.

Chiasm was used as a literary device in the ancient world, in Babylonia, Israel, Greece, and Rome. It fell out of use, however, and in modern times the existence of chiasms in ancient literature was only recognized by a few scholars in the 18th and 19th centuries. This changed in the middle of the twentieth century, when Nils Wilhelm Lund wrote Chiasmus in the New Testament. “Since these seminal studies the study of New Testament chiasm has blossomed, until today recognition of chiastic structure is common in full-scale commentaries and other scholarly works. The study of Old Testament chiasms has likewise begun to come of age.”

From here.

.

London’s Natural History Museum

Pic by Fabricio Pretti.   Here.

Pic is from here.  Have a look at Josh’s other work!

I like this chiasmus.

In spite of its apparent harshness (Miriam receives a skin disease), this story seems to display a lot of compassion.

-  Miriam’s disease lasts a short time - 7 days.  Miriam is healed. 

-  Even though Miriam and Aaron, in a sense, rebel against Moses’ authourity (as well as his marriage, v. 1), Moses doesn’t get angry.  I suppose that’s in keeping with his humble nature (v. 2).  …  In fact, Moses, at the end, is quite willing to pray for Miriam, in spite of her earlier actions (v. 13).  Moses does seem humble and forgiving.

-  Israel waits 7 days for Miriam (v. 15-16) and then ‘receives’ her. 

- Overall, a chiastic understanding of the text displays compassion.  In the beginning, Aaron and Miriam seem to be motivated by a ‘dislike’ for Moses’ ’outsider’ wife – a Cushite (A).  And at the end of the story, Miriam is made an ‘outsider’ as well by being put outside the camp with leprosy (A’).  There’s a balance here.  Both are women.  Both experience being ‘outsiders’.  Miriam is made to feel a bit of Moses’ wife’s ‘outsider’ pain.  Overall then, the writer creates room for compassion in Miriam and the reader re. the outsider, or foreigner.  …  Compassion IS the point. 

A nice chiasmus I think.

_____

A   

1    12:1  Then   (a)   Miriam and   (b)   Aaron spoke against   (c)   Moses because of the   (a)   Cushite woman whom he had   (b)   married (for he had   (b’)   married a   (a’)   Cushite woman);  2  and they said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well?” And the LORD heard it. 

2    3  (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.)

B    4  And suddenly the LORD said to   (c’)   Moses

C    and   (b’)   Aaron

D    and to   (a’)   Miriam,

E    “You three come out to the tent of meeting.” So the three of them came out.

F    5  Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud

G    and stood at the doorway of the tent,

H    and He called Aaron and Miriam. 

I    When they had both come forward, 6  He said, “Hear now My words:  If there is a prophet among you,

J    I, the LORD, shall make Myself known to him in a vision.

K    I shall speak with him in a dream.

L    7  “Not so, with My servant Moses: he is faithful in all My household.

K’   8  With him I speak mouth to mouth, even openly, and not in dark sayings,

J’   And he beholds the form of the LORD.

I’   Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses?“

H’   9  So the anger of the LORD burned against them

G’   and He departed. 

F’   10  But when the cloud had withdrawn

E’   from over the tent,

D’   behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow.

C’   As Aaron turned toward Miriam, behold, she was leprous.

B’   11  Then Aaron said to Moses,

A’  

1    “Oh, my lord, I beg you, do not account this sin to us, in which we have acted foolishly and in which we have sinned.  12  “Oh, do not let her be like one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes from his mother’s womb!” 

2    13  And Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, “O God, heal her, I pray!“ 

Final Result/Punishment:    14  But the LORD said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not bear her shame for seven days? Let her be shut up for seven days outside the camp, and afterward she may be received again.”  15  So Miriam was shut up outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until Miriam was received again.  16  Afterward, however, the people moved out from Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.

.

From Perry Hall’s website PerryDox – here. 

I’ve added a little before and after the text.  I wonder if these should be viewed as part of the chiasmus – making the chiasmus larger?  Note the use of ‘enter‘ and ‘many‘ in both. 

The center could also be changed.  If you focus on the “fruit” rather than the “trees” you could display the center as follows:

C   17  “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit;

D    but the bad tree bears bad fruit.

D’   18  “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit,

C’   nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.

This may be an improvement since you would then have the beginning and end (A/A’) matching the center (D/D’).  Both the beginning/end and the center would be referring to ‘fruit’.  This would then bring the chiasmus in line with a common chiastic principle, or tendency – matching the center with the end.

_____

13  “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it.  14  “For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.  15  “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

A    16  “You will know them by their fruits.

B    Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they?

C   17  “Even so, every good tree bears   (a)   good fruit; but the bad tree bears   (b)   bad fruit.

C’   18  “A good tree cannot produce   (b’)   bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce   (a’)   good fruit.

B’   19  “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

A’   20  “So then, you will know them by their fruits.

21  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.  22  “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’  23  “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

.

