Repetition & Redundancy in the Scriptures

Thank you, Ziggy. I am glad to have this information.

I did look at Girdlestone's work and he covers the parallels of Samuel/Kings & Chronicles which I have intentionally avoided here. They are indeed well documented as are the parallels in the Gospels.

Its nice to know you are still looking in here.

 

Again while looking at an upcoming Sunday School lesson, I noticed the correspondence between Joshua 17:3 & Numbers 27:1 (KJV) --

3 But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters: and these are the names of his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirza.

1 Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph: and these are the names of his daughters; Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.

 

More from my SS studies: Joshua 21:12 & 1 Chronicles 6:56 (KJV) --

12 But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession.
56 But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

And Joshua 15:17 & Judges 1:13 (KJV) --

17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
13 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.

It seems that according to one biblical genealogy Othniel might be the son of Caleb's grandson Kenaz (in other terms, Othniel was Caleb's great-grandson); which would make him seem unlikely at an age to marry Caleb's daughter. Unless of course, there were other family members with the same names which are not recorded for us. Perhaps this Kenaz was an uncle (there are several Kenaz mentioned in the Bible genealogies). The Hebrew word translated "brother" can broadly mean any literal relative, half-brother, or even a figurative kinship. There is an adjective in Judges 1:13 that further describes the relationship as Othniel is smaller, lesser, or younger than Caleb in some manner. What do you think would be the best rendering for above?

1 Chronicles 4:13 And the sons of Kenaz; Othniel, and Seraiah: and the sons of Othniel; Hathath.

1 Chronicles 4:15 And the sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh; Iru, Elah, and Naam: and the sons of Elah, even Kenaz.

 

Additional (see above post) parallelism concerning Caleb and Othniel from Joshua 15:15-19 & Judges 1:11-15 (KJV) --

15 And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir:
and the name of Debir before [was] Kirjathsepher.
16 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher,
and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it:
and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
18 And it came to pass, as she came [unto him],
that she moved him to ask of her father a field:
and she lighted off [her] ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou?
19 Who answered, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land;
give me also springs of water. And he gave her
the upper springs, and the nether springs.

11 And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir:
and the name of Debir before [was] Kirjathsepher:
12 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher,
and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
13 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it:
and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
14 And it came to pass, when she came [to him],
that she moved him to ask of her father a field:
and she lighted from off [her] ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wilt thou?
15 And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south land;
give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her
the upper springs and the nether springs.

There seems to be one justifiable difference between 15:15 and 1:11. The difference in English of "Caleb's younger brother" versus "the brother of Caleb" is also supported by the Hebrew between 15:17 and 1:13. Concerning the verses 15:19 and 1:15, the name "Caleb" is lacking in the Hebrew text of Joshua while present in Judges.

However, at 15:18 and 1:14 the Hebrew seems to be exactly the same for the phrase "when she came [to him]" or "as she came [unto him]" (the brackets [] here surround the inserted words by the translators which are also often indicated by italics in print). Additionally, the phrase "she lighted off [her] ass" and "she lighted from off [her] ass" seem to be exactly the same in Hebrew. Finally, the question "What wilt thou" or "What wouldest thou?" also seem to be exactly the same in the original language. Although not substantially different in English meaning, why render all these phrases differently in the two parallel passages? Darby (for example) is more much consistent with this Hebrew into the English between the two passages --

18 And it came to pass as she came, that she urged him to ask of her father a field;
and she sprang down from the ass. And Caleb said to her, What wouldest thou?

14 And it came to pass as she came, that she urged him to ask of her father the field;
and she sprang down from the ass. And Caleb said to her, What wouldest thou?

 

Notice the similarity among three different writers (KJV) --

Deuteronomy 7:9
Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he [is] God, the faithful God,
which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him
and keep his commandments
to a thousand generations;

Nehemiah 1:5
And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God,
that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him
and observe his commandments:

Daniel 9:4
And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession,
and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God,
keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him,
and to them that keep his commandments;

 

Psalm 59:6 & 59:14 are nearly identical (KJV)--

6 They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.

14 And at evening let them return; [and] let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.

 

Repeating phrase in Psalm 29:3-9 (KJV)--

3 The voice of the LORD [is] upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD [is] upon many waters. 4 The voice of the LORD [is] powerful;
the voice of the LORD [is] full of majesty.
5 The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.
7 The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire.
8 The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests:
and in his temple doth every one speak of [his] glory.

 

Repeated phrase in Pauline letters (KJV) --

2 Corinthians 7:15
And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.

Ephesians 6:5
Servants, be obedient to them that are [your] masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

Philippians 2:12
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Similar wording is found in the OT as well: see Job 4:14, Psalm 2:11, and Jeremiah 30:5.

 

Nearly identical wording in English (but exactly the same in Hebrew?) of 1 Chronicles 16:24 & Psalm 96:3 (KJV)--

24 Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations.
3 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.

From Darby --
24 Declare his glory among the nations, His wondrous works among all peoples.
3 Declare his glory among the nations, his wondrous works among all the peoples.