Lamentations*

Dorsey (The Literary Structure of the Old Testament, 1999, p 251) suggests a 13 unit chiasmus structure for Lamentations. He offers detailed comparisons between sections.

A. she – Zion – is desolate and devastated (1:1-11)

B. I – Zion – was betrayed and defeated: there is none to help or comfort me (1:12-22)

C. he – Yahweh – has caused this in his anger (2:1-8)

D. they – princes, maidens, nurselings, children, mothers – suffer (2:9-12)

E. you – Zion – should cry out to God (2:13-22)

F. he – Yahweh – has afflicted me (3:1-20)

G. Yahweh’s great love (3:21-32)

F’. he – Yahweh – afflicts humans (3:33-39)

E’. you – Yahweh – to you I cry out (3:40-66)

D’. they – princes, maidens, nurselings, children, mothers – suffer (4:1-10)

C’. he – Yahweh – has caused this in his anger (4:11-16)

B’. we – the people of Zion – were betrayed and defeated (4:17-22)

A’. we – the people of Zion – are desolate and devastated (5:1-22)

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