Bible Lexicons

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

Polyptoton; or Many Inflections

The Repetition of the same Part of Speech in different Inflections

Po-lyp´-tô-ton. Greek, πολύπτωτον; from πολύς (polûs), many, and πτῶσις (ptôsis), a falling: in grammar, a case (from an assumed form πτόω, ptoô, to fall). Hence, Polyptoton means with many cases, i.e., a repetition of the same noun in several cases, or of the same verb in several moods or tenses. With many inflections is a definition which covers both nouns and verbs.

It is called also METAGOGE (met-a-gô-gee). Greek μεταγωγή, from μετά (meta), a change, and ἄγω (agô), to lead. It means a change of course; a different arrangement of the same word, a leading of the same word through different inflections.

In Latin it is called CASUUM VARIETAS, a variety of cases.

This figure, therefore, is a repetition of the same word in the same sense, but not in the same form: from the same root, but in some other termination; as that of case, mood, tense, person, degree, number, gender, etc.

By "case," etc., is to be understood not merely the case of nouns, but inflections of all kinds.

We have arranged the different forms of Polyptoton, as follows:-

I. Verbs.

1. Verbs repeated in different moods and tenses.

2. Verbs with their imperatives, or participles (HOMOGENE).

a. In strong affirmation.

b. In strong negation.

3. Verbs with cognate noun.

4. Verbs with other parts of speech (combined Polyptoton).

II. Nouns and Pronouns.

1. Nouns repeated indifferent cases.

2. Nouns repeated in different numbers.

a. In singular and plural.

b. In singular and dependent genitive plural.

III. Adjectives.

I. Verbs

1. Verbs repeated in different moods and tenses

Genesis 1:24.-Here, the Hebrew is: "God, when He visiteth, or in visiting, will visit you."

And this, in order to emphasize the certainty of Joseph’s belief in the promise of God, as is stated in Hebrews 11:22. "By faith Joseph, when he died made mention of (margin, remembered) the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones:" i.e., Joseph remembered the promise of God made to his fathers and had such faith in it that he expressed his certainty s to its fulfillment by the use of this figure.

It is translated: "God will surely visit you": but to give effect to the figure we might render it: "God will most certainly visit you," putting great emphasis on the words "most certainly."

Exodus 23:5.-"If thou wouldest forbear to help him, helping thou shalt help with him": i.e., as A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] , "thou shalt surely help with him" (See Appendix D, Homonyms).

2 Kings 21:13.-"And I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down."

The figure is thus used to emphasise the completeness with which the Lord would empty Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 8:4.-

"Shall they fall and not arise?

Shall he turn away and not return?"

As these words stand they are unintelligible and the figure is obscured. The R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] is no improvement:-

"Shall men fall, and not rise up again?

Shall one turn away and not return?"

The Massorah* [Note: Ginsburg’s Edition, Vol. II, page 54.] calls attention to the fact that of the two words "turn and," the first letter of the second word should be the last letter of the first word, this being one of the examples where words are wrongly divided.

Thus read the sense comes out in agreement with the context of which Israel is the subject:-

"Shall they fall and not arise?

Shall they return [to Him] and He not return [to them].

This agrees also with Malachi 3:7, and it brings out the correspondence between the two lines, as well as exhibits more clearly the Polyptoton.

Matthew 11:15.-"He that hath ears to hear, let him hear," ὦτα ἀκούειν, ἀκουέτω (ôta akouein akouetô).

On fourteen occasions in the New Testament does the Lord use this expression (thus, or in similar words), and we place them all together here under the first occurrence so that we may see the fulness of the cumulative effect.

In the English we have a Paronomasia (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ) as well, "ears to hear," but not in the Greek, except in the case of the eight in Revelations, where we have οὖς ακουσάτω (ous akousato). The real figure lies in the emphatic polyptoton in each case.

This solemn injunction was never used by mere human lips. No mortal man could demand the attention to which this emphatic command lays claim None but the Lord ever used these words. They are (unlike many other of the examples) translated literally, but they mean: He whose ears are opened, let him surely hear, or let him take heed to give the most earnest attention!

This attention and obedience the Lord claimed on fourteen separate occasions.

The fourteen are not divided into two sevens, but into six and eight (two fours and two threes).

