User:RobertC/Outlines/Deuteronomy
From Feast upon the Word (http://feastupontheword.org). Copyright, Feast upon the Word.
The Word Biblical Commentary does a lot of chiastic structural analysis of Deuteronomy. Oftentimes passages are part of several different structures. Here are some notes from my reading there:
Contents
Deut 7:12-16:17[edit]
One outline of these passages includes two menorah patterns.
Deut 7:12-11:25[edit]
A When you obey, you will be blessed above all the peoples (7:12–26) B Remember the lessons from the wanderings in the wilderness (8:1–20) C As you enter the land remember your past rebellion (9:1–29) X At that time YHWH spoke the Ten Words (10:1–7) C´ At that time the Levites were set apart and the people spared (10:8–11) B´ Love God and remember what he did for you in the wilderness (10:12–11:9) A´ The promised land—if you love God you will possess it (11:10–25)
Deut 11:26-16:17[edit]
A Covenant renewal in convocation at a central sanctuary (11:26–32) B Laws that ensure exclusive worship of YHWH no idolatry (12:1–13:19) X Laws on holiness in matters of daily life (14:1–21) B´ Periodic duties tithes, protection of poor, sacrifices (14:22–15:23) A´ Pilgrimage festivals to the central sanctuary (16:1–17)
Deut 10:12-11:9[edit]
A God requires that you love him by keeping his commandments (10:12–13) B God chose you and your children above all peoples (10:14–15) C Circumcise the foreskin of your hearts—love the sojourner (10:16–19) X Love YHWH your God by keeping his commandments (10:20–11:1) C´ Your children do not know what God did in the exodus (11:2–4) B´ Your eyes have seen what God did for you in the wilderness (11:5–7) A´ Keep the commandments that you may live long in the land (11:8–9)
Deut 11:10-11:25[edit]
Land chiasm[edit]
The nine occurrences of the word “(the) land,” in this passage are carefully arranged in a concentric structure:
A The land that you are entering is special (11:10) B It is not like the land of Egypt (11:10) C Such is the land you are going over to possess (11:11) D It is a land that drinks water by the rain from heaven (11:11) X It is a land that YHWH cares for (11:12) D´ YHWH will send rain for your land (11:14) C´ If you are unfaithful, you will be driven off the good land (11:17) B´ Keep these commandments before you so as to remain in the land (11:21) A´ YHWH will give you the whole land on which you shall tread (11:25)
Menorah pattern[edit]
In terms of the prosodic structure of the seven subunits in 11:10–25, the content may be outlined in a menorah pattern:
A The land you are entering is not like the land of Egypt 11:10 B YHWH is the one who takes care of the land you are entering (11:11–12) C If you obey these commandments God will bless you in the land (11:13–15) X Keep “these my words” before you and do not serve other gods (11:16–21) C´ Keep these commandments before you and remain in the land (11:20–21) B´ If you keep this commandment YHWH will drive the nations out (11:22–23) A´ All of the land on which your foot treads will be yours (11:24–25)
Deut 11:26-11:32[edit]
A I put before you a blessing and a curse (11:26–28) B YHWH will bring you to the land to possess it (11:29a) X Put the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal (11:29b–30) B´ You are about to cross over the Jordan to possess the land (11:31) A´ Be careful to observe the laws I put before you today (11:32)