Bible Lexicons

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

Anadiplosis; or Like Sentence Endings and Beginnings

The Repetition of the same Word or Words at the end of one Sentence and at the beginning of another

An´-a-di-plo´-sis. Greek, ἀναδίπλωσις, ἀνά (ana), again, and διπλοῦν (diploun), to double, or διπλοῦς (diplous), double.

It is also called EPANASTROPHE (Ep´-a-nas´-tro-phe), from ἐπί (epi), upon, ἀνά (ana), again, and στρέφειν (strephein, to turn), and means, a turning upon again.

Also PALILLOGIA (pa-lil-log´-i-a), from πάλιν (palin), again, and λόγος (logos), a word.

In Latin it is called REVERSIO, a turning back; and REDUPLICATIO, a reduplication. The figure is so-called because the word which ends one sentence is repeated at the beginning of the next.

The words so repeated are thus emphasised as being the most important words in the sentence, which we are to mark and consider in translation and exposition.

The Massorah* [Note: See Ginsburg’s Massorah, Rubrics 422 and 423, Vol. II. î.] gives two lists of such words; which we have included in our examples, marking them with an asterisk.

The figure is frequently missed in the English translation, both in the A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] and R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] In these cases we have given our own translation of the original, so as to bring out and exhibit the words which are thus affected by the figure of Anadiplosis.

*Genesis 1:1-2.-"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth became without form and void."

Thus Anadiplosis is the very first Figure employed in the Bible. And it is used to call our attention to, and emphasize, the fact that, while the first statement refers to two things, "the heaven and the earth"; the following statement proceeds to speak of only one of them, leaving the other entirely out of consideration.

Both were created "in the beginning." But the earth, at some time, and by some means, and from some cause (not stated) became a ruin:-empty, waste, and desolate; or, as it is expressed by another Figure (Paronomasia, q.v. [Note: Which see.] ), tohoo and bohoo. Now, whatever may be the meaning of tohoo (תֹּהוּ), it is expressly stated, in Isaiah 45:18, by Him who created the earth that "He created it not tohoo (תֹּהוּ)." Therefore it must at, and after some subsequent period of unknown duration, have fallen into the ruin which the second verse declares and describes.

The repetition of the word "earth" here, directs our attention to this fact; and proceeds to describe the process by which the earth was restored and peopled.

The whole chapter exhibits a parallel between this work, and that "new creation"* [Note: Compare ; , etc.; and see a pamphlet on "The New Creation and the Old," by the same author and publisher.] which takes place in the case of every one who is born again of the Holy Ghost, and has the new man created within him.

*Genesis 7:18-19.-"And the ark went upon the face of the waters: and the waters prevailed exceedingly." (See under Epizeuxis).

*Genesis 31:6-7.-"Ye know that with all my power I have served your father: and your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me." (See under Hysterologia and Idiom.

*Genesis 31:33-34.-"Then went he out of Leah’s tent and entered into the tent of Rachel. Now Rachel had taken the images," etc. Here, by rendering it "Rachel’s tent" the figure is hidden, and the emphasis on Rachel is lost.

*Exodus 7:16-17.-Here the figure is entirely hidden in the English. The words כּהֹ, כּהֹ being translated hitherto and this. To preserve the figure we must render it, "And, behold, thou wouldest not hear until now. Now saith Jehovah."

*Exodus 12:4-5.-"Every man, according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. The lamb shall be without blemish."

*Exodus 32:16.-"And the tables were the work of God, and the writing, the writing of God, graven upon the tables." Here we have not only the figure of Anadiplosis in the repetition of the word writing (מִכְתַּב, miktav), in the middle of the verse, but we have Epanadiplosis in the repetition of the words, the tables (הַלֻּחֹת, halluchoth). See also under Anthopopatheia.

*Numbers 33:3-4.-"Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, etc."

*Deuteronomy 31:3-4.-"And Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as hath said Jehovah, and Jehovah shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and Og, etc."