Here I’m going back to the ‘same well’ as the post before.  From here.  (To be fair I’ll try to resist his paper from here on in.  .  It has many more chiasmi you may be interested in.)

_____

A    1  Now I say, as long as the   (a)   heir is a   (b)   child, he does not differ at all from a   (c)   slave although he is owner of everything,

B    2  but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father.  3  So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world.

C    4  But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman,

D    born under the Law,

D’   5  in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

C’   6  And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son

B’   into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!“

A’   7  Therefore you are no longer a   (c’)   slave, but a   (b’)   son; and if a son, then an   (a’)   heir through God.

.

From John W. Welch’s article, “Chiasmus in the New Testament”:  here.  Though I’ve changed it a bit.

_____

A    3  We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

B    4  since we heard

C    of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints;  5  because of the hope laid up for you in heaven,

 D     of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel,  6  which has come to you,

E    just as   [kathos kai]   in all the world also

F    it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing,

E’   even as it has been   [kathos kai]   doing in you also

D’   since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth; 

C’   7  just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf  8  and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit.

B’   9  For this reason also, since the day we heard of it,

A’   we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

.

A    [Me:  The Christian Walk (Steadfast):]    9  For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,  10  so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;  11  strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously  12  giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

B    [Me:  Salvation Accomplished:]    13  For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,  /  14  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

[Me:  C to C' - Jesus exalted:]

C    15  And He is the image of the invisible God,

D    the first-born of all creation.

E    16  For by Him all things were created,

F    both in the heavens and on earth,

G    visible and invisible,

F’   whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities –

E’   –  all things have been created by Him and for Him.

D’   17  And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.  18  He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything.   

C’   19  For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fulness to dwell in Him,

B’   [Me:  Salvation Accomplished:]    20  and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.  21  And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,  22  yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death,  /  in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach –

A’   [Me:  The Christian Walk (Steadfast):]    — 23  if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

.

Here’s a rather nice chiasmus from Acts 2 in which Peter preaches Jesus’s resurrection at Pentecost.  It’s from Kenneth E. Bailey‘s book, “Poet and Peasant“.  I have made one change.  I’ve changed his I/I’ into an I, J / J’, I’. 

This chiasmus immediately follows another chiasmus, outlining Pentecost, which can be found here.

Update:  Bailey’s chiasmus can be found on-line here.  Note that he thinks the chiasmus can be divided into 2 smaller chiasmi!

_____

.

14  But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them:

…

A    22  “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know–

B    23  this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.

C    [Me:  Jesus glorified and vindicated:]  24  “And God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.

D    [Me:  OT quote from David:]   25  “For David says of Him, ‘I WAS ALWAYS BEHOLDING THE LORD IN MY PRESENCE; FOR HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, THAT I MAY NOT BE SHAKEN.  26  ‘THEREFORE MY HEART WAS GLAD AND MY TONGUE EXULTED; MOREOVER MY FLESH ALSO WILL ABIDE IN HOPE;  27  BECAUSE THOU WILT NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES, NOR ALLOW THY HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY.  28  ‘THOU HAST MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE; THOU WILT MAKE ME FULL OF GLADNESS WITH THY PRESENCE.’  29  “Brethren, I may confidently say to you

E    regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

F    30  “And so, because he was a prophet,

G    and knew that GOD HAD SWORN TO HIM WITH AN OATH

H    TO SEAT one OF HIS DESCENDANTS UPON HIS THRONE,

I    31  he looked ahead and spoke

J    of the resurrection

K    of the Christ,

L    that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES,

L’   NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY.

K’   32  “This Jesus

J’   God raised up again,

I’   to which we are all witnesses.

H’   33  “Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God,

G’   and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit,

F’   He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.

E’   34  “For it was not  /  David  /  who ascended into heaven,

D’   [Me:  OT quote from David:]   but he himself says: ‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,  35  UNTIL I MAKE THINE ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR THY FEET.”‘  36  “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain

C’   that God has made Him both Lord and Christ–

B’   this Jesus whom you crucified.”

A’   37  Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart,

.

Nice Center!

_____

1  The word which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.  2  Now it will come about that In the last days, The mountain of the house of the LORD Will be established as the chief of the mountains, And will be raised above the hills;  And all the nations will stream to it.  3  And many peoples will come and say,

A     “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,

B    to the house of the God of Jacob;

C    that He may teach us concerning His ways, And that we may walk in His paths.”  For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 

D    4  And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples;

E    And they will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks.

D’   Nation will not lift up sword against nation,

C’   And never again will they learn war.

B’   5  House of Jacob,

A’   come, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.

.

Here’s an interesting Psalm.  The center is a chiasmus which lays out the pros and cons (blessings and punishments) of a covenant God made with David.  Both the beginning and end (A/A’) and the center (F/F’) of the chiasmus present strong contrasts – the good and the bad.  As well, the beginning (A:  vss. 1-26) and end (A’:  40-51) of the overall Psalm additionally present similar contrasts – the good vs. the bad.  There’s some strong contrasts here which are meant to be seen by the reader.  Here’s a brief overview of the Psalm:

.

