Ben C Smith

I am trying to compile a list of passages that are nearly identical to one another throughout the Bible. I am not talking about mere parallels (such as the signs of Revelation seeming to mirror the Exodus plagues) or actual quotations (such as the apostle Paul quoting dominical words similar to those found in the gospels), but rather passages which, unannounced, suddenly follow other passages (in other books) in a way that can best be arranged synoptically.

Here is my list so far:

Micah 4.1-5 = Isaiah 2.2-5.
2 Kings 18.13-20.19 = Isaiah 36.1-39.8.
2 Chronicles 36.22-23 = Ezra 1.1-3a.
Nehemiah 7.6-8.1a = Ezra 2.1-3.1.

Chronicles uses Samuel and Kings.
Synoptic gospels (the synoptic problem).

(I have separated these last two out because of their extensive nature, covering the better part of entire books.)

Are there others? Thanks in advance.

Ben.

Clivedurdle

Isn't there an entire duplicate chapter in numbers or something?

teamonger

2 Peter contains most of Jude word for word, with perhaps changes of tense.
t

S.C.Carlson

It depends on the whole JEPD thing, but there are interesting doublets in the Pentateuch.

It depends also on how you define the Bible. Parts of the Book of Mormon correspond to extensive portions of the KJV.

Stephen

patcleaver

Micah 3.12 & Jer 26.18
Ezra 1.1 & 2 Chronicles 35
2 Kings & Jeremiah

spin

I don't believe Chronicles uses Kings. They contain different editions of the same source, a source that I think Josephus had access to.

(You'll find lots of repetition in the psalms. Even one whole short psalm is repeated, Pss 14 & 53. Ps 70 = Ps 40:13-17.)


spin

Ben C Smith

I was not going quite that far.

Ben.

ETA: But the OT apocryphal books are certainly not off limits.

Ben C Smith

Not sure. Is there?

I have often been tempted to do a synopsis of these two; but I am not certain at the moment exactly how close they are. I mean, I think one of them used the other as a source, but I am not sure (yet) that a synopsis would necessarily be the best way to present them. But thanks for the suggestion, and I will take a closer look.

This is a straight quote (which I already have in another list of mine; but thanks).

I think you mean 2 Chronicles 36; this was one of the pairs I listed in the OP.

Ah, I do remember this now. Thank you. I get 2 Kings 25.1-12 = Jeremiah 39.1-10 and 2 Kings 24.18-25.30 = Jeremiah 52.1-34. Are there others that I am missing between these books?

Cheers.

Ben.

ETA: The sections I noted above respecting 2 Kings and Jeremiah are not nuanced enough; 2 Kings 25.22-25 = Jeremiah 39.14; 40.7-9; 41.1-3; 2 Kings 24.18-25.21 = Jeremiah 52.1-27; 2 Kings 25.27-30 = Jeremiah 52.31-34. Corrections welcome.

Ben C Smith

Interesting. Is this discussed somewhere?

Do you think this lost source was perhaps one of the lost sources mentioned in Kings and Chronicles (such as the book of the kings of Israel and Judah)?

Excellent. I also recall, now that you mention it, that Psalms 135 and 136 are very similar in some sections (with the difference being that the latter has a refrain, his lovingkindness is everlasting).

So my list now looks like this:

Micah 4.1-5 = Isaiah 2.2-5.
2 Kings 18.13-20.19 = Isaiah 36.1-39.8.
2 Chronicles 36.22-23 = Ezra 1.1-3a.
Nehemiah 7.6-8.1a = Ezra 2.1-3.1.
2 Kings 25.22-25 = Jeremiah 39.14; 40.7-9; 41.1-3; 2 Kings 24.18-25.21 = Jeremiah 52.1-27; 2 Kings 25.27-30 = Jeremiah 52.31-34.
Psalm 14.1-7 = Psalm 53.1-6.
Psalm 135.8-12 = Psalm 136.10-22.
Psalm 40.13-17 = Psalm 70.1-5.

Chronicles either uses or shares a source with Samuel and Kings.
Synoptic gospels (the synoptic problem).
2 Peter and Jude?

Thanks, everybody. This really helps.

Ben.

lars_egarots

Just out of curiosity, what will you use the list for?