I study the Torah every year using the teaching tools of Scripture. (Why?)
Today is the 42nd Sabbath of the annual Torah cycle. The Torah reading (parashah) is Va’etchanan (and I pleaded), Deu 3:23-7:11.
The paragraph divisions for Va’etchanan, Deu 3:23-7:11, are as follows:
Deu 3:23-29 {p} Joshua shall cross and cause Israel to inherit their possession
Deu 4:1-24 {p} Remember Sinai and the Ten Commandments
Deu 4:25-40 {p} That Israel might know that YHVH is God and there is no other
Deu 4:41-49 {p} Cities of refuge + this is the law
Deu 5:1-5 {s} These statutes and judgments are the terms of Israel’s covenant with YHVH
Deu 5:6-10 {s} YHVH alone is God + do not make idols to worship
Deu 5:11 {s} Do not take the name of YHVH in vain
Deu 5:12-15 {s} Observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy
Deu 5:16 {s} Honor your father and mother
Deu 5:17 {s} Do not murder
Deu 5:18 {s} Do not commit adultery
Deu 5:19 {s} Do not steal
Deu 5:20 {s} Do not bear false witness
Deu 5:21a {s} Do not covet your neighbor’s wife
Deu 5:21b {s} Do not covet anything that is your neighbor’s
Deu 5:22-6:3 {p} YHVH’s voice spoke these commandments + hear + pay heed + observe
Deu 6:4-9 {s} Listen to YHVH’s commandments
Deu 6:10-15 {s} Pay careful heed to YHVH’s commandments
Deu 6:16-19 {s} Observe YHVH’s commandments
Deu 6:20-25 {s} Teach YHVH’s commandments to your children
Deu 7:1-11 {p} YHVH has set His love upon Israel
I am not wise enough to see the single chiastic structure formed by Va’etchanan. But there are several smaller structures within Va’etchanan linking it from beginning to end:
Deu 3:23-4:24 {p+p}
1a) Deu 3:23-24, Greatness and uniqueness of YHVH;
1b) Deu 3:25-29 p, YHVH forbids Moses from entering the Land;
1c) Deu 4:1-8, Observe statutes, judgments + beware idolatry + we are YHVH’s nation;
central axis) Deu 4:9-13, Remember Sinai + the Ten Commandments;
2c) Deu 4:14-20, Observe statutes, judgments + beware idolatry + we are YHVH’s nation;
2b) Deu 4:21-22, YHVH does not allow Moses to enter the Land;
2a) Deu 4:23-24 p, Take heed against idolatry + YHVH is a consuming fire and a jealous God.
Deu 4:25-40 {p}
1a) Deu 4:25-26, Forsake YHVH and do not prolong your days in the land;
1b) Deu 4:27-28, YHVH will drive you out;
1c) Deu 4:29-31, YHVH is merciful and will not forget the covenant;
1d) Deu 4:32-34, Has any nation heard the voice of YHVH out of the fire?;
central axis) Deu 4:35, To you it was shown, that you might know that YHVH is God and there is no other;
2d) Deu 4:36, We heard YHVH’s voice out of the fire;
2c) Deu 4:37, He loved our fathers and chose their descendants;
2b) Deu 4:38, YHVH will drive out the nations;
2a) Deu 4:39-40 p, Keep to YHVH and prolong your days in the land.
Deu 5:1-6:3 {sx11+p}
1a) Deu 5:1, Hear, pay careful heed, learn, and observe statutes and judgments;
1b) Deu 5:2-3, YHVH’s covenant with Israel;
1c) Deu 5:4-5 s, YHVH’s voice from the midst of the fire + Moses between YHVH and Israel;
central axis) Deu 5:6-21 s x10, The Ten Comandments;
2c) Deu 5:22-27, YHVH’s voice from the midst of the fire + Moses between YHVH and Israel;
2b) Deu 5:28-29, Israel’s heart toward YHVH, to fear Him and keep His commandments;
2a) Deu 5:30-6:3 p, Hear, pay heed, learn, and observe the commandment, statutes, and judgments.
Deu 6:1-7:11 {sx4+p}
1a) Deu 6:1-9 s, Do the commandment, statutes, and judgments;
1b) Deu 6:10-19 s+s, YHVH repays love and hatred shown to Him;
1c) Deu 6:20-22, Israel redeemed from Egypt;
1d) Deu 6:23, YHVH brought Israel in to keep His promise;
1e) Deu 6:24-25 s, Israel’s righteousness expressed by keeping His commandments;
central axis) Deu 7:1-5, Complete destruction of the Canaanites and their idolatry;
2e) Deu 7:6, Israel a holy people and a special treasure above all other nations;
2d) Deu 7:7-8a, YHVH brought Israel in to keep His promise;
2c) Deu 7:8b, Israel redeemed from Egypt;
2b) Deu 7:9-10, YHVH repays love and hatred shown to Him;
2a) Deu 7:11 p, Keep the commandment, statutes, and judgments.
Deu 7:1-11 {p}
1a) Deu 7:1a, YHVH brings Israel into the Land;
1b) Deu 7:1b-2, YHVH delivers the seven nations to be utterly destroyed;
1c) Deu 7:3-5, Preserving the worship of YHVH by abhorring the idols of the Canaanites;
1d) Deu 7:6, Israel is YHVH’s holy people and special treasured possession;
central axis) Deu 7:7-8a, YHVH set His love on Israel;
2d) Deu 7:8b, Israel is His therefore He redeemed them from Egypt;
2c) Deu 7:9, YHVH is God;
2b) Deu 7:10, YHVH repays those who hate Him to their face to destroy them;
2a) Deu 7:11 p, Israel shall keep the commandment, statutes and judgments of YHVH.
For further reading:
deuteronomy 3-4, finding messiah in torah (2011)
deuteronomy 5-6, the ten sacred things (2011)
deuteronomy 3:23–4:24, parsha va’etchanon (pleaded) 2009
deuteronomy 4:25-49, parsha tholid (beget) 2009
deuteronomy 5:1–6:3, parsha bazneikhem (listen) 2009
deuteronomy 6:4–7:11, parsha shema (hear) 2009
– deuteronomy 6:4-9, the commandment (hear) 2009
– deuteronomy 6:10-15, beware 2009
– deuteronomy 6:16-19, do 2009
– deuteronomy 6:20-25, teach 2009
– deuteronomy 6:23, brought out to be brought in 2009
– deuteronomy 7:1-11, a chosen people 2009
– deuteronomy 7:7, set His love upon 2009
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