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Literary structure (chiasm, chiasmus) of Book of Leviticus

Chiastic Structure and Concentric Structure and Parallel of each pericope

[1]Offerings  (Lev 1:1-3:17)
 
  A(1:1-2)  "Speak to the Israelites and tell them" (1:2)
    B1(1:3-9)    
The holocaust of a bull    
(הבקר)
    B2(1:10-13)    
The holocaust of a sheep or a goat   
(הצאן)
    B3(1:14-17)    The holocaust of a bird
      C(2:1-3)      
"The rest of the cereal offering belongs to Aaron and his sons" (2:3)"   
(והנותרת)
        D(2:4-6)        "the wheaten flour must be prepared either in the form of unleavened cakes" (Lev 2:4)
      C'(2:7-10)      
"The rest of the cereal offering belongs to Aaron and his sons" (2:10)"   
(והנותרת)
        D'(2:11-16)        "you must never include leaven" (Lev 2:11)
    B'1(3:1-5)    
The peace offering of a bull   
(הבקר)
    B'2(3:6-11)    
The peace offering of a sheep or a goat   
(הצאן)
    B'3(3:12-16)    The peace offering of a goat
  A'(3:17)  "This shall be a perpetual ordinance for your descendants" (3:17)
 
   A: Ordinance for the people. B: A bull, sheep or a goat, other. C: Offering belongs to Aaron and his sons. D: Unleavened.

[2]Sin Offerings  (Lev 4:1-5:13)
 
P(4:1-2)"a person inadvertently commits a sin" (4:2)
  A1(4:3-12)  A sin of priest, an unblemished young bull
  A2(4:13-21)  A sin of community, a bull
  A3(4:22-26)  A sin of leaders of community, an unblemished male goat
  A4(4:27-35)  A sin of private person, an unblemished female goat
  A5(5:1-10)  A sin of omission, a female sheep or goat
  A6(5:11-12)  A sin of omission, one-tenth of an ephah of choice flour
P'(5:13)"the sin that the man committed" (5:13)
 
   P: Sin. A: Gradually from felony to misdemeanor.

[3]Offerings With Restitution  (Lev 5:14-26)
 
  A(5:14-16)  
"a sin by inadvertently cheating in the LORD'S sacred dues" (5:15) "adding to it a fifth of its value" (5:16)"   
(מעל)
    B(5:17-19)    "If someone commits such a sin" (5:17)
  A'(5:20-26)  
"a sin of dishonesty against the LORD" (5:21) "in addition, give the owner one fifth of its value" (5:24)"   
(מעל)
 
   A: Dishonesty against the LORD. B: Doing one of the things forbidden by Yahweh's commandments.

[4]Instructions Concerning Sacrifices  (Lev 6:1-7:10)
 
  A(6:1-6)  
The fire on the altar shall be kept burning (6:5)   
(תמידבקר)
    B(6:7-11)    
"it must be eaten in a sacred place: in the court of the meeting tent" (6:9)"   
(במקוםקדשׁ)
  A'(6:12-16)  
one-tenth of an ephah of wheaten flour as a perpetual cereal offering (Lev 6:13)   
(תמידבבקר)
    B'(6:17-7:10)    
"it must be eaten in a sacred place, in the court of the meeting tent" (6:19)"   
(במקוםקדשׁ)
 
   A: Perpetual, in the morning. B: It must be eaten in the court of the meeting tent.

[5]Further Instructions  (Lev 7:11-38)
 
  A(7:11-21)  
Instruction about the peace offerings   
(קרבנו)
    B'(7:22-27)    "You shall not eat the fat of any ox or sheep or goat" (7:23)
  A'(7:28-36)  
The peace offerings   
(קרבנו)
P(7:37-38)Conclusion
 
   A: The peace offerings. B: Prohibition about food.

