Merism

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A merism is a figure of speech in which a single word or concept is represented by two or more aspects of it — often contrasting aspects, thus conveying a broader view at the expense of possible misunderstanding if it is taken too literally. Some examples of merisms in the Bible are:

Merisms in the Bible
Phrase Reference Suggested meaning Comment
the heavens and the earth Genesis 1:1 everything, all of creation Compare Jeremiah 33:25
evening and morning Genesis 1:5 a whole day
(knowledge of) good and evil Genesis 2:16-17 guilt? experience of life? See this note to the JPS Tanakh translation.
when I sit down and when I rise up Psalm 139:1-2 everything I do
a time to be born, and a time to die etc. Ecclesiastes 3:2-8 all of life fourteen poetical merisms
I am the first, I also am the last.
Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth,
and my right hand hath spanned the heavens
Isaiah 48:12-13 Yahweh, Creator of all Compare Isaiah 41:4 and Isaiah 44:6
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last,
the beginning and the end.
Revelation 22:13 Jesus Christ, Lord of all creation Compare Isaiah references above.
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