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Literary structure (chiasm, chiasmus) of Book of Genesis

Correspondence table of Pericopes and Literary Structure


The text can be divided in 81 (9 x 9) pericopes. This text includes, one 40 paired (81 pericopes) whole concentric structure, divided in two 20 paired concentric structures, divided in three 13 paired concentric structures, divided in four 10 paired concentric structures, divided in five 8 paired concentric structures, divided in nine 4 paired concentric structures.
The themes of each structure are:
Whole : The promised land.
Divided in two: The covenant is the basis of the promised land.
Divided in three: The salvation of persecuted Normadic people.
Divided in four: The ordeal and the covenant.
Divided in five: the prosperity of descendants.
Divided in nine: divided by change of each small theme.

Pericope123459
1 Six Days of Creation and the Sabbath (1:1-2:4a) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
2 The Garden of Eden (2:4b-17) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
3 Creation of Woman (2:18-25) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
4 The First Sin and Its Punishment (3:1-24) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
5 Cain Murders Abel (4:1-26) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
6 Adam's Descendants to Noah and His Sons (5:1-32) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
7 The Great Flood (6:1-8:22) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
8 The Covenant with Noah (9:1-17) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
9 Noah and His Sons (9:18-29) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
10 Nations Descended from Noah (10:1-32) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
11 The Tower of Babel (11:1-9) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
12 Descendants of Shem (11:10-26) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
13 Descendants of Terah (11:27-32) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
14 The Call of Abram (12:1-9) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
15 Abram and Sarai in Egypt (12:10-20) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
16 Abram and Lot Separate (13:1-18) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
17 Lot's Captivity (14:1-12) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 5-2 9-2
18 Abram and Melchizedek (14:13-24) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-2 9-2
19 God's Covenant with Abram (15:1-21) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-2 9-3
20 The Birth of Ishmael (16:1-16) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-2 9-3
21 The Sign of the Covenant (17:1-27) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
22 A Son Promised to Abraham and Sarah (18:1-15) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
23 Judgment Pronounced on Sodom (18:16-33) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
24 The Depravity of Sodom (19:1-11) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
25 Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed (19:12-29) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
26 The Shameful Origin of Moab and Ammon (19:30-38) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
27 Abraham and Sarah at Gerar (20:1-18) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
28 The Birth of Isaac (21:1-8) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-2 9-4
29 Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away (21:9-21) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-2 9-4
30 The Covenant of Abram and Abimelech (21:22-34) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-2 9-4
31 The Command to Sacrifice Isaac (22:1-19) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-2 9-4
32 The Children of Nahor (22:20-24) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-2 9-4
33 Sarah's Death and Burial (23:1-20) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-2 5-3 9-4
34 The Marriage of Isaac and Rebekah (24:1-67) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-4
35 Abraham Marries Keturah (25:1-6) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-4
36 The Death of Abraham (25:7-11) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-4
37 Ishmael's Descendants (25:12-18) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-5
38 The Birth and Youth of Esau and Jacob (25:19-28) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-5
39 Esau Sells His Birthright (25:29-34) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-5
40 Isaac and Abimelech (26:1-14) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-5
41 Trouble with Wells, Covenant with God (26:15-25) 1-1 2-1 2-2 3-2 4-2 4-3 5-3 9-5
42 Covenant with Abimelech (26:26-33) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-5
43 Esau's Hittite Wives (26:34-35) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-5
44 Jacob Steals the Blessing (27:1-40) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-5
45 Rebekah Recommends That Jacob Flee (27:41-45) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-5
46 Jacob Escapes Esau's Fury (27:46-28:9) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-6
47 Jacob's Dream at Bethel (28:10-22) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-6
48 Jacob Meets Rachel (29:1-14b) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-6
49 Jacob Marries Laban's Daughters (29:14c-30) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 5-4 9-6
50 Children of Jacob (29:31-30:24) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-4 9-6
51 Jacob Prospers at Laban's Expense (30:25-43) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-4 9-6
52 Jacob Flees with Family and Flocks (31:1-21) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-4 9-6
53 Laban Overtakes Jacob (31:22-42) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-4 9-6
54 Laban and Jacob Make a Covenant (31:43-54) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-4 9-6
55 Mahanaim (32:1-13) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 5-4 9-7
56 Jacob Sends Presents to Appease Esau (32:14-22) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 5-4 9-7
57 Jacob Wrestles at Peniel (32:23-33) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 5-4 9-7
58 Jacob and Esau Meet (33:1-20) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 5-4 9-7
59 The Rape of Dinah (34:1-31) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 5-4 9-7
60 Jacob Returns to Bethel (35:1-8) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 5-4 9-7
61 The Covenant Renewed (35:9-15) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 4-4 5-4 9-7
62 Deaths and Birth of a Child (35:16-29) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-4 9-7
63 Esau's Descendants (36:1-43) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-4 9-7
64 Joseph Dreams of Greatness (37:1-11) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-4 9-8
65 Joseph Is Sold by His Brothers (37:12-36) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-4 5-5 9-8
66 Judah and Tamar (38:1-30) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
67 Joseph and Potiphar's Wife (39:1-23) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
68 Joseph Interprets Dreams (40:1-41:45) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
69 Children of Joseph (41:46-57) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
70 Joseph's Brothers' First Trip to Egypt (42:1-38) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
71 Joseph's Brothers' Second Trip to Egypt (43:1-45:28) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
72 Jacob Brings His Whole Family to Egypt (46:1-7) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
73 List of Jacob's Family (46:8-27) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
74 Jacob and Pharaoh (46:28-47:12) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
75 The Famine in Egypt (47:13-26) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
76 The Last Days of Jacob (47:27-31) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
77 Jacob Blesses Joseph's Sons (48:1-22) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
78 Jacob's Last Words to His Sons (49:1-28) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
79 Jacob's Death and Burial (49:29-50:14) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
80 Joseph Forgives His Brothers (50:15-21) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
81 Joseph's Last Days and Death (50:22-26) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9

Citations of the Bible are from New American Bible, New Revised Standard Version and New Jerusalem Bible.

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Literary Structure of the Bible by Hajime Murai is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Caution: The copyright of the cited Bible verses belongs to each translator and publisher.

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