[6]The Rites Of Ordination  (Lev 8:1-36)
 
  A(8:1-5)  
Basket and bread; the entrance of the meeting tent   
(פתחאהלמועד)
    B(8:6-13)    
Consecration   
(הקדשׁ)
      C1(8:14-17)      
Sin offerings   
(ויסמך)
      C2(8:18-21)      
Holocaust   
(ויסמכו)
      C3(8:22-29)      
Offerings on the day of anointment   
(ויסמכו)
    B'(8:30)    
Consecration   
(ויקדשׁ)
  A'(8:31-36)  
Basket and bread; the entrance of the meeting tent   
(פתחאהלמועד)
 
   A: The entrance of the meeting tent. B: Consecration. C: Offerings.

[7]Aaron's Priesthood Inaugurated  (Lev 9:1-24)
 
  A(9:1-4)  "the LORD will reveal himself to you" (9:4)
    B(9:5-6)    
"the glory of the LORD may be revealed to you" (9:6); sin offerings; holocaust "   
(כבוד)
      C(9:7)      
"sacrifice for sin and your burnt offering" (9:7)"   
(אתחטאתךואתעלתך)
        D(9:8-11)        
"the fat, the kidneys and the lobe of the liver" (9:10)"   
(הכלית)
          E(9:12-14)          The holocaust
            F(9:15)            "the people's sin offering" (9:15)
          E'(9:16-17)          The holocaust
        D'(9:18-21)        
"the two kidneys, with the fat that is on them, and the lobe of the liver" (9:19)"   
(והכלית)
      C'(9:22-23a)      
"the sacrifice for sin, the burnt offering and the communion sacrifice" (9:22)"   
(החטאתוהעלה)
    B'(9:23b)    
"the glory of the LORD was revealed to all the people" (9:23); sin offerings; holocaust "   
(כבוד)
  A'(9:24)  "Fire came forth from the LORD'S presence" (9:24)
 
   A: The presence of the LORD. B: The glory of the LORD. C: Types of the offerings. D: Parts of animals. E: The holocaust. F: The people's sin offering.

[8]Nadab And Abihu  (Lev 10:1-20)
 
  A(10:1-5)  A violation of Nadab and Abihu
    B(10:6-7)    The command of Moses to Eleazar and Ithamar
      C(10:8-11)      The command of the LORD to Aaron
    B'(10:12-15)    The command of Moses to Eleazar and Ithamar
  A'(10:16-20)  A violation about place of eating offerings
 
   A: Violations. B: The command of Moses to Eleazar and Ithamar. C: The command of the LORD to Aaron.

[9]Clean And Unclean Foods, Animals  (Lev 11:1-47)
 
  A(11:1-23)  Animals those aren't suitable for eating
    B(11:24-28)    Dead bodies
      C(11:29-31)      Animals those aren't suitable for touching
    B'(11:32-40)    Dead bodies
  A'(11:41-47)  Animals those aren't suitable for eating
 
   A: Animals those aren't suitable for eating. B: Dead bodies. C: Animals those aren't suitable for touching.

[10]Purification Of Women After Childbirth  (Lev 12:1-8)
 
  A(12:1-4)  Uncleaness 1: giving birth to a boy
    B(12:5)    Uncleaness 2: giving birth to a girl
  A'(12:6-7)  Purification 1: normal purification
    B'(12:8)    Purification 2: exceptional purification
 
   Number of A is doubled in B (unclean days, number of birds).

[11]Leprosy  (Lev 13:1-14:57)
 
  A(13:1-46)  Instruction about the disease on the skin
    B(13:47-59)    Instruction about the disease concerning clothing
  A'(14:1-32)  Purification of the disease on the skin
    B'(14:33-57)    Purification of disease in the house
 
   A: Disease on the skin. B: disease in the house.

[12]Concerning Bodily Discharges  (Lev 15:1-33)
 
  A(15:1-12)  Uncleanness about a chronic flow
    B(15:13-15)    
Purification of a chronic flow   
(יטהר)
  A'(15:16-27)  Uncleanness about an emission
    B'(15:28-33)    
Purification of an emission   
(טהרה)
 
   A: Uncleanness. B: Purification.