Six being the number of man, He spoke the words six times as "the Son of Man" on earth: and eight being the number of resurrection), He spoke the words eight times as the Risen Lord from heaven.

Though the occasions were fourteen (7 × 2) on which the words were used, the actual number of times the words are written down by the Holy Spirit is sixteen (4 × 4, or 42), two being in the parallel passages in the Gospels.* [Note: For the significance of these numbers see Number in Scripture (pp 20-47). by the same author and publisher.]

These fourteen occasions are connected with different parts of one great subject, which is dispensational in its character: and this figure being used only of this one subject, points us to the significant fac that it requires the Divinely opened ear to understand the great dispensational change which was about to take place.

It had been foretold in Isaiah 6:9 (see above) that it should come about in consequence of the ears being closed to the divine announcement: and seven times this solemn infliction of judicial blindness is written down in the Scriptures of Truth.

When the great change was announced in consequence and fulfillment of this! then, fourteen times did the Lord Himself emphasize the important fact that only the opened ear would be able to understand it; implying that it referred to secret things, and that only those to whom that secret was revealed would be able to understand it or receive it.

For the interpretation of these fourteen occurrences, see Things to Come (July to Dec., 1896; Jan. and Feb., 1897; Sept. and Oct., 1898, etc.)* [Note: G. Stoneman, 39 Warwick Lane, London, E.C.] We here give merely their order.

1. Elijah and John the Baptist (Matthew 11:15).

2. The parable of the sower (Matthew 13:9; Mark 4:9; Luke 8:8).

3. The candlestick (Mark 4:21-23).

4. The parable of the tares (Matthew 13:43).

5. The two dispensations (Mark 7:16).

6. The tower; the king and the salt: or, the great supper and its lessons (Luke 14:16-35).

7-13. The epistles to the seven churches (Revelation 2:1-29, iii.).

14. The beast from the sea (Revelation 13:9).

Matthew 13:9; Matthew 13:43.-See 11:15.

Matthew 19:12.-"He that is able to receive it, let him receive it." (χωρεῖν χωρείτω, chôrein chôreitô).

John 13:7.-Here there is apparently a Polyptoton of the verb "to know," but it is only in the English, not in the Greek. "What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter."

In the Greek the two verbs are different. The first is οὐκ οἶδας (ouk oidas), thou knowest not as a matter of fact. The second is γνώσῃ (gnôsee) thou shalt learn, i.e., get to know hereafter." It is this latter verb which is used in 1 Corinthians 2:14, for the natural man not only cannot receive, or discern, them, but he cannot even learn them, or get to know them, not having the necessary spiritual capacity.

John 13:10.-Here again there is no Polyptoton of the verb to wash, as appears in the English, for in the Greek the two words are quite different. "He that is washed (λελουμένος, leloumenos, i.e., bathed) needeth not save to wash (νίψασθαι, nipsasthai, i.e., to wash a part of the body) his feet." The teaching is that he who is purged by the offering on the brazen altar, needeth only the water of the brazen laver, which was for "the priests to wash in." So those who are regenerated by the Holy Ghost and have their standing in Christ need only the washing of the hands and the feet, i.e., the cleansing of their works and ways by "the washing of water by the word."

John 17:26.-"And I have declared unto them thy name and will declare it."

John 17:25.-"O righteous Father, the world hath not known (ἒγνω, egnô) thee: but I have known (ἔγνων, egnôn) thee, and these have known (ἔγνωσαν, egnosan) that thou hast sent me."

Romans 2:21-23.-"Thou therefore that teachest (ὁ διδάσκων ho didaskôn) another, teachest (διδάσκεις, didaskeis) thou not thyself?

Thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal (μὴ κλέπτειν, κλέπτεις, mee kleptein, klepteis)?

Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery (μὴ μοιχεύειν, μοιχεύεις, mee moicheuein, moicheueis)?

Thou that makest thy boast of the law (νόμῳ, nomô) through breaking the law (νόμου, nomou), dishonourest thou God?"

1 Corinthians 6:2.-"Do ye not know that the saints shall judge (κρινοῦσιν, krinousin) the world? and if the world shall be judged (κρίνεται, krinetai) by you, are ye unworthy [to judge] (Ellipsis of the verb) the smallest matters (κριτηρίων, kriteeriôn), i.e., "are you unworthy [to judge] the smallest judgments?"

