Read Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11 at Bible Gateway.
Va’etchanan index of previous studies
The paragraph divisions for va’etchanan are here, and please see the previous studies for many of the smaller chiastic structures and pictures of messiah within the torah portion. This one of the torah portions I have been working on for several years to uncover its chiastic structure. I did not yet find it this year either. But I started to see repeating themes that eluded me in years past. Here is the outline I was working on this week:
Deu 3:23-24, Your greatness + mighty hand/ who is there in heaven or on earth who is like You;
Deu 3:25-29 {p} Moses may not go in but Joshua shall cross and cause Israel to inherit their possession;
Deu 4:1-5, LISTEN to the statutes and judgments which I teach you to observe;
Deu 4:6-8, BE CAREFUL TO OBSERVE THEM;
Deu 4:9-13, YHVH’s covenant which He commanded Israel to perform: the Ten Commandments;
Deu 4:9-24 {p} TAKE HEED;
Deu 4:25-31, If you forsake Him you will perish from this land/ if you repent, He is faithful and will not forsake you;
Deu 4:32-39, He loved your fathers He chose their descendants after them, and brought you out to bring you in;
Deu 4:40 {p} You shall keep His commandments that it may go well with you and with your children after you;
Deu 4:41-43, Cities of refuge on this side of the Jordan;
Deu 4:44-49 {p} This is the Law which Moses spoke on this side of the Jordan;
Deu 5:1-21, {sx11} Israel’s covenant with YHVH: the Ten Commandments;
Deu 5:22-6:3 {p} YHVH’s voice spoke these commandments + listen + 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} He brought us out that He might bring us in and commanded these statutes for our good always;
Deu 7:1-8, YHVH will bring you in/ He has chosen you because He loves you;
Deu 7:9-10, YHVH is faithful/ keeps covenant + mercy for those who love Him/ repays those who hate Him to their face;
Deu 7:11 {p} You shall keep the commandment, statutes, and judgments which I command you today to observe them.
Deu 4:9-13, YHVH’s covenant which He commanded Israel to perform: the Ten Commandments; and
Deu 5:1-21, {sx11} Israel’s covenant with YHVH: the Ten Commandments;
are the most obvious repeating elements. The Commandments and the Covenant cannot be separated from each other.
I also initially thought the admonition to remember the day before Sinai (Deu 4:9-24) indicating the BETROTHAL covenant between Israel and YHVH, with YHVH’s DECLARATION OF LOVE for Israel (Deu 7:1-11) as its pair. And it might pair in a larger chiastic structure, but not within the bounds of Va’etchanan, at least, that I could see this year. If you just think about this, the Ten Commandments are not some impersonal legal code. These chapters express the depth of feeling, passion, and commitment YHVH has for His Bride, Israel. It’s a romance! This is why our God is jealous God (Deu 4:24) – He deeply loves us and wants the love of His Bride in return!
But also Deu 4:1-40 and Deu 6:4-7:11 share these repeating themes within them, only not necessarily in exact order:
LISTEN to YHVH’s commandments (Deu 4:1-5 and 6:4-9);
OBSERVE THEM (Deu 4:6-8 and 6:16-19);
TAKE HEED to yourself (Deu 4:9-24 and 6:10-15);
Forsake Him and perish/ repent and He will not forsake you (Deu 4:25-31 and 7:9-10);
He loves Israel and brought them out to bring them in (Deu 4:32-39 and 6:20-7:8);
Keep YHVH’s commandments (Deu 4:40 and 7:11).
This leaves Deu 4:41-6:3 in the center of the parashah, with Deu 3:23-29 as a loose end on the front.
I also saw that Deu 4, particularly vs. 25-31, on the front end of Deuteronomy, pairs with Deu 30 on the back end. One of the pairs of the single chiastic structure formed by Deuteronomy. Isn’t God’s word amazing!
Leave a Reply