I study the Torah every year using the teaching tools of Scripture. (Why?)
Today is the 44th Sabbath of the annual Torah cycle. The Torah reading (parashah) is Re’eh (see), Deu 11:26-16:17.
The chiastic structures I have been able to find in Re’eh so far are:
Deu 11:26-12:32
1a) Deu 11:26-30 s, Blessing if you obey, curse if you do not;
1b) Deu 11:31-12:1, Be careful to observe the statutes and judgments;
1c) Deu 12:2-4, Destroy idols + places + names + Do not worship YHVH in like manner;
1d) Deu 12:5-14, Worship YHVH in the place of His name + offer your offerings there;
1e) Deu 12:15-16, You may eat meat within your gates + you shall not eat the blood;
1f) Deu 12:17, You may not eat the tithe, firstborn, or offerings within your gates;
central axis) Deu 12:18, Eat them before YHVH in the place of His name and rejoice in His blessing;
2f) Deu 12:19 s, Do not forsake the Levite (his portion is from the tithe, firstborn, offerings);
2e) Deu 12:20-25, You may eat meat within your gates + you shall not eat the blood;
2d) Deu 12:26-28 s, Offer your offerings in the place of YHVH’s name;
2c) Deu 12:29-31, Do not worship YHVH like the nations, after their idols are destroyed;
2b) Deu 12:32a, Be careful to observe what I command;
2a) Deu 12:32b p, Do not add to His commandments or take away from them.
Deu 12:2-14:29
1a) Deu 12:2-19 s, You shall eat in the place of YHVH’s name + rejoice + do not forsake the Levite;
1b) Deu 12:20-28 s, What Israel may and may not eat;
1c) Deu 12:29-32 p, Israel shall not do as the idolaters do;
central axis) Deu 13:1-18 s+s+s, Israel shall judge + prophet + kinsman + city + that seeks to serve other gods;
2c) Deu 14:1-2 s, Israel shall not do as the idolaters do;
2b) Deu 14:3-21 s+s+p, What Israel may and may not eat;
2a) Deu 14:22-29 s+s, You shall eat in the place of YHVH’s name + rejoice + do not forsake the Levite.
Deu 15:1-18
1a) Deu 15:1-3, The seventh year release of debts;
1b) Deu 15:4a, When the poor will cease from the land;
1c) Deu 15:4b-6 s, The LORD will greatly bless you;
1d) Deu 15:7, You shall not shut your hand to your poor brother;
central axis) Deu 15:8, “…but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs;”
2d) Deu 15:9-10a, You shall not shut your hand to your poor brother;
2c) Deu 15:10b, The LORD will greatly bless you;
2b) Deu 15:11 s, The poor will never cease from the land;
2a) Deu 15:12-18 p, The seventh year release of servants.
Deu 15:1-16:17
1a) Deu 15:1-6 s, Count seven years and grant a release of debts;
1b) Deu 15:7-11 s, You shall not withhold from the poor because of the seventh year;
1c) Deu 15:12-18 p, Count seven years and grant a release from slavery;
central axis) Deu 15:19-23 p, The firstborn males shall not be worked;
2c) Deu 16:1-8 s, Count seven days to observe Unleavened Bread;
2b) Deu 16:9-12 p, Count seven weeks to observe the Feast of Weeks;
2a) Deu 16:13-17 s, Count seven days to observe Tabernacles.
Deu 16:1-8 s
1a) Deu 16:1-4, Observe Passover/ Unleavened Bread for seven days;
1b) Deu 16:5-6a, In the place which the LORD God chooses;
central axis) Deu 16:6b, “…there you shall sacrifice the Passover at twilight, at the going down of the sun, at the time you came out of Egypt;”
2b) Deu 16:7, In the place which the LORD God chooses;
2a) Deu 16:8, Observe Unleavened Bread for seven days.
Deu 16:1-8 s
1a) Deu 16:1, Observe Passover;
1b) Deu 16:2, Sacrifice the Passover in the place of the LORD’s name;
1c) Deu 16:3a, You shall eat no leavened bread for seven days;
central axis) Deu 16:3b, “… that you may remember the day in which you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life;”
2c) Deu 16:4, There shall be no leaven among you for seven days;
2b) Deu 16:5-7, Sacrifice the Passover in the place of the LORD’s name;
2a) Deu 16:8, Observe Unleavened Bread.
Deu 16:1-12
1a) Deu 16:1a, Observe the month of Abib;
1b) Deu 16:1b, YHVH delivered you from slavery in Egypt;
1c) Deu 16:2, In the place of the LORD’s name;
1d) Deu 16:3-8a, You shall eat unleavened bread, the bread of affliction;
1e) Deu 16:8b s, The assembly on the seventh day;
central axis) Deu 16:8c, “… You shall do no work on it;”
2e) Deu 16:9-10, The festival after the seventh week;
2d) Deu 16:11a, You shall eat leavened bread (Lev 23:15-17) and rejoice;
2c) Deu 16:11b, In the place of the LORD’s name;
2b) Deu 16:12a, Remember that you were a slave in Egypt;
2a) Deu 16:12b p, Observe these statutes.
Deu 16:9-17
1a) Deu 16:9-10, Every man shall give as the LORD has blessed;
1b) Deu 16:11, Rejoice in the place of the LORD’s name;
central axis) Deu 16:12 p, “And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful to observe these statutes;”
2b) Deu 16:13-16, Rejoice in the place of the LORD’s name;
2a) Deu 16:17 p, Every man shall give as the LORD has blessed.
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