2 Corinthians 1:10.-"Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us."

Galatians 1:8-9.-"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel (εὐαγγελιζηται, euangelizeetai) unto you than that which we have preached (εὐηγγελισάμεθα, eueengelisametha) unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel (εὐαγγελίζεται, euangelizetai) unto you … let him be accursed."

See also under Anaphora.

2 Timothy 3:13.-"But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived."

2 Timothy 4:17-18.-"And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work."

There is also the figure of Polysyndeton in this verse (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ).

1 John 3:7.-"Little children, let no man deceive you; he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous."

See also this verse under the figure of Tapeinosis.

Hebrews 10:37.-"He who cometh will come": i.e., He will surely come.

See also under the figure of Epizeuxis.

Revelation 2:7; Revelation 2:11; Revelation 2:17; Revelation 2:29; Revelation 3:6; Revelation 3:13; Revelation 3:22; Revelation 13:9.-See Matthew 11:15, and, under Correspondence, "The seven epistles to the churches" by the Holy Spirit through St. Paul.

2. Verbs with their Infinitives or Participles

In this case a verb and its participle are used in combination in order to add an intensity to the sense; or to give the verb, as it were, a superlative degree.

This form of the figure is sometimes called Ho-mog´-e-nee (from ὁμός (homos), the same, and γένος, genos, kindred).

HOMOGENE means therefore of the same kindred, akin, because the two verbs are akin.

It is used in two ways:-

a. In strong and emphatic affirmation.

a. In strong negation.

(a) In strong affirmation or exhortation

Genesis 2:16.-"Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat." Hebrew, eating thou shalt eat.

The conjugated verb is strengthened and emphasized by the infinitive preceding it. This infinitive Eve omitted in 3:2, and thus "diminished" from the word of God.

Genesis 2:17.-"Thou shalt surely die." Hebrew, dying thou shalt die.

Here again Eve (3:3) alters the Word of God by saying "Lest ye die"!* [Note: Not only does she thus diminish from and alter the Word of God but she adds to it the words "neither shall ye touch it," which the Lord God had not spoken!] מוֹת תּמוּת (moth tahmuth) thou shalt most certainly die, were the words of the Lord God.

Thus she changes a certainty into a contingency.

See this verse under the figure of Synecdoche.

Genesis 3:16.-"Unto the woman He said multiplying, I will multiply thy sorrow, etc.," i.e., as in A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] , "I will greatly multiply."

Genesis 28:22.-Hebrew, "Tithing, will I tithe for thee," i.e., as in A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] , "I will surely give the tenth unto thee."

Genesis 37:33.-"Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces."

The Heb. is טָרֹף טֹרַף (taroph, toraph), tearing, he is torn. The figure employed shows the intensity of Jacob’s feelings. He exclaims:

"The tunic of my son!

A wild beast hath devoured him!

Tearing-Joseph is torn."

I.e., he hath been certainly killed or cruelly mangled.

Exodus 3:16.-"I have surely visited you." Hebrew, visiting I have visited you.

Exodus 19:12.-Here the figure is translated: "He … shall be surely put to death." Lit., stoning, he shall be stoned.

So verse 13: "He shall surely be stoned."

Joshua 24:10.-"But I would not hearken unto Balaam: therefore he blessed you still." Hebrew, blessing, he blessed you: i.e., he kept blessing you, or he surely blessed you, or he did nothing but bless you, or he blessed you exceedingly.

2 Kings 3:23.-"The kings are surely slain." Hebrew, destroying they are destroyed.

Psalms 118:18.-"The Lord hath chastened me sore." Hebrew, Jah chastening hast chastened me.

Isaiah 6:9.-"Hear ye indeed." Hebrew, Hear ye in hearing. "And see ye indeed." Hebrew, "See ye in seeing," etc.

On four occasions is this great dispensational prophecy repeated in the New Testament in order to emphasise and call attention to the great change which was about to take place.

Thus, seven times in all, this great prophecy is written down by the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures of Truth.

See Matthew 11:15 above (page 269).

Jeremiah 22:10.-"Weep sore for him that goeth away." Hebrew, weeping weep.