A:  The Good: God’s promise of blessing on David and his descendants (vss.  1-26)

B:  The Central Chiasmus (vss. 27-39):

A:  Good

…

F:  Bad

F’:  Good

…

A’:  Bad

A’:  The Bad:  ‘David’ in trouble (vss. 40-51).

…

Interestingly, the entire Psalm is surrounded (included) with praise!

.

____

1  A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite:      

A    I will sing of the lovingkindness of the LORD forever; To all generations I will make known Thy faithfulness with my mouth.  2  For I have said, “Lovingkindness will be built up forever; In the heavens Thou wilt establish Thy faithfulness.” 

3  “I have made a covenant with My chosen; I have sworn to David My servant,  4  I will establish your seed forever, And build up your throne to all generations.” Selah.  5  And the heavens will praise Thy wonders, O LORD; Thy faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.  6  For who in the skies is comparable to the LORD? Who among the sons of the mighty is like the LORD,  7  A God greatly feared in the council of the holy ones, And awesome above all those who are around Him?  8  O LORD God of hosts, who is like Thee, O mighty LORD? Thy faithfulness also surrounds Thee.  9  Thou dost rule the swelling of the sea; When its waves rise, Thou dost still them.  10  Thou Thyself didst crush Rahab like one who is slain; Thou didst scatter Thine enemies with Thy mighty arm.  11  The heavens are Thine, the earth also is Thine; The world and all it contains, Thou hast founded them.  12  The north and the south, Thou hast created them; Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at Thy name.  13  Thou hast a strong arm; Thy hand is mighty, Thy right hand is exalted.  14  Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Thy throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before Thee.  15  How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! O LORD, they walk in the light of Thy countenance.  16  In Thy name they rejoice all the day, And by Thy righteousness they are exalted.  17  For Thou art the glory of their strength, And by Thy favor our horn is exalted.  18  For our shield belongs to the LORD, And our king to the Holy One of Israel.  19  Once Thou didst speak in vision to Thy godly ones, And didst say, “I have given help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people.  20  “I have found David My servant; With My holy oil I have anointed him,  21  With whom My hand will be established; My arm also will strengthen him.  22  “The enemy will not deceive him, Nor the son of wickedness afflict him.  23  “But I shall crush his adversaries before him, And strike those who hate him.  24  “And My faithfulness and My lovingkindness will be with him, And in My name his horn will be exalted.  25  “I shall also set his hand on the sea, And his right hand on the rivers.  26  “He will cry to Me, ‘Thou art my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.’ 

B

A    27  “I also shall make him  [Me:  David]  My first-born, The highest of the kings of the earth.

B    28  “My lovingkindness I will keep for him forever, And My covenant shall be confirmed to him.

C    29  “So I will establish his descendants forever, And his throne  / as the days of heaven.

D    30  “If his sons forsake My law, And do not walk in My judgments,

E    31  If they violate / My statutes, And do not keep My commandments,

F    32  Then I will visit their transgression with the rod, And their iniquity with stripes.

F’   33  “But I will not break off My lovingkindness from him, Nor deal falsely in My faithfulness.

E’   34  “My covenant / I will not violate, Nor will I alter the utterance of My lips.

D’   35  “Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David.

C   36  “His descendants / shall endure forever, And his throne / as the sun before Me.

B’   37  “It shall be established forever like the moon, And the witness in the sky is faithful.”  Selah.

A’    (1)   38  But Thou hast cast off and rejected,   (2)   Thou hast been full of wrath against Thine anointed.   (1′)   39  Thou hast spurned the covenant of Thy servant;   (2′)   Thou hast profaned his crown in the dust. 

A’   40  Thou hast broken down all his walls; Thou hast brought his strongholds to ruin.  41  All who pass along the way plunder him; He has become a reproach to his neighbors.  42  Thou hast exalted the right hand of his adversaries; Thou hast made all his enemies rejoice.  43  Thou dost also turn back the edge of his sword, And hast not made him stand in battle.  44  Thou hast made his splendor to cease, And cast his throne to the ground.  45  Thou hast shortened the days of his youth; Thou hast covered him with shame. Selah.  46  How long, O LORD? Wilt Thou hide Thyself forever? Will Thy wrath burn like fire?  47  Remember what my span of life is; For what vanity Thou hast created all the sons of men!  48  What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah.  49  Where are Thy former lovingkindnesses, O Lord, Which Thou didst swear to David in Thy faithfulness?  50  Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Thy servants; How I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples,  51  With which Thine enemies have reproached, O LORD, With which they have reproached the footsteps of Thine anointed. 

52  Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.

_____

.

This is one of those chiasmi which I would like to revisit in the future.  It’s possible I’m missing something here.  E.g., perhaps the central chiasmus should be extended.  …  Hmmm.