Hendiadys, which is a Greek expression, is a rhetorical device in which a complex idea is expressed by two substantives joined by a conjunction instead of by a substantive qualified by an adjective (The Free Dictionary).

In The Scriptures we can find the hendiadys in a few places. The first appearance is in Genesis 23:4, when Abraham wants to bury his wife, Sarah, that died in the beginning of the chapter, and then he said to The Hittites this lovely words: 

“גֵּר-וְתוֹשָׁב אָנֹכִי, עִמָּכֶם; תְּנוּ לִי אֲחֻזַּת-קֶבֶר עִמָּכֶם, וְאֶקְבְּרָה מֵתִי מִלְּפָנָי”

“I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”

Another example we can find in 2 Kings 16:7 – the king Ahaz send a n emissaries to the Assyrian king, and in order to flatter him he said:

“וַיִּשְׁלַח אָחָז מַלְאָכִים, אֶל-תִּגְלַת פְּלֶסֶר מֶלֶךְ-אַשּׁוּר לֵאמֹר, עַבְדְּךָ וּבִנְךָ, אָנִי….”

“So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son”

In Exodus 2:14 when Moses killed the Egyptian, the Hebrew man said to him:

“וַיֹּאמֶר מִי שָׂמְךָ לְאִישׁ שַׂר וְשֹׁפֵט, עָלֵינוּ–הַלְהָרְגֵנִי אַתָּה אֹמֵר, כַּאֲשֶׁר הָרַגְתָּ אֶת-הַמִּצְרִי; וַיִּירָא מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמַר, אָכֵן נוֹדַע הַדָּבָר”

“And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is know”

The last example is a dabble one from Deuteronomy 16:18-

“שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים, תִּתֶּן-לְךָ בְּכָל-שְׁעָרֶיךָ, אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ, לִשְׁבָטֶיךָ; וְשָׁפְטוּ אֶת-הָעָם, מִשְׁפַּט-צֶדֶק“

Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment

Isn’t it a beautiful thing the two that are one. May all the world be one!

Main phrases of the post + transcription + translation

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