Jeremiah 23:17.-"They say still unto them that despise me," etc. Hebrew, saying they say: i.e., they maintain, or they keep saying, etc.

Daniel 11:13.-"He shall certainly come." Hebrew, coming he shall come.

Zechariah 8:21.-"Let us go speedily." Hebrew, going let us go.

Matthew 13:13.-"Because they seeing see not, and hearing they hear not": i.e., they are determined not to hear and not to see.

See also Mark 4:12. Luke 8:10. John 12:40. Acts 28:26; and Romans 11:8 : where Isaiah 6:9 is quoted.

Acts 7:34.-Here the figure of Polyptoton is translated as though it were Epizeuxis (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ). Lit. it is "Seeing I have seen": i.e., I have surely seen.

Romans 12:15.-In this verse we have two examples of the repetition of the infinitive and participle.

"Rejoice with them that do rejoice (χαίρειν μετὰ χαιρόντων, chairein meta chairontôn), and weep with them that weep (κλαίειν μετὰ κλαιόντων, klaiain meta klaiontôn)."

Two other figures are combined here-Homœopropheron and Homœoptoton (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ).

Hebrews 6:14.-"Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee": i.e., Surely in blessing I will most certainly bless thee, etc.

(b) In strong negation

Genesis 3:4.-"And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die."

Here the serpent emphatically denies Jehovah’s words, and says, dying thou shalt not die.

He is thus introduced to us in his special sphere-denying the Word of God. For he is the god of this world’s religion and not of its crimes and immoralities. And his sphere is in the corruption of the truth rather than in the degradation of the flesh.* [Note: See The Silence of God, by Robert Anderson, LL.D., C.B., published by Hodder and Stoughton.]

Exodus 5:23.-"Thou hast not delivered them at all."

Thus beautifully is the figure rendered. Hebrew, delivering thou hast not delivered them.

Exodus 34:7.-"And wilt by no means clear the guilty." Hebrew, clearing thou wilt not clear. Even so the Substitute of the Lord’s people was not cleared. When he bore their sins he bore the punishment also that was due to them.

Psalms 49:7 (8).-"None of them can by any means redeem his brother."

Thus beautifully is the figure rendered, which the R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] has not attempted to improve.

Hebrew, a brother redeeming doth not redeem a man: i.e., even though he pay down the price there is no redemption.

3. Verbs with cognate noun

A verb and a cognate noun are used together, when great emphasis is placed upon the assertion or expression. It is a kind of superlative degree in verbs to declare the magnitude and gravity of an action or the greatness and importance of its results.

Genesis 1:11.-"Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed." Lit., seeding seed. Thus emphasizing the fact that trees, etc., were created bearing the seeds: and not the seeds producing the trees. The hen was created producing the egg, and not the egg producing the hen. Thus, at the very outset of the Word of God, the modern figment of "evolution" is exploded.

Genesis 8:21.-"And the Lord smelled a sweet savour." Lit., smelled the sweet smell, or the savour of rest: i.e., Jehovah accepted the sacrifice, and was satisfied with the atonement made by Noah.

The figure of Anthrôpopatheia (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ) is involved.

Genesis 27:3.-"Take me some venison." Lit., hunt me some hunting, i.e., fetch me some game.

Venison, so called from the Latin venatio, to hunt.

Genesis 27:33.-"And Isaac trembled very exceedingly."

Thus beautifully is the Hebrew figure turned into an English idiom.

The Hebrew is: "And Isaac trembled with a great trembling greatly." (See margin).

Genesis 27:34.-"And … Esau … cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry."

Genesis 28:20.-"And Jacob vowed a vow," i.e., solemnly vowed.

Genesis 30:8.-"And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister." Lit., "with wrestlings of God, have I wrestled with my sister"; where we have another figure, Enallage, by which the Noun "of God" is used instead of the adjective "great," denoting therefore "with very great and super-human wrestlings have I wrestled." (See Enallage).

