INTRODUCTION TO THE HEBREW BIBLE

MODULE 5: SESSION 26: Repeated Words Between Distant Literary Units

In some instances the narrative comparison is prompted by an identical repetition in distant narratives. Through the use of key word repetitions, biblical authors lead us to compare and contrast characters in order to advance the narrative argument. Biblical authors often compare narratives and create patterns in subtle ways. To find a pattern, we have to watch for embedded key words and images that link stories together, like the repetition of “see and take” in Genesis 3 and Genesis 6.