Can You Repeat That?

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How do I know what is most important when I’m reading the Bible?

One tip I highly recommend is to look for God in the passage. What is God doing? What does this reading tell me about him? 

Another is a basic literary device: Repetition. That’s right, repetition.

Repetition is a literary device that is not reserved only for English Lit. novel studies. It is also employed by biblical authors to convey something that God wants to communicate to the reader.

Words, phrases, commands, and stories are repeated in the Bible for emphasis and impact.

Noah’s Ark

Take the story of Noah in Genesis, for example. We read this fantastical narrative about a righteous man entrusted by God to build a huge boat filled with animals with no sails or rudder to be steered by God himself—I guess—while the rest of the world drowns. How much is true? How do I get anything out of this? What’s the point of the story?Many scholars come to many different conclusions and interpretations of this text. So it’s hard to know where we should land. Yet all I see is this repeated phrase:

“And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him."

Genesis 6 and 7

Over and over, different settings, events, interactions, and activities, but always the repeat phrase that Noah did all that the Lord commanded him.

So what’s the point?

Well, even for passages like this one that may seem irrelevant or feel confusing, the only thing on repeat is that Noah obeyed God. So when we’re unsure of our next steps, we can think back on something the Lord has commanded us to do and we can obey. That it may be said of us, “They did all that the Lord commanded them.”

Say my name, say my name

Oh, what’s in a name? In a world without printing presses, highlighters, or even an abundance of parchment, repetition in Scripture is never accidental. Writing materials were a luxury item, and so the biblical authors used repetition as a deliberate literary device—an underlining in ink, a bolded phrase in a culture without bold font. When a name is spoken twice by God, we are meant to lean in. Across the entire Bible, this happens only seven times:

“Abraham, Abraham” in Genesis 22:11, as the angel of the Lord stops a trembling father mid-sacrifice.

“Jacob, Jacob” (Genesis 46:2), as God reassures him before the descent into Egypt.

“Moses, Moses” in Exodus 3:4, from the fire that burns but does not consume.

“Samuel, Samuel” in 1 Samuel 3:10, awakening a young prophet to the voice of God.

“Simon, Simon” in Luke 22:31, as Jesus tenderly warns Peter of the sifting to come.

“Saul, Saul” in Acts 9:4 (and retold in Acts 22 and 26), interrupting a persecutor with blinding grace.

And “Martha, Martha” in Luke 10:41, gently correcting an anxious heart distracted by many things.

Each double name marks a holy turning point—moments of testing, commissioning, warning, or invitation. The repetition carries urgency, intimacy, and affection all at once. It is as though heaven bends low and speaks not just to humanity at large, but to a particular soul. In Scripture, when God repeats your name, something significant is unfolding—and it is never merely information being delivered, but relationship being deepened.

Perhaps the most significant repetition comes from Jesus himself whilst hanging on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” If you ever thought God would get worn out by your repeated cries directed at heaven, think again. God never tires from hearing his children. 

Law 2.0 

The truth is as humans, we need things repeated! When I give instructions to my students or my children, I make sure to repeat the most important points because I know my words are easily forgotten and my instructions misinterpreted. If I know this, being the finite creature that I am, imagine how much more God knows about the human condition and our aptitude for forgetfulness.

This is why the fifth of five Pentateuch books in the Bible is called Deuteronomy, meaning the Second Law. It isn’t another law like the first, it’s simply the law given a second time. Repeated, for emphasis and significance. 

God was choosing a people to bless so they could be a blessing. A people to represent him well. This required accentuation. Deuteronomy is the law already given simply repeating the first. Just like parents repeating instructions to children, God repeats his instructions to the children of Israel. 

Can we hear that story again?

When my children were little, they loved to watch the same shows or movies on a loop. We had the Veggietales Christmas Special memorized and the Hamilton soundtrack burned in our brains. Stories bear repeating because they become a part of who you are on a deeper level than just something you know.

Repeated stories in the Bible are like that, too. What many don’t realize is that Books of Chronicles retell the entire historical and spiritual story of Israel. From Adam to Abraham, from Moses to Joshua, through the turbulence of the Judges and the rise and fall of Israel’s kings, the narrative is rehearsed once more. First and Second Chronicles begin with Adam and conclude with the decree allowing Israel’s return from exile—placing these books at the very end of the Hebrew Bible, just before the four hundred years of silence. Simply put, the story is repeated. The people are reminded. And so are we. Tell the family story—and then tell it again. Rehearse, again and again, what God has done.

The Life of Jesus x 4

If the retelling of Israel’s history feels redundant, just wait until you turn the page to the New Testament. The Scriptures do not offer merely one account of Jesus’ life—or even two. They give us four: the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Each bears a distinct voice, emphasis, and theological texture, together forming a rich, multifaceted portrait of the Messiah.

This is not redundancy; it is reverent insistence. The Spirit does not assume we will grasp the glory of Christ in a single telling. He slows us down. He circles back. He presses the story deeper. If repetition in Scripture signals importance, then fourfold testimony to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus tells us what stands at the blazing center of our faith. We are not merely invited to glance at Christ—we are invited to dwell, to linger, to be saturated in him.

Fear Not!

Lastly, there is a refrain woven through Scripture with such frequency that it meets us, quite literally, every day of the year. The command “Do not fear” appears 365 times—one for each sunrise. This is no coincidence. The God who fashioned our frailty knows how easily our hearts tilt toward anxiety. So he does not whisper the command once at conversion, nor reserve it for sacred seasons. He repeats it—steadily, tenderly, persistently.

From Genesis to Revelation, the call resounds because fear resurfaces daily. And so must faith. Not merely for crises or mountaintop moments, but for the ordinary Tuesdays and the quiet midnights of the soul. “Do not fear.” The repetition is not exasperation; it is mercy. Our Father knows we will need to hear it again tomorrow. And the next day. And the next. Do not fear. Do not fear. Can you repeat that?

What’s in the Ears

This is the part where I share a song or podcast I’m currently into. As per the request of my children, the song I’m recommending is titled, Alleluia by Chandler Moore, Chris Brown, and Elevation Worship. Let me know if you check it out!

If this stirred something in you, share this post with a friend or drop a comment below. I’d love to hear what small step you’re taking towards the flourishing life today! And don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a thing.