Genesis 35:14.-"And Jacob set up a pillar וַיַּצֵּב מַצֵּבָה (vayatzev matzevah), lit., and he pillared a pillar. So verse 20.* [It seems clear that this should be the reading also in Genesis 33:20, where we have the same verb רַיַּצֶּב (vayatzev), which means to stand or rear up, as one lifts and sets up a (single) memorial stone which we now call a "menhir." But the noun is different מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbeach), which means an altar. Some ancient an altar. Some ancient scribe either mistook matzevah (a pillar) and wrote mizbeach (an altar), or the noun was originally abbreviated by the use of the initial letter מ (mem) and was afterwards filled out incorrectly. Because the verb that always goes with altar is בָּנַה (banah), to build, as with bricks, etc. (except in Genesis 35:1; Genesis 35:3 and Exodus 30:1, where it is עָשָּׂה (asah), to make; and 1 Kings 16:32, where it is קוּם (kum), to raise or set up as a building, and not נָצַב (natzav), to stand up as a pillar).]

Numbers 4:23.-"All that enter in to serve the service to work the work in the Tabernacle of the congregation."

Numbers 11:4.-"And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting." Hebrew, lusted a lust: i.e., lusted exceedi

Numbers 16:30.-"But if the Lord make a new thing." Hebrew, create a creation: i.e., do something wonderful.

1 Samuel 4:5.-"All Israel shouted with a great shout": i.e., with a very loud and prolonged or sustained cry.

2 Samuel 12:16.-"And David fasted," lit., fasted a fast: i.e., completely or truly fasted.

2 Samuel 13:36.-"And all his servants wept very sore." In Hebrew the figure is "wept a great weeping greatly."

1 Kings 1:40.-"The people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy": i.e., their joy scarcely knew bounds.

2 Kings 4:13.-"Thou hast been careful for us with all this care": i.e., exceedingly careful.

2 Kings 13:14.-"Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness": i.e., was exceeding sick so that he died.

2 Kings 19:7.-"He shall hear a rumour," lit., hear a hearing, * [Note: See Metonymy (of adjunct).] i.e., he shall hear important news, something that will upset his plans.

Psalms 14:5; Psalms 53:5.-"There were they in great fear." The Figure is "they feared a fear."

Psalms 144:6.-"Cast forth lightning." Heb., lighten lightning, i.e., lighten exceedingly, and destroy them.

Proverbs 30:24.-"Wise, made wise." Here, the emphasis created by the repetition in the form of Polyptoton, makes a superlative adjective and is beautifully and idiomatically rendered "exceeding wise."

Man is by nature ignorant. He is born more ignorant than the beasts. He has, therefore, to be "made wise"; and, in spiritual things, this can be done only by the Holy Spirit of God.

Isaiah 8:12.-"Neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid (i.e., fearful). Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself, and let Him be your fear."

Isaiah 22:17.-"Behold, the Lord will carry thee away with a mighty captivity." This verse and the next are very difficult, as is attested by a comparison of the A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] and R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] with their marginal readings. The above words are literally, "Behold, Jehovah will hurl thee with the hurling of a [strong] man." The R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] expresses it: "The Lord will hurl thee away violently."

Jeremiah 22:16.-"He judged the cause." Lit., He judged the judgment; i.e., righteously judged.

Jeremiah 51:2.-"And will send unto Babylon fanners (זָרִים, zareem) that shall fan her וְזֵרוּהָ, v’zerûaha)."

Ezekiel 18:2.-"What mean ye that ye use this proverb? Heb.: משְׁלִים אֶת־הַמָּשָׁל (mishleem eth-hammahshal). Lit., ye proverb this proverb, i.e., ye have this proverb in constant use.

Ezekiel 38:12.-"To take a spoil, and to take a prey." Lit., to spoil spoil and to prey prey; i.e., to take great spoil and a great prey.

Daniel 11:3.-"A mighty King shall stand up that shall rule with a great rule"; i.e., have a vast dominion.

Jonah 1:10.-"Then were the men exceedingly afraid." Lit., feared with great fear.

Micah 2:4.-"In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a lamentation of lamentations": i.e., shall exceedingly lament. Or, as in A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] "lament with a doleful lamentation." See below, page 284.

Nahum 1:15 (2:1.).-"Keep thy solemn feasts." Hebrew, Feast thy solemn feasts.

The figure gives a superlative degree, as it were, to the verb, implying that, before this, feasts had only been formally observed: henceforth they are to be truly celebrated.

Habakkuk 3:2.-"O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid." Hebrew, I have heard hearing of thee, i.e., I have heard thy fame.

