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Literary structure (chiasm, chiasmus) of Book of Deuteronomy

Correspondence table of Pericopes and Literary Structure


The text can be divided in 49 (7 x 7) pericopes. This text includes, one 24 paired (49 pericopes) whole concentric structure, divided in two 12 paired concentric structures, divided in three 8 paired concentric structures, divided in four 6 paired concentric structures, divided in seven 3 paired concentric structures.

Pericope12347
1 Events at Horeb recalled (1:1-8) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 7-1
2 Appointment of Tribal Leaders (1:9-18) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 7-1
3 Israel's refusal to enter the Land (1:19-33) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 7-1
4 The penalty for Israel's rebellion (1:34-45) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 7-1
5 The desert years (1:46-2:25) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 7-1
6 Defeat of king Sihon (2:26-37) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 7-1
7 The land of king Sihon and Og (3:1-22) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 7-1
8 Moses views Canaan from Pisgah (3:23-29) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 7-2
9 Exhortation to keep the law (4:1-14) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 7-2
10 Against idolatry (4:15-31) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 7-2
11 Mighty acts of God (4:32-40) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 7-2
12 Cities of refuge East of the Jordan (4:41-43) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 7-2
13 Transition to the second address (4:44-49) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 4-2 7-2
14 The ten commandments (5:1-22) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 7-2
15 Moses the mediator of God's will (5:23-33) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 7-3
16 Don't forget the Lord (6:1-9) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 7-3
17 Caution against disobedience (6:10-25) 1-1 2-1 3-1 3-2 4-2 7-3
18 Destroy them (7:1-5) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 7-3
19 God chooses Israelites (7:6-15) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 7-3
20 Don't be afraid (7:16-26) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 7-3
21 God's care in the wilderness (8:1-20) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 7-3
22 Warning about perish (9:1-6) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 7-4
23 The consequences of rebelling against God (9:7-29) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 7-4
24 The second pair of tablets (10:1-11) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 7-4
25 The essence of the law (10:12-22) 1-1 2-1 2-2 3-2 4-2 4-3 7-4
26 Great deeds of the Lord (11:1-9) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 7-4
27 Blessings and curses (11:10-32) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 7-4
28 Correct place for worship (12:1-12) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 7-4
29 A prescribed place of worship (12:13-28) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 7-5
30 Slaughtering animals (12:29-13:19) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 7-5
31 Regulations (14:1-25:16) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 7-5
32 Destroy Amalek (25:17-19) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 7-5
33 First fruits and tithes (26:1-15) 1-1 2-2 3-2 3-3 4-3 7-5
34 Concluding exhortation (26:16-19) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 7-5
35 The inscribed stones and altar on Mount Ebal (27:1-10) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 7-5
36 Twelve curses (27:11-26) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 7-6
37 Blessings for obedience and warnings against disobedience (28:1-46) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 4-4 7-6
38 Warning against descendants (28:47-68) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 7-6
39 The covenant renewed in Moab (28:69-29:28) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 7-6
40 With heart and soul (30:1-14) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 7-6
41 Life and death (30:15-20) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 7-6
42 Joshua becomes Moses' successor (31:1-8) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 7-6
43 The law to be read every seventh year (31:9-13) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 7-7
44 Introduction to Song of Moses (31:14-23) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 7-7
45 Moses prepares to recite his song (31:24-29) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 7-7
46 The song of Moses (31:30-32:44) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 7-7
47 Moses' death foretold (32:45-52) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 7-7
48 Moses' blessing on Israel (33:1-29) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 7-7
49 Israel mourns the death of Moses (34:1-12) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 7-7

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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