seven-fold repetition, is the figure of AmœbAEon. See under Polyptoton for the significance of this phrase, as here used.* [Note: Also the series of articles in Things to Come, commencing September, 1898.]

Revelation 18:21-23.-Here, the figure Epistrophe in the repetition of the words "no more at all" becomes the figure AmœbAEon in that the words are a solemn burden or refrain in announcing the judgment on Babylon.