Zechariah 1:2.-"The Lord hath been sore displeased with your fathers." The figure is thus beautifully rendered. Lit., it is "Jehovah hath been displeased with displeasure with your fathers."

Verse 14. "I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy," i.e., I am exceedingly jealous.

Verse 15. "I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease." Lit., "with a great wrath am I wroth."

This Hebrew idiom appears in the New Testament, showing that though the words are Greek the thoughts and idioms are Hebrew. (See under Idioma).

Matthew 2:10.-"They rejoiced with exceeding great joy." (ἐχάρησαν χαράν, echaṛeesan charan).

See this verge under Ellipsis.

Mark 4:41.-"They feared exceedingly" (ἐφοβήθησαν φόβον, ephobeetheesan phobon). Lit., they feared a fear.

Luke 22:15.-"With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you."

Having translated the figure literally in the Text, the A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] half repents it, and gives the English idiom in the margin, "I have heartily desired."

John 6:28.-"What shall we do that we might work the works of God?" i.e., might really do what God wills us to do.

Acts 23:12.-"Certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse." (Marg. [Note: arg. Margin.] , or, with an oath of execration).

And then, in verse 14, to emphasize this, they say, "We have bound ourselves under a great curse." ἀναθέματι ἀνεθεματίσαμεν (anathemati anethematisamen.) Lit., we have vowed a great vow.

Anathematizo means to devote, and so to separate from; especially to devote to destruction.

Ephesians 6:18.-"Praying always with all prayer," i.e., earnestly praying.

Colossians 2:19.-"Increaseth with the increase of God" (αὔξει τὴν αὔξησιν, auxei teen auxeesin). Lit., increaseth the increase, i.e., receives abundant increase from God, or worthy of God: or, receives Divine increase.

1 Timothy 1:18.-"That thou … mightest war a good warfare" (στρατεύῃ στρατείαν, strateuee strateian). This comes also under the figure of Paronomasia (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ).

2 Timothy 4:7.-"I have fought a good fight" (τὸν ἀγῶνα τὸν καλὸν ἠγώνισμαι, ton agôna ton kalon eegônismai): i.e., I have earnestly fought the good fight.

James 5:17.-"He prayed earnestly." This is the beautiful rendering of the figure προσευχῇ προσηύξατο (proseuchee proseeuxato) with prayer he prayed. See Paronomasia.

Revelation 16:9.-"And men were scorched with great heat." Lit., burnt with great burning, i.e., exceedingly burnt.

Revelation 17:6.-"I wondered with great wonder" (A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] , admiration), i.e., I wondered exceedingly.

This figure exists even when the noun is absent through the figure of Ellipsis:

Numbers 11:14.-"I am not able to bear [the burden of] all this people alone, because it, [i.e., the burden] is too heavy for me."

Verse 17 shows that the word burden is implied; and that Moses means, I am not able to bear the heavy burden of all this People alone. (See under Ellipsis, page 56).

Psalms 13:3.-Here the noun is actually supplied in the A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] "Sleep the sleep of death," i.e, sleep the last solemn sleep of death.

4. Verbs with other parts of speech. (Combined Polyptoton)

Isaiah 24:16.-"My leanness, my leanness,* [Note: This is the figure of Epizeuxis (q.v.).] woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously."

Here, from the two roots "deal" and "treachery" is heaped together this variety of inflections, to enhance the result of the enemy’s treatment.

Hosea 10:1 (R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] ).-"Israel is a luxuriant vine, which putteth forth his fruit: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath multiplied his altars, according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly pillars" (i.e., images).

Here, in the repetition of the various inflections of the words "fruit," "multiply," and "good," and in the repetition of "according to" (Anaphora), and in the repetition of sense in "altars" and "images," our attention is arrested and drawn to the fact that prosperity only led the People astray into idolatry.

2 Corinthians 10:12.-"For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

This is still more emphatic when we see the structure of this verse.

b to number (ἐγκρῖναι) or compare (συγκρῖναι) ourselves

c with certain of them that commend themselves:

c but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves,

b and comparing (συγκρίνοντες) themselves with themselves

a are without understanding (οὐ).

Here in "a" and "a" we have the declaration, in "a" as to what we are not, and in "a" as to what they are not.

