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Literary structure (chiasm, chiasmus) of Book of Isaiah

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.

Pericope123459
1 The wickedness of Judah (1:1-20) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
2 The degenerate city (1:21-31) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
3 The future house of God (2:1-22) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
4 The daughters of Zion (3:1-26_4:1) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
5 The future glory of the survivors in Zion (4:2-6) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
6 The song of the unfruitful vineyard (5:1-7) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
7 Social injustice denounced (5:8-25) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
8 Foreign invasion predicted (5:26-30) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
9 A vision of God in the Temple (6:1-13) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
10 The sign of Immanuel (7:1-25) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
11 With us is God (8:1-20) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
12 Waiting for the LORD (8:21-9:6) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
13 Judgment on arrogance and oppression (9:7-10:4) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
14 Arrogant Assyria also judged (10:5-19) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
15 The repentant remnant of Israel (10:20-34) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
16 The peaceful kingdom (11:1-16) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
17 Thanksgiving and praise (12:1-6) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 5-2 9-2
18 Proclamation against Babylon (13:1-22) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-2 9-2
19 Downfall of the king of Babylon (14:1-27) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-2 9-3
20 An oracle concerning Philistia (14:28-32) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-2 9-3
21 An oracle concerning Moab (15:1-16:14) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
22 An oracle concerning Damascus (17:1-11) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
23 An oracle concerning Ethiopia (17:12-18:7) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
24 An oracle concerning Egypt (19:1-15) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
25 Egypt, Assria and Israel blessed (19:16-25) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
26 Isaiah dramatizes the conquest of Egypt and Ethiopia (20:1-6) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
27 An oracle concerning Babylon (21:1-10) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
28 An oracle concerning Edom (21:11-17) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-2 9-4
29 A warning of destruction of Jerusalem (22:1-14) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-2 9-4
30 Denunciation of self-seeking officials (22:15-25) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-2 9-4
31 An oracle concerning Tyre (23:1-18) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-2 9-4
32 Impending judgment on the Earth (24:1-13) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-2 9-4
33 The songs from the end of the earth (24:14-23) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-2 5-3 9-4
34 Praise for deliverance from oppression (25:1-12) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-4
35 Judah's song of victory (26:1-21) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-4
36 A vineyard of the LORD (27:1-13) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-4
37 Fall of Samaria (28:1-8) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-5
38 Judgment on corrupt rulers, priests, and prophets (28:9-13) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-5
39 A stone in Zion (28:14-22) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-5
40 Farmer's wisdom (28:23-29) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-5
41 The siege of Jerusalem (29:1-8) 1-1 2-1 2-2 3-2 4-2 4-3 5-3 9-5
42 Drunken rulers (29:9-14) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-5
43 Hope for the future (29:15-24) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-5
44 The futility of reliance on Egypt (30:1-5) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-5
45 A rebellious people (30:6-18) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-5
46 God's promise to Zion (30:19-26) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-6
47 Judgment on Assyria (30:27-33) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-6
48 Alliance with Egypt is futile (31:1-9) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-6
49 Complacent women warned of disaster (32:1-20) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 5-4 9-6
50 The land of the Majestic king (33:1-24) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-4 9-6
51 Judgment on the nations (34:1-17) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-4 9-6
52 The return of the redeemed to Zion (35:1-10) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-4 9-6
53 Sennacherib threatens Jerusalem (36:1-37:38) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-4 9-6
54 Hizekiah's illness (38:1-39:8) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-4 9-6
55 God's people are comforted (40:1-11) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 5-4 9-7
56 Creation by God (40:12-31) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 5-4 9-7
57 Israel assured of God's help (41:1-26) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 5-4 9-7
58 The servant, a light to the nations (41:27-42:25) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 5-4 9-7
59 Israel's redemption (43:1-28) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 5-4 9-7
60 The absurdity of idol worship (44:1-28) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 5-4 9-7
61 Cyrus, God's instrument (45:1-17) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 4-4 5-4 9-7
62 Idols cannot save Babylon (45:18-46:13) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-4 9-7
63 The humiliation of Babylon (47:1-15) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-4 9-7
64 Fulfillment of the prophecy (48:1-11) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-4 9-8
65 God the redeemer (48:12-22) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-4 5-5 9-8
66 The servant's mission (49:1-6) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
67 Zion's children to be brought home (49:7-50:3) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
68 The servant's humiliation and vindication (50:4-11) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
69 Return to Zion (51:1-52:12) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
70 The suffering servant (52:13-53:12) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
71 Everlasting mercy (54:1-17) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
72 The covenant extended to all who obey (55:1-56:12) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
73 A promise of help and healing (57:1-58:14) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
74 Injustice and oppression to be punished (59:1-21) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
75 God the glory of Zion (60:1-22) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
76 The good news of deliverance (61:1-11) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
77 The vindication and salvation of Zion (62:1-12) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
78 Vengeance on Edom (63:1-6) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
79 God's mercy remembered (63:7-64:11) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
80 The righteousness of God's judgment (65:1-25) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
81 The reign and indignation of God (66:1-24) 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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