[13]The Day Of Atonement  (Lev 16:1-34)
 
  A(16:1-2)  Prohibition about entering into the sanctuary
    B(16:3-4)    
Entering the sanctuary; clothing; offerings   
(ילבשׁ)
      C(16:5-11)      
"the goat determined by lot for Azazel he shall set alive before the LORD, so that with it he may make atonement by sending it off to Azazel in the desert" (16:10)"   
(שׂעירי)
        D(16:12-14)        
Purification of the altar   
(המזבח)
          E(16:15-17a)          "atonement for the sanctuary" (16:16)
        D'(16:17b-19)        
Purification of the altar   
(המזבח)
      C'(16:20-22)      
"the goat is to carry off their iniquities to an isolated region, it must be sent away into the desert" (16:22)"   
(השׂעיר)
    B'(16:23-28)    
Exiting the sanctuary; clothing; offerings   
(לבשׁ)
  A'(16:29-34)  "This shall be an everlasting ordinance for you" (16:29)
 
   A: Ordinances. B: Entering and exiting. C: The goat of atonement. D: Purification of the altar. E: Atonement for the sanctuary.

[14]The Slaughtering Of Animals  (Lev 17:1-16)
 
  A(17:1-4)  Regulations about meat
    B(17:5-7)    Not to eat blood
      C(17:8-9)      Regulations about offerings
      C'(17:10-11)      Regulations about offerings
    B'(17:12-14)    Not to eat blood
  A'(17:15-16)  Regulations about meat
 
   A: Regulations about meat. B: Not to eat blood. C: Regulations about offerings.

[15]Ritual And Moral Holiness  (Lev 18:1-20:27)
 
  A(18:1-5)  
"You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, nor shall you do as they do in the land of Canaan" (18:3)"   
(מזרים)
    B(18:6-23)    Sins of adultery
      C(18:24-30)      
"otherwise the land will vomit you out also for having defiled it" (18:28)"   
(ותקא)
  A'(19:1-36)  
"your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt" (19:36)"   
(מזרים)
    B'(20:1-21)    Sins of adultery
      C'(20:22-27)      
"otherwise the land where I am bringing you to dwell will vomit you out" (20:22)"   
(תקיא)
 
   A: Egypt. B: Sins of adultery. C: The land will vomit you.

[16]The Holiness Of Priests  (Lev 21:1-15)
 
  A(21:1-6)  
Regulations about corpora and clothes   
(לנפשׁ)
    B(21:7-9)    
Regulations about marriage   
(יקחו)
  A'(21:10-12)  
Regulations about corpora and clothes   
(נפשׁת)
    B'(21:13-15)    
Regulations about marriage   
(יקח)
 
   A: Regulations about corpora and clothes. B: Regulations about marriage.

[17]Handicapped Priests  (Lev 21:16-24)
 
  A(21:16-21)  "None of your descendants who has any defect shall offer up the food of God" (21:17)
    B(21:22)    "He may, however, partake of the food of his God" (21:22)
  A'(21:23-24)  "he may not approach the veil nor go up to the altar on account of his defect" (21:23)
 
   A: Prohibition of services by people with disabilities. B: Permission for people with disabilities to eat offered foods.

[18]The Use Of Holy Offerings  (Lev 22:1-16)
 
  A(22:1-2)  
Don't profane the holy name   
(יחללו)
    B(22:3-7)    Regulation about eating sacred offerings
      C(22:8-9)      "any animal that has died of itself or has been killed by wild beasts" (22:8)
    B'(22:10-14)    Regulation about eating the sacred offerings
  A'(22:15-16)  
Don't profane the sacred offerings   
(יחללהו)
 
   A: Don't profane. B: Regulation about eating sacred offerings. C: Any animal that has died of itself or has been killed by wild beasts.