In "b" and "b" we have comparison (συγκρίνω).

In "c" and "c" we have commending and measuring.

Note also that in "b" and "c" the pronoun occurs once, while in the corresponding members it is answered by a double occurrence.

For the meaning of the verb "compare," see below under adjectives (page 284), and also under Ellipsis, page 77.

Galatians 5:7-10.-"Ye did run well: who did hinder you that ye should not obey (πείθεσθαι, peithesthai) the truth? This persuasion (πεισμονή, peismonee) cometh not of him that calleth you … A little eaven leaveneth* [Note: Another example of Polyptoton.] the whole lump. I have confidence (πέποιθα, pepoitha) in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded.

Here we have three forms of the same word, or three words from the same root. This is lost in the translation. Πείθω (peithô) is more than to believe, it is to be persuaded, to hold or hold on to a belief. Hence, πεῖσμα (peisma) denotes a ship’s cable, by which it holds on, and in which it trusts, while πεισμονή is a holding on, here (in verse 8) evidently a holding on to one’s own views with obstinacy.

Perhaps the word "confidence" may best be repeated: "who did hinder you that ye should not have confidence in the truth? This self-confidence cometh not of him that calleth you … but I have confidence in you," etc.

Ephesians 1:3.-"Blessed (εὐλογητός, eulogeetos) be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed (ὁ εὐλογησας, ho eulogeesas) us with all spiritual blessings (εὐλογία, eulogia) in heavenly places (or spheres) in Christ": i.e., who hath richly blessed us with all, etc.

II. Nouns and Pronouns

1. Nouns repeated in different cases

Ezekiel 28:2.-"Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord God (Adonai Jehovah): Because thine heart (לִבְּךָ) is lifted up, and thou hast said I am a God, I sit in the seat of God (2 Thessalonians 2:4) in the heart (בְּלֵב, i.e., in the heart) of the seas; yet thou art a man and not God, though thou set thine heart (לִבְּךָ) as the heart (כְּלֵב) of God."

John 3:13.-"And no man hath ascended up to heaven (εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, eis ton ouranon), but He that came down from heaven (ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ek tou ouranou), even the Son of Man which is (or was) in heaven (ὁ ὢν ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, ho ôn en tô ouranô)."

It is to be remembered that the last clause is doubtful. "Many ancient authorities omit it," as the R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] remarks in the margin.

But, taking it as it stands, we have the three inflections of the word "heaven," calling our attention to a great fact that no one has ever gone up to heaven that is by his own act (see Proverbs 30:4), for the verb "ascended" is active: and the tense is the Perfect, meaning no one hath ascended up, and is in heaven. The verb, too, is πορευθείς (poreutheis), intimating a leisurely journey, not an instantaneous rapture.

It does not deny that men like Enoch and Elijah had been taken up by God, which is a very different thing.

And then the expression ὁ ὤν (ho ôn) is difficult to express in English. It is lit., the one being, but it means here not "who is," but who was in heaven, i.e., before He came down as stated in chap. 1:1, and who shall again "ascend up where He was before" (chap. 6:62).

So in chap. 1:18, it should be rendered "which was in the bosom of the Father."

Compare, for this sense, chaps, 9:25; 19:38. Luke 24:44. 2 Corinthians 8:9. And see above, under Ellipsis (page 22), and Heterosis.

Romans 4:18.-"Who against hope believed in hope (παῤ ἐλπίδα ἐπ̓ ἐλπίδι, par elpida ep elpidi).

Romans 11:36.-"For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things."

Galatians 2:19-20.-"For I through the law am dead (died) to the law (ἐγὼ γὰρ διὰ νόμου νόμῳ ἀπέθανον, egô gar dia nomou nomô apethanon), that I might live (ζήσω, zeesô) unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live (ζῶ, zô); yet not I but Christ liveth (ζῇ, zee) in me, and that [life] which I now live (ζῶ, zô) in the flesh I live (ζῶ, zô) by the faith of the Son of God."

See further on this verse under the figure of Epanadiplosis.

2. Nouns repeated in different numbers

(a) In singular and plural

Psalms 68:15-16 (16, 17).-In the Hebrew it is clearer than in the English, because what in English requires two or more words, in Hebrew is only one word, or a compound word.

