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Literary structure (chiasmus, chiasm) of Book of Exodus

Chiasmus and Concentric Structure of divided by 2

This central pericope (no. 25, Ex. 14:19-31) regarding drowned Egyptian army also becomes the divisional fulcrum of the whole text. Those parts that precede it (pericopes nos. 1 to 25) and follow it (pericopes nos. 25 to 49) constitute concentric structures composed of pericopes. The parts that precede pericope no. 25 are largely composed of stories about the Hebrew people serving to the Pharaoh, while those that follow it depict stories about Hebrew serving to the LORD. In those there are two concentric structures, "Aaron's Miraculous Rod" (no. 13, Ex. 6:28-7:7) and "the Book of the Covenant" (no. 37, Ex. 20:22-23:33). Those are both relating to the Lord's command to be observed. Therefore, the structure would signify the theology that people can escape from slavery of Pharaoh and can serve to the Lord if they observe the command of the Lord.


2-1

1 Introduction (1:1-7)
  2 Construction of Cities (1:8-14)
    3 Command to Kill Boys (1:15-22)
      4 Birth and Youth of Moses (2:1-10)
        5 Moses flees to Midian (2:11-15)
          6 Marriage of Moses (2:16-22)
            7 The LORD's Mercy for Israel (2:23-25)
              8 Moses at the Burning Bush (3:1-4:17)
                9 Moses Returns to Egypt (4:18-31)
                  10 Bricks without Straw (5:1-23)
                    11 Israel's Deliverance Assured (6:1-12)
                      12 The Genealogy of Moses and Aaron (6:13-27)
                        13 Moses and Aaron obey Commands of God (6:28-7:7)
                      14 Ten Miracles (7:8-10:29)
                    15 Warning of the Final Plague (11:1-10)
                  16 The First Passover Instituted (12:1-28)
                17 The Tenth Plague (12:29-32)
              18 The Exodus (12:33-41)
            19 Directions for the Passover (12:42-51)
          20 The Consecration of the First-born (13:1-2)
        21 The Festival of Unleavened Bread (13:3-10)
      22 The Consecration of the First-born (13:11-16)
    23 The Pillars of Cloud and Fire (13:17-22)
  24 Crossing the Red Sea (14:1-18)
25 The Pursuers Drowned (14:19-31)
Former halfRelationLatter half
1 Introduction (1:1-7)
1:1These are the names of the sons of Israel who, accompanied by their households, migrated with Jacob into Egypt:
Immigration to Egypt/ emigration from Egypt25 The Pursuers Drowned (14:19-31)
14:30Thus the LORD saved Israel on that day from the power of the Egyptians. When Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the seashore
2 Construction of Cities (1:8-14)
1:11Accordingly, taskmasters were set over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor.
Obedience / liberation24 Crossing the Red Sea (14:1-18)
14:5When it was reported to the king of Egypt that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his servants changed their minds about them. "What have we done!" they exclaimed. "Why, we have released Israel from our service!"
3 Command to Kill Boys (1:15-22)
1:15The king of Egypt told the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was called Shiphrah and the other Puah, 1:16When you act as midwives for the Hebrew women and see them giving birth, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she may live." 1:17The midwives, however, feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt had ordered them, but let the boys live.
Two lead Israelites23 The Pillars of Cloud and Fire (13:17-22)
13:21 The LORD preceded them, in the daytime by means of a column of cloud to show them the way, and at night by means of a column of fire to give them light. Thus they could travel both day and night.
4 Birth and Youth of Moses (2:1-10)
2:10 When the child grew, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, who adopted him as her son and called him Moses; for she said, "I drew him out of the water."
