This post is stimulated by Joe’s comment on Joshua 1. Here is a chiastic structure that straddles Joshua and Judges.
Notice first that there is repetition with inversion in the following passages.
Joshua 24:29-31
A. (29) And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old. (30) And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash.
B.(31) And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.
Judges 2:7-9
B’. (7) And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel.
A’. (8) And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old. (9) And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.
Is it possible that there is a grand chiasm including these passages?
A. Josh 24:29-30 Death and burial of Joshua.
29) And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old. (30) And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash.
B. Josh 24:31 worship continues in those who remember Joshua.
(31) And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.
C. Joshua 24:32 the inheritance of the children of Joseph.
And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver:and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.
[v33. death of Eleazar and burial in Joseph’s territory]
D. Judges 1:1-3 Judah asks Simeon for help.
… (3) And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot
E. Judges 1:4-9 Judah possesses the south.
… (9) And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley.
F. Judges 1:11-15 Achsah daughter of Caleb.
E’. Judges 1:16 Judah possesses the south.
And the children of the Kenite, Moses ‘father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.
D’. Judges 1:17-21 Simeon helps Judah.
(17) And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites …
C’. Judges 1:22-35 The inheritance of the children of Joseph.
(22) And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel:and the Lord was with them. (23) And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel … (35) yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tributaries. And the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward.
[2:1-6 Angelic warning to Israel]
B’. Judges 2:6-7 Worship continues in those who remember Joshua.
… (7) And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel.
A’. Judges 2:8-9 Death and burial of Joshua.
(8) And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old. (9) And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.
(Note: The centre of this pattern, Judges 1:11-15, is the strange account of Achsah the daughter of Caleb. The passage is an exact repeat of Joshua 15:15-19. What is the spiritual lesson? My suggestion is that women are vital to the survival of a faithful remnant in Israel during the time of the Judges, and Achsah’s desire for a blessing of spring’s of water speaks of thirst for the word of God.)