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For example in Artscroll Tanach,

Bamidbar 7:11

"HASHEM said to Moses, "One leader each day, one leader each day shall they bring their offering for the dedication of the altar"

Bamidbar 8:16

"For presented, presented are they to Me from among the Children of Israel:....."

mil
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    Have you checked the commentaries on those verses? – Ani Yodea Nov 18 '15 at 20:05
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    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repetition_(rhetorical_device) ooo cool word: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epizeuxis – Double AA Nov 18 '15 at 20:06
  • @AniYodea there is no commentaries about that matter – mil Nov 18 '15 at 20:08
  • @mil You checked all of them? I suspect not. Maybe [edit] to include which you did check, so no one else repeats your efforts. – Double AA Nov 18 '15 at 20:10
  • I think DoubleAA is hinting that there is no general rule. They tend to have individual interpretations per verse. If you mention just these 2 verses, I suspect, you'll get answers for just those two. – DanF Nov 18 '15 at 21:05
  • the book shomer emunim hakadmon says these variations in verses are often due to kabalistic ideas enclothed in the text. – ray Nov 18 '15 at 22:23
  • More specific: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/2329 – msh210 Nov 18 '15 at 22:52
  • @DoubleAA did you mean all the translations ? – mil Nov 19 '15 at 15:21
  • @mil I was sarcastically referring to all the commentaries on that verse, as you said you checked them all. That is absurd. Please [edit] to include which you did check, so no one else repeats your efforts. – Double AA Nov 19 '15 at 15:24

2 Answers2

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The doubling of words and expressions like this is a type of idiomatic expression in Hebrew. It usually means that something is applied to each item or individual of a listed series. In the case you are bringing, it is applied to the Princes of the tribes. By doubling this expression, it means that one Prince from the series will bring an offering for each of the days. The literal translation does not effectively convey the meaning of the Hebrew original.

The same idea can be seen in the details of the preparation of the incense recited in morning blessings and also found in Keritot 6a. It can also be found dealing with the bread offering for Shabbat in VaYikra 24:8.

There are places in Midrash and in Kabbalistic literature which use the doubling of certain phrases as a departure point for commentary. But the usual and most common usage is in the fashion described above.

Yaacov Deane
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  • Re your 1st par. see, I think Seforno commentary (don't recall exactly which one it was, but on Sefaria, on that verse, you'll find it) explains that Moshe had some doubt how the princes would bring offerings. I.e. - he thought that each day, all the other princes should join the designated leader for that day. Thus the repetition is needed to emphasize that only 1 prince designated for his day is the only one bringing the offering. – DanF Nov 19 '15 at 22:14
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Partial answer:

Rashi on Numbers 8:16:

נתנים נתנים. נתונים למשא נתונים לשיר

They are given for carrying the vessels of the Mishkan, and they are given (dedicated / reserved) for singing.

DanF
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