*2 Samuel 9:12-13.-"All that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth. So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem."

*2 Samuel 19:10-11.--"Now, therefore, why speak ye not a word of bringing back the King? And the King David sent to Zadok," etc. This emphasis on the word king is lost in the English.

*Esther 6:5-6.-"And the king said, Let him come in. Then came in Haman."

*Esther 7:7-8.-"He saw that there was evil determined against him by the king. Then the king returned out of the palace garden."

Thus tbe fourth acrostic containing the name of Jehovah is emphasised.* [Note: See under Acrostichion (page 186), also a pamphlet on these four acrostics by the same author and publisher.]

Psalms 98:4-5.-The Hebrew figure is lost in the A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] , but is preserved in the R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] In the Hebrew, verse 4 ends with the word זַמְּרוּ (zammeroo), and verse 5 begins with the same word.

"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth:

Break forth and sing for joy, yea, sing praises.

Sing praises unto the Lord with the harp."

Psalms 113:8.-

"He lifteth the needy out of the dunghill,

That He may set him with princes;

The princes of His People."

Psalms 115:12.-

"The Lord hath been mindful of us, and He will bless:

He will bless the house of Israel.

He will bless the house of Aaron.

He will bless them that fear the Lord," etc.

Here, the figure of Anadiplosis passes on into Anaphora.

*Psalms 121:1-2.-

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth."

*Psalms 122:2-3.-

"Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem,

Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compacted together."

The difference between this figure and that of Epizeuxis will be seen by comparing Matthew 23:37; when the same word is repeated, but in quite a different manner; for another purpose and with another emphasis.

Psalms 126:2-3.-

"Then said they among the heathen,
The Lord hath done great things for them,
The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad."

Psalms 127:1-2.-

"Except the Lord keep the city,

The watchman waketh in vain.

In vain ye rise up early," etc.

Psalms 145:18.-

"The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him;

To all that call upon him in truth"

*Proverbs 13:21-22.-

"To the righteous shall be repayed good.

A good man leaveth an inheritance," etc.

*Isaiah 24:4-5.-"Languish do the haughty people of the land.
The land also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof."

These four lines form an Epanodos (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ).

*Hosea 2:21-22 (Hebrews 23, 24).-"And they shall hear the land: and the land shall hear the corn," etc.

See also under Anaphora, Polysyndeton, Climax and Prosopopœia: so richly emphasized is the wondrous prophecy.

Matthew 7:22.-"Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? Here the Anadiplosis develops into Anaphora by the repetition of the words at the beginning of the last sentence. See under Erotesis.

Habakkuk 3:2.-"Revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known." See also under Pleonasm.

Matthew 10:40.-"He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me." The figure is Clearer in the Greek than in the English.

John 14:11.-"Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me."

John 18:37.-It is difficult to express the figure in this verse in English. The "I" is repeated thus:

"Thou sayest that a King am I. I to this end was born."

Romans 8:17.-"If children, then heirs: heirs of God, etc."

Romans 9:30.-"What shall we say then? That the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness have attained to righteoushess; righteousness which is of faith."

Romans 10:17.-"So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

2 Corinthians 5:17-18.-To see the figure, which is in the Greek, we must translate "Behold, become new are all things, and all things are of God."

2 Corinthians 9:6.-"He that soweth sparingly, sparingly shall reap also: he that soweth bountifully, bountifully shall reap also."

Here is combined also the figure of Symploce (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ) in the repetition of the words "sow" and "reap." There is also a double Epanodos in the arrangement of the lines.

Galatians 4:31; Galatians 5:1.-So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free (ἐλευθέρας, eleutheras). In the freedom (ἐλευθερία, eleutheria) wherewith Christ hath made us free, stand fast."

Philippians 2:8.-"And being found in fashion as a man, he became obedient unto death, the death of the cross."

James 1:3.-"The trying of your faith worketh patience, but patience-let it have its perfect work, etc." See below, under Climax.