“Arch/trajectory structure” in Isaiah

Note: I have just came across this  interesting way of thinking about chiasmus in J A Motyer’s commentary on “The Prophecy of Isaiah”, IVP, 1993,. He proposes that chiastic structures are a key to the prophecy, but he doesn’t use the word,. Instead he refers to “the arch/trajectory structure” and says that it very often undercuts “allegations of intrusive material and adding literary dynamic to interpretation”.  He gives as his source for this idea the work of JWD Watts, 1985.

Watts on the Arch structure

2 thoughts on ““Arch/trajectory structure” in Isaiah”

  1. Isaiah chapter 40-66
    a40:1-40:31◆Promise of Return
    b41:1-41:29◆Judgments
    c42:10-43:7◆Victory of God
      d43:8-44:8◆The Atonement of Israel
      e44:9-44:23◆Atonement of Israel
       f44:24-45:13◆Liberation by Cyrus
       g45:14-45:25◆Shame
        h46:1-46:13◆Babylon’s idol
        i47:1-47:15◆Fall of Babylon
         j48:1-48:22◆fulfillment of prophecy
         k49:1-50:3◆ Mission of the Lord
          l50:4-50:11◆My patience of the Lord
          m51:1-51:23Return to Zion
           n52:1-52:12◆ Lord becomes king
           o52:13-53:12◆Hardship of the Lord
           n’54