"A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan.

A mountain of mountain peaks is the mountain of Bashan.

Why look ye askance (or envy) ye mountain peaks.

At the mountain which God hath desired for His abode?

Yea, the Lord will dwell in it for ever."

Thus, is the Hill of Zion specially marked out as the place which Jehovah chose for His House.

Isaiah 2:11.-The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down.

So also in verse 17, where the singular and plural are used together (as here) to emphasize the far reaching effects of the day of the Lord, here (verse 12) mentioned for the first time in the Bible.

In other places also we have the same figure: and it tells us that God makes a distinction between "man" and "men," opposite to that which the world makes.

As for "man" God has condemned him root and branch, while the world would deify him.

As for "men" God saves and blesses them with an everlasting salvation, while the world makes very little of "men" as individuals, and indeed pursues them with persecutions, and fights against them with "wars and hatreds."

See further on this whole passage, under the figures of Polysyndeton and Synonymia.

Jeremiah 15:16.-"Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart."

Here the two numbers (sing. [Note: ing. The Singular Number.] and pl. [Note: l. The Plural Number.] ) in close conjunction, bring out the contrast between the separate "words" and the "word" of God as a whole.

(b) In singular and genitive plural

A noun is repeated in the genitive plural in order to express very emphatically the superlative degree which does not exist in Hebrew. See under Idiom.

Thus this figure is a kind of Enallage (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ), or exchange, by which a noun in the genitive plural, is used instead of a superlative adjective.

Genesis 9:25.-"A servant of servants shall [Canaan] be": i.e., the lowest and most degraded of servants, or the most abject slave.

Exodus 26:33, etc.-"Holy of holies." In A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] : "the most holy."

Numbers 3:32.-"Chief of the chief." In A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] : "chief over the chief."

Deuteronomy 10:17.-"For Jehovah your Elohim is Elohai of the Elohim, and Adonai of the Adonim, a great El."* [Note: See in Divine Names and Titles, by the same author and publisher.]

In A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] and R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] this is rendered, "The Lord your God is God of Gods, and Lord of Lords, a great God," etc.

1 Kings 8:27.-The heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee": i.e., the highest heaven."

Ecclesiastes 1:2, etc.-"Vanity of vanities": i.e., the greatest vanity.

Song Song of Solomon 1:1.-"The song of songs," i.e., the most beautiful or excellent song.

Daniel 2:37. Ezekiel 26:17.-"A king of kings": i.e., the most mighty king.

Daniel 2:47.-"God of gods": i.e., the great, living, or true God. The most mighty God.

Daniel 8:25.-"The Prince of princes": i.e., the most powerful Prince.

Hosea 10:15.-"So shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickedness." The figure is here translated, and given in the margin "Hebrew, the evil of your evil."

Micah 2:4.-"A lamentation of lamentations," i.e., a great lamentation. See above, page 278.

Philippians 3:5.-"A Hebrew of the Hebrews," i.e., a thorough Hebrew. See this verse under Asyndeton.

Revelation 1:6.-"The ages of the ages," i.e., to the remotest age, for ever and ever.

III. Adjectives

John 1:11.-"He came unto His own, (τὰ ἴδια, ta idea; i.e., his own possessions, neuter) and His own (οἱ ἴδιοι, hoi idioi, i.e., His own people, masculine), received Him not."

1 Corinthians 2:13.-"Comparing spiritual things with spiritual." In the Greek it is πνευματικοῖς πνευματικὰ συγκρίνοντες (pneumatikois pneumatika sunkrinontes), i.e., to spiritual persons spiritual things declaring.

Or, as in the English order, "declaring (sunkrinontes, see Numbers 15:34) spiritual things (pneumatika, neuter plural) to spiritual persons (pneumatikois, masculine gender dative plural).* [Note: Compare chap. 3:1; and see The Mystery, by the same author and publisher. And see under Ellipsis, page 77.]

2 Corinthians 9:8.-"And God is able to make all (πᾶσαν, pâsan), grace abound toward you; that ye always having all sufficiency in all things (παντὶ πάντοτε πᾶσαν, panti pantote pâsan) may abound to every (all) (πᾶν, pân) good work."

(b) Repetition of the same word: in a Different Sense