Hebrew word doubling

"Verily, verily" in King James Version is translated from the Hebrew: amen, amen. It is an ancient way of making emphasis by doubling the word.

1. Abraham, Abraham (Genesis 22:11)
2. Jacob, Jacob (Genesis 46:2)
3. Moses, Moses (Exodus 3:4)
4. Samuel, Samuel (1 Samuel 3:10)
5. Lord, Lord (Matthew 7:21-22)
6. Jerusalem, Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37)
7. My God, My God; in Greek, ἠλὶ, ἠλὶ (Mark 15:34)
8. Martha, Martha (Luke 10:41)
9. Simon, Simon (Luke 22:31)
10. Saul, Saul (Acts 9:4)
11. Song of Songs (Song 1:1)

The following is from Robert:

In Hebrew the doubling is used for emphasis. So when you see something like "gold gold", you might translate this as "pure gold" or "fine gold" to emphasize how extremely goldy it is. Of course translators then struggle in translating this idiom, which is why in translating "die die" you see "surely die", "certainly", "in dying you shall die" (which I believe is a poor translation as it elaborates a bit too much).

This doubling occurs over a hundred times in the old testament, and when it does most often translators try to understand what is being emphasized and then express that, as in the following:

• Gen 14.10: Now the Valley of Siddim [tar tar] pits. translated as "was full of tar pits"

• Gen 18.10: And they piled them in [heaps heaps], and the land stank. translated as "countless heaps"

• Numbers 14.7: “The land that we went through to explore is [very very] good. translated as "exceptionally good"

• Eccl 7.24: Whatever is—it is far [deep deep]. Who can discover it? translated as "beyond comprehension"

• 2 Chron 31.6 And they gave [heaps heaps]. translated as "heaps upon heaps"

At other times, the doubling is included verbatim as the english doubling also conveys an emphasis.

• Joel 4.14 Commotion, commotion in the valley of decision! For the day of Yahweh is near in the valley of decision!

• Prov 20.14 “Bad, bad,” the buyer will say, but when one goes to him, then he will boast.

• Eccl. 1.2 “Vanity of vanities!” says the Teacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity!”

• 2 Chron 23.13 And Athaliah tore her garments and cried, “Conspiracy! Conspiracy!”

Sometimes the doubling is translated as "every":

• 2 Chron 13.11 They offer burnt offerings to Yahweh [morning morning] and [evening evening] translated as "every morning" and "every evening".

And finally sometimes the translators don't know what is being emphasized so they ignore the doubling:

Lam 1.16: For these things, I am weeping, my [eyes eyes] flow with tears translated as a single "eyes".