The concept of "overlapping" in biblical studies often pertains to the interpretation of prophetic timelines, genealogies, and thematic elements within Scripture. While the term "overlapping" itself is not explicitly used in the Bible, the idea can be applied to various aspects of biblical narrative and prophecy.

Prophetic Timelines

One of the most significant areas where overlapping is considered is in the interpretation of prophetic timelines. The Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation contain visions and prophecies that have been subject to various interpretations regarding their fulfillment. For instance, the seventy weeks prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27 is often analyzed for its overlapping periods of time, where different scholars propose various starting and ending points for these weeks, leading to different understandings of the prophecy's fulfillment.

Genealogies

Overlapping is also relevant in the study of biblical genealogies. The genealogies in Genesis 5 and 11, for example, present a sequence of generations from Adam to Noah and from Noah to Abraham. Some scholars suggest that these genealogies may overlap with other historical records or that they may not be strictly sequential, allowing for gaps or overlaps that accommodate longer historical periods. This perspective can help reconcile biblical chronologies with archaeological and historical data.

Thematic Overlaps

Thematic overlapping occurs when biblical themes or motifs appear in multiple books or sections of the Bible, creating a tapestry of interconnected ideas. For example, the theme of covenant is a central motif that overlaps throughout the Old and New Testaments. The Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and New Covenants each build upon and overlap with one another, revealing a progressive unfolding of God's redemptive plan. In Genesis 12:1-3, God’s promise to Abraham overlaps with the blessings promised to all nations, a theme reiterated in the New Testament in Galatians 3:8, where Paul writes, "The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: 'All nations will be blessed through you.'"

Historical Overlaps

Historical overlapping is evident when biblical events coincide with or are corroborated by external historical records. The reigns of kings in Israel and Judah, for example, often overlap with the reigns of foreign rulers, as seen in the synchronisms between the biblical accounts and Assyrian or Babylonian records. This overlap can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the historical context of biblical events.

Literary Overlaps

In biblical literature, overlapping can also refer to the use of parallelism and repetition within the text. The Psalms, for instance, frequently employ synonymous parallelism, where the second line of a verse overlaps in meaning with the first, enhancing the poetic and theological depth. Psalm 19:1-2 illustrates this: "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge."

Conclusion

The concept of overlapping in biblical interpretation provides a framework for understanding the complex interconnections within Scripture. Whether examining prophetic timelines, genealogies, thematic elements, historical contexts, or literary structures, recognizing overlaps can enrich one's study of the Bible and offer deeper insights into its divine message.5629. serach -- excess
... Word Origin from sarach Definition excess NASB Word Usage overlapping part (1).
remnant. From carach; a redundancy -- remnant. see HEBREW carach. 5628, 5629. ...
/hebrew/5629.htm - 6k

Chapter xlvii
... different or liked particularly a different sequence of clauses as found in the
Septuagint (5a, 6b, 5b, 6 a) and so they claim that "the overlapping of J and P ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xlvii.htm

Interdenominational Readjustment
... The difficulty is that with the overlapping of interdenominational jurisdictions
it is impossible for any group to lead in progress outside of the local ...
/.../chapter viii interdenominational readjustment.htm

The Basis of Union of the United Church of Canada.
... ground for union was given by the waste of means and men in the attempt of the
denominations separately to reach the people and to prevent overlapping in the ...
/.../the creeds of the evangelical protestant churches/the basis of union of.htm

Hazael
... At any rate, there are in all of us the strange oppositions, the darkness and the
light overlapping each other, the evil and the good ever contending, like ...
//christianbookshelf.org/milligan/men of the bible some lesser-known/hazael.htm

Introduction
... designed to be complete in itself, and therefore now that they are put together
in one pamphlet, there cannot but be a good deal of overlapping, and certain ...
//christianbookshelf.org/hession/the calvary road/introduction.htm

The Journey of the Three Holy Kings to Bethlehem
... tents were made of the white woolen stuff woven by the wild people I had seen, but
they were covered over with pieces of brownish stuff overlapping each other ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/xiii the journey of the.htm

The Conquest of Babylon.
... To make the security complete in this respect, the upper surface of this brick flooring
was covered with sheets of lead, overlapping each other in such a ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/cyrus the great/chapter viii the conquest of.htm

A Young Man's Wise Choice Op Wisdom
... He gives more than was asked, and so teaches us to be ashamed of the smallness of
our expectations, and widens our desires by His overlapping bestowments. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/a young mans wise choice.htm

The Wide Range of God's Grace
... of each other's action in regulating our own; and that we should not have the scandal,
which we too often have allowed to exist, of overlapping one another in ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/the wide range of gods.htm

The Love that Calls us Sons
... And if you hold the world close to mind and heart, as many of you do, you will only
see, round the rim of it, the least tiny ring of the overlapping love of God ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/the love that calls us.htm

Overlapping (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Overlapping (1 Occurrence). Exodus 26:12 And
as for the overhanging part that remaineth of the curtains ...
/o/overlapping.htm - 6k

Overlay (15 Occurrences)

/o/overlay.htm - 11k

Overlaid (50 Occurrences)

/o/overlaid.htm - 21k

Lap (12 Occurrences)
... 6. (n.) The state or condition of being in part extended over or by the side of
something else; or the extent of the overlapping; as, the second boat got a lap ...
/l/lap.htm - 15k

Defilement (12 Occurrences)
... 1. Defilement in the Old Testament: Defilement in the Old Testament was physical,
sexual, ethical, ceremonial, religious, the last four, especially, overlapping...
/d/defilement.htm - 21k

Defile (63 Occurrences)
... 1. Defilement in the Old Testament: Defilement in the Old Testament was physical,
sexual, ethical, ceremonial, religious, the last four, especially, overlapping...
/d/defile.htm - 38k

Dress (38 Occurrences)
... It was confined to the waist by a girdle, and the fold formed by the overlapping
of the robe served as a pocket (2 Kings 4:39; Psalm 79:12; Haggai 2:12 ...
/d/dress.htm - 53k

Mail (11 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Mail, Coat of. "a corselet of scales," a cuirass formed
of pieces of metal overlapping each other, like fish-scales (1 Samuel 17:5 ...
/m/mail.htm - 11k

Brigandine (1 Occurrence)
... (n.) A coast of armor for the body, consisting of scales or plates, sometimes
overlapping each other, generally of metal, and sewed to linen or other material. ...
/b/brigandine.htm - 7k

Cleanse (75 Occurrences)
... often (American Revised Version) instead of "purge," "purify" (the King James Version),
renders nearly the same roots, and has the same overlapping phases, as ...
/c/cleanse.htm - 36k

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