What is a chiasm / chiastic structure in the Bible?

Response

A chiasmus (also known as a chiasm) is a literary device where a sequence of ideas is presented and then repeated in reverse order, creating a “mirror” effect as the ideas are reflected back in a passage. Each idea is linked to its reflection by a repeated word, often in a related form. The term chiasmus originates from the Greek letter chi, resembling our letter X. The chiastic pattern is also referred to as a “ring structure.”

The format of a chiasmus is typically conveyed through a series of letters, with each letter representing a new idea. For instance, the pattern ABBA signifies two ideas (A and B) repeated in reverse (B and A) order. Frequently, a chiasmus incorporates an additional idea in the middle of the repetition: ABXBA. In this format, two ideas (A and B) are repeated in reverse order, with a third idea inserted before the repetition (X), drawing emphasis due to its placement.

Some chiasms are straightforward. The popular phrase “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” is an example of chiasmus. The words “going” and “tough” are repeated in reverse order in the latter part of the sentence, following the ABBA structure. Another instance of a chiasmus, also following the ABBA structure, is Benjamin Franklin’s saying “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Some chiasms are more intricate, extending across entire poems.

Numerous passages in the Bible demonstrate chiastic structure. For instance, Jesus’ statement in Mark 2:27 follows a chiasmus format: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Using the ABBA form, the words “Sabbath” and “man” are repeated in reverse order. Matthew 23:12 provides another illustration.

A more extensive chiasmus is evident in Joel 3:17–21, comprising seven parts structured as ABCXCBA. The passage reads:

“‘Then you will know that I, the Lord your God,

   dwell in Zion, my holy hill.

Jerusalem will be holy;

Never again will foreigners invade her.

In that day the mountains will drip new wine,

and the hills will flow with milk;

all the ravines of Judah will run with water.

A fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house

and will water the valley of acacias.

But Egypt will be desolate,

Edom a desert waste,

because of violence done to the people of Judah,

in whose land they shed innocent blood.

Judah will be inhabited forever

and Jerusalem through all generations.

Shall I leave their innocent blood unavenged?

No, I will not.

The Lord dwells in Zion!”

The ideas presented in this prophecy follow this arrangement:

A – God dwells in Zion (verse 17a)

B – Jerusalem is holy (verse 17b)

C – Foreign invaders are banished (verse 17c)

X – The blessings of the Kingdom (verse 18)

C – Foreign enemies are destroyed (verse 19)

B – Jerusalem and Judah are preserved (verses 20–21a)

A – God dwells in Zion (verse 21b)

Other passages that provide examples of chiasms include Ecclesiastes 11:3–12:2; Genesis 6–9; Amos 5:4–6a; Isaiah 1:21–26; and Joshua 1:5–9. Chiastic patterns in the Bible are just one more example of the richness and complexity of God’s inspired Word.