[19]Acceptable Offerings  (Lev 22:17-33)
 
  A(22:17-20)  
The ox or sheep or goat   
(ובעזים)
    B(22:21-23)    
Peace offerings   
(זבח)
      C(22:24-25)      
"You shall neither do this in your own land" (22:24)"   
(ובארצכם)
  A'(22:26-28)  
The ox or sheep or goat   
(עז)
    B'(22:29-30)    
Thanksgiving offerings   
(תזבחו)
      C'(22:31-33)      
"led you out of the land of Egypt" (22:33)"   
(מארץ)
 
   A: The ox or sheep or goat. B: Offerings. C: The lands.

[20]Appointed Festivals  (Lev 23:1-44)
 
  A(23:1-4)  
"These, then, are the festivals of the LORD which you shall celebrate at their proper time with a sacred assembly" (23:4)"   
(תקראו)
    B(23:5-8)    
"For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread" (23:6)"   
(שׁבעת)
      C(23:9-22)      "One male goat shall be sacrificed as a sin offering" (23:19)
        D'(23:23-25)        A sacred assembly
      C'(23:26-32)      "The tenth of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement" (23:27)
    B'(23:33-36)    
"the LORD'S feast of Booths, which shall continue for seven days" (23:34)"   
(שׁבעת)
  A'(23:37-44)  
"These, therefore, are the festivals of the LORD on which you shall proclaim a sacred assembly" (23:37)"   
(תקראו)
 
   A: Called for a sacred assembly. B: Seven days festival. C: Sin and atonement. D: A sacred assembly.

[21]The Lamp And Bread  (Lev 24:1-9)
 
  A(24:1-3a)  Instructions for Israelites
    B(24:3b-4)    
Instructions for Aron   
(אהרל)
  A'(24:5-7)  Instructions for Israelites
    B'(24:8-9)    
Instructions for Aron   
(לאהרן)
 
   A: Instructions for Israelites. B: Instructions for Aron.

[22]Blasphemy And Its Punishment  (Lev 24:10-23)
 
  A(24:10-12)  "A man cursed and blasphemed the LORD'S name" (24:11)
    B(24:13-16)    Regulations about death penalty against blasphemy.
    B'(24:17-22)    Regulations about death penalty against murder.
  A'(24:23)  "they took the blasphemer outside the camp and stoned him" (24:23)
 
   A: A man cursed and blasphemed the LORD'S name. B: Regulations about death penalty.

[23]The Sabbatical Year And Jubilee  (Lev 25:1-55)
 
  A(25:1-12)  "proclaiming liberty in the land for all its inhabitants" (25:10)
    B(25:13-17)    Selling and buying the land and jubilee
      C(25:18-22)      "Observe my precepts and be careful to keep my regulations" (25:18)
    B'(25:23-34)    Regulation about selling and buying the land
  A'(25:35-55)  Liberation of slaves
 
   A: Liberation of slaves. B: Selling and buying the land. C: To the regulations.

[24]Obedience And Disobedience  (Lev 26:1-46)
 
  A(26:1-2)  "Do not make false gods for yourselves" (26:1)
    B(26:3-13)    Being blessed by God
    B'(26:14-39)    Being cursed by God
  A'(26:40-46)  "guilty of having rebelled against me and of having defied me" (26:40)
 
   A: Sins about faith. B: Blessing and curse.

[25]Votive Offerings  (Lev 27:1-34)
 
  A(27:1-8)  "When anyone fulfills a vow of offering one or more persons to the LORD" (27:2)
    B(27:9-13)    
"the offering vowed to the LORD is an animal" (27:9)"   
(בהמה)
      C(27:14-15)      Consecrating a house to the LORD
        D(27:16-21)        Consecrating a inherited field to the LORD
      C'(27:22-25)      Consecrating a purchased field to the LORD
    B'(27:26-27)    
"a first-born animal, which as such already belongs to the LORD" (27:26)"   
(בבהמה)
  A'(27:28-34)  "All human beings that are doomed lose the right to be redeemed" (27:29)
 
   A: Consecration of human beings. B: Consecration of animals. C: Consecration of a house and a field. D: Consecration of a inherited field.


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