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Literary structure (chiasm, chiasmus) of Book of Jeremiah

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 Introduction (1:1-3) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
2 Jeremiah's call and commission (1:4-19) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
3 God pleads with Israel to repent (2:1-3:5) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
4 A call to repentance (3:6-13) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
5 Return to Zion (3:14-18) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
6 A call to repentance (3:19-4:4) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
7 Invasion and desolation of Judah threatened (4:5-31) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
8 The utter corruption of God's people (5:1-31) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
9 The imminence and horror of the invasion (6:1-30) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-1
10 Jeremiah proclaims God's judgment on the nation (7:1-15) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
11 The people's disobedience (7:16-8:3) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
12 The prophet perversity of the whole nation (8:4-9:5) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
13 The prophet mourns for the people (9:6-25) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
14 Idolatory has brought ruin on Israel (10:1-16) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
15 The coming exile (10:17-25) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
16 Israel and Judah have broken the covenant (11:1-17) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 9-2
17 Jeremiah complains to God (11:18-12:6) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 5-2 9-2
18 God replies to Jeremiah (12:7-17) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-2 9-2
19 The linen loincloth (13:1-14) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-2 9-3
20 Exile threatened (13:15-27) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-2 9-3
21 The great drought (14:1-22) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
22 Punishment is inevitable (15:1-9) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
23 Jeremiah complains again and is reassured (15:10-21) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
24 Jeremiah's celibacy and message (16:1-13) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
25 God will restore Israel (16:14-21) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
26 Judah's sin and punishment (17:1-13) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
27 Jeremiah prays for vindication (17:14-18) 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-2 5-2 9-3
28 Hallow the sabbath day (17:19-27) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-2 9-4
29 The potter and the clay (18:1-17) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-2 9-4
30 A plot against Jeremiah (18:18-23) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-2 9-4
31 The broken earthenware jug (19:1-15) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-2 9-4
32 Jeremiah persecuted by Pashhur (20:1-6) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-2 9-4
33 Jeremiah denounces his persecutors (20:7-18) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-2 5-3 9-4
34 Jerusalem will fall to Nebuchadrezzar (21:1-14) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-4
35 Exhortation to repent (22:1-30) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-4
36 Restoration after exile (23:1-8) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-4
37 False prophets of hope denounced (23:9-40) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-5
38 The good and the bad figs (24:1-10) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-5
39 The Babylonian captivity foretold (25:1-14) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-5
40 The cup of God's wrath (25:15-38) 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 5-3 9-5
41 Jeremiah's prophecies in the temple (26:1-19) 1-1 2-1 2-2 3-2 4-2 4-3 5-3 9-5
42 Death of Uriah (26:20-24) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-5
43 The sign of the yoke (27:1-22) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-5
44 Hananiah opposes Jeremiah and dies (28:1-17) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-5
45 Restoration promised (29:1-23) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-5
46 The letter of Shemaiah (29:24-32) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-6
47 Distress and salvation of Jacob (30:1-24) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-6
48 The joyful return of the exiles (31:1-26) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 9-6
49 A new covenant (31:27-40) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-3 5-4 9-6
50 Jeremiah is imprisoned (32:1-5) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-4 9-6
51 Jeremiah buys a field during the siege (32:6-15) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-4 9-6
52 Jeremiah prays for understanding (32:16-25) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-4 9-6
53 God's assurance of the people's return (32:26-44) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-4 9-6
54 Healing after punishment (33:1-18) 1-1 2-2 3-2 4-3 5-4 9-6
55 Covenant with David (33:19-26) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 5-4 9-7
56 Death in captivity predicted for Zedekiah (34:1-7) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 5-4 9-7
57 Treacherous treatment of slaves (34:8-22) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 5-4 9-7
58 The Rechabites commended (35:1-19) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 5-4 9-7
59 The scroll read in the temple (36:1-32) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 5-4 9-7
60 Jeremiah is imprisoned (37:1-21) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 5-4 9-7
61 Jeremiah in the cistern (38:1-13) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-3 4-4 5-4 9-7
62 Zedekiah consults Jeremiah again (38:14-28) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-4 9-7
63 The fall of Jerusalem (39:1-14) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-4 9-7
64 Jeremiah, set free, remembers Ebed-melech (39:15-18) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-4 9-8
65 Jeremiah is released (40:1-6) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-4 5-5 9-8
66 Jeremiah with Gedaliah the governor (40:7-16) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
67 Insurrection against Gedaliah (41:1-18) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
68 Jeremiah advises survivors not to migrate (42:1-22) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
69 Escape to Egypt (43:1-7) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
70 Jeremiah warns of judgment (43:8-13) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
71 Denunciation of persistent idolatry (44:1-30) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
72 A word of comfort to Baruch (45:1-5) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-8
73 Judgment on Egypt (46:1-12) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
74 Babylonia will strike Egypt (46:13-28) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
75 Judgment on nations (47:1-49:33) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
76 Judgment on Elam (49:34-39) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
77 Judgment on Babylon (50:1-51:58) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
78 Jeremiah's command to Seraiah (51:59-64) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
79 The reign of Zedekiah (52:1-11) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
80 The destruction of Jerusalem (52:12-30) 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 9-9
81 Jehoiachin favored in captivity (52:31-34) 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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