Chiasmus Resources

Early commentaries have noted that the chiastic order is dominant in the repeated mention of elements or topics in a verse or chapter of Scripture. (see e.g., R. Abraham Ibn Ezra's commentary on Ex 17:7). The Sages explained this order, which also appears in the Mishna (e.g., the order of topics in Berakhot ch. 1; Shabbath 2:1), according to the principle that ההוא דסליק" ((מיניה ההוא מפרש ברישא, i.e., the last item mentioned is the first to be explained. Thus Ibn Ezra and the Sages consider chiasm to be based on "psychological" attraction. However, in many instances of chiasm in Scripture, the literary approach which views chiasm as a considered literary technique is more convincing. An awareness of this type of chiasm in Scripture will not only enhance one's aesthetic appreciation, but will also reveal the plain meaning of Scripture, removing apparent difficulties in the text and contributing to its exegesis. This article is devoted to several such instances.