User:RobertC/Outlines/Deuteronomy

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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:

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)