Memory of salvation22 The Consecration of the First-born (13:11-16)
13:14 If your son should ask you later on, 'What does this mean?' you shall tell him, 'With a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, that place of slavery.
5 Moses flees to Midian (2:11-15)
2:15 Pharaoh, too, heard of the affair and sought to put him to death. But Moses fled from him and stayed in the land of Midian. As he was seated there by a well,
Exodus21 The Festival of Unleavened Bread (13:3-10)
13:3 Moses said to the people, "Remember this day on which you came out of Egypt, that place of slavery. It was with a strong hand that the LORD brought you away. Nothing made with leaven must be eaten.
6 Marriage of Moses (2:16-22)
2:22 She bore him a son, whom he named Gershom; for he said, "I am a stranger in a foreign land."(2:22)
The first-born20 The Consecration of the First-born (13:1-2)
13:2 "Consecrate to me every first-born that opens the womb among the Israelites, both of man and beast, for it belongs to me." (13:2)
7 The LORD's Mercy for Israel (2:23-25)
2:25 He saw the Israelites and knew. . . .(2:25)
The LORD saves Israel19 Directions for the Passover (12:42-51)
12:51 On that same day the LORD brought the Israelites out of Egypt company by company.(12:51)
8 Moses at the Burning Bush (3:1-4:17)
3:10 Come, now! I will send you to Pharaoh to lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt."(3:10)
Exodus18 The Exodus (12:33-41)
12:37 The Israelites set out from Rameses for Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, not counting the children. (12:37)
8 Moses at the Burning Bush (3:1-4:17)
3:22 Every woman shall ask her neighbor and her house guest for silver and gold articles and for clothing to put on your sons and daughters. Thus you will despoil the Egyptians."(3:22)
Gaining gold articles from Egyptian18 The Exodus (12:33-41)
12:35 The Israelites did as Moses had commanded: they asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing.(12:35)
9 Moses Returns to Egypt (4:18-31)
4:24On the journey, at a place where they spent the night, the Lord came upon Moses and would have killed him.
The LORD will kill people17 The Tenth Plague (12:29-32)
12:29At midnight the LORD slew every first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh on the throne to the first-born of the prisoner in the dungeon, as well as all the first-born of the animals.
10 Bricks without Straw (5:1-23)
5:1After that, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Let my people go, that they may celebrate a feast to me in the desert."
Feast of the LORD16 The First Passover Instituted (12:1-28)
12:14"This day shall be a memorial feast for you, which all your generations shall celebrate with pilgrimage to the LORD, as a perpetual institution.
10 Bricks without Straw (5:1-23)
5:9Increase the work for the men, so that they keep their mind on it and pay no attention to lying words."
Labor / ritual (obd)16 The First Passover Instituted (12:1-28)
12:25Thus, you must also observe this rite when you have entered the land which the LORD will give you as he promised.
11 Israel's Deliverance Assured (6:1-12)
6:1Then the LORD answered Moses, "Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. Forced by my mighty hand, he will send them away; compelled by my outstretched arm, he will drive them from his land."
Pharaoh will drive Israelites away15 Warning of the Final Plague (11:1-10)
11:1Then the LORD told Moses, "One more plague will I bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. After that he will let you depart. In fact, he will not merely let you go; he will drive you away.
12 The Genealogy of Moses and Aaron (6:13-27)
6:27These are the ones who spoke to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to bring the Israelites out of Egypt--the same Moses and Aaron.
Argument with Pharaoh14 Ten Miracles (7:8-10:29)
Argument with Pharaoh(7:8-10:29)

2-2

25 The Pursuers Drowned (14:19-31)
  26 The Song of Moses (15:1-19)
    27 The Song of Miriam (15:20-21)
      28 Bitter Water Made Sweet (15:22-27)
        29 Bread from Heaven (16:1-36)
          30 Water from the Rock (17:1-7)
            31 Amalek Attacks Israel and Is Defeated (17:8-16)
              32 Jethro's Advice (18:1-27)
                33 The Israelites Reach Mount Sinai (19:1-9)
                  34 The LORD Comes Down upon Mount Sinai (19:10-19)
                    35 Moses goes up to Mount Sinai (19:20-25)
                      36 The Ten Commandments (20:1-21)
                        37 The Book of the Covenant (20:22-23:33)
                      38 The Blood of the Covenant (24:1-18)
                    39 The Command to Make the Tabernacle (25:1-31:12)
                  40 Sabbath Regulations (31:12-18)
                41 The Golden Calf (32:1-33:6)
              42 The Tent Outside the Camp (33:7-11)
            43 The LORD goes with Israelites (33:12-17)
          44 The Glory of God (33:18-23)
        45 The Covenant Renewed (34:1-28)
      46 The shining face of Moses (34:29-35)
    47 Preparation for Constructing the Tabernacle (35:1-39:43)
  48 Construction of the Tabernacle (40:1-33)
49 The Cloud and the Glory (40:34-38)
Former halfRelationLatter half
25 The Pursuers Drowned (14:19-31)
14:19The angel of God, who had been leading Israel's camp, now moved and went around behind them. The column of cloud also, leaving the front, took up its place behind them, 14:20so that it came between the camp of the Egyptians and that of Israel. But the cloud now became dark, and thus the night passed without the rival camps coming any closer together all night long.
Cloud leads Israelites49 The Cloud and the Glory (40:34-38)
40:36Whenever the cloud rose from the Dwelling, the Israelites would set out on their journey.
26 The Song of Moses (15:1-19)
15:17And you brought them in and planted them on the mountain of your inheritance-- the place where you made your seat, O LORD, the sanctuary, O LORD, which your hands established.
Making house of the LORD48 Construction of the Tabernacle (40:1-33)
40:2"On the first day of the first month you shall erect the Dwelling of the meeting tent.
27 The Song of Miriam (15:20-21)
15:20 The prophetess Miriam, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, while all the women went out after her with tambourines, dancing; (15:20)
Woman who praises the LORD47 Preparation for Constructing the Tabernacle (35:1-39:43)
35:25 All the women who were expert spinners brought hand-spun violet, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen thread. (35:25)
28 Bitter Water Made Sweet (15:22-27)
15:25It was here that the LORD, in making rules and regulations for them, put them to the test.
Giving commandments46 The shining face of Moses (34:29-35)
34:29 As Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands, he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant while he conversed with the LORD.
29 Bread from Heaven (16:1-36)
16:23he told them, "That is what the LORD prescribed. Tomorrow is a day of complete rest, the sabbath, sacred to the LORD. You may either bake or boil the manna, as you please; but whatever is left put away and keep for the morrow."
Sabbath45 The Covenant Renewed (34:1-28)
34:21"For six days you may work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; on that day you must rest even during the seasons of plowing and harvesting.
30 Water from the Rock (17:1-7)
17:7The place was called Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled there and tested the LORD, saying, "Is the LORD in our midst or not?"
Is the LORD in our midst or not?44 The Glory of God (33:18-23)
33:18Then Moses said, "Do let me see your glory!"
30 Water from the Rock (17:1-7)
17:6I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it for the people to drink." This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel.
Hollow of the rock44 The Glory of God (33:18-23)
33:22When my glory passes I will set you in the hollow of the rock and will cover you with my hand until I have passed by.
31 Amalek Attacks Israel and Is Defeated (17:8-16)
17:15Moses also built an altar there, which he called Yahweh-nissi;
People of the LORD43 The LORD goes with Israelites (33:12-17)
33:16For how can it be known that we, your people and I, have found favor with you, except by your going with us? Then we, your people and I, will be singled out from every other people on the earth."
32 Jethro's Advice (18:1-27)
18:19Now, listen to me, and I will give you some advice, that God may be with you. Act as the people's representative before God, bringing to him whatever they have to say. 18:20Enlighten them in regard to the decisions and regulations, showing them how they are to live and what they are to do.
People's representative before God42 The Tent Outside the Camp (33:7-11)
33:9As Moses entered the tent, the column of cloud would come down and stand at its entrance while the LORD spoke with Moses.
33 The Israelites Reach Mount Sinai (19:1-9)
19:5Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people, though all the earth is mine.
Covenant with the LORD41 The Golden Calf (32:1-33:6)
32:33The LORD answered, "Him only who has sinned against me will I strike out of my book.
34 The LORD Comes Down upon Mount Sinai (19:10-19)
19:12 Set limits for the people all around the mountain, and tell them: Take care not to go up the mountain, or even to touch its base. If anyone touches the mountain, he must be put to death. (19:12)
Person who doesn't keep the commandments, will be killed 40 Sabbath Regulations (31:12-18)
31:14 Therefore, you must keep the sabbath as something sacred. Whoever desecrates it shall be put to death. If anyone does work on that day, he must be rooted out of his people. (31:14)
35 Moses goes up to Mount Sinai (19:20-25)
19:23 Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot go up to Mount Sinai, for you yourself warned us to set limits around the mountain to make it sacred."(19:23)
Consecration39 The Command to Make the Tabernacle (25:1-31:12)
29:1 "This is the rite you shall perform in consecrating them as my priests. Procure a young bull and two unblemished rams. (29:1)
36 The Ten Commandments (20:1-21)
the ten commandments
The ten commandments38 The Blood of the Covenant (24:1-18)
24:12 The LORD said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain and, while you are there, I will give you the stone tablets on which I have written the commandments intended for their instruction."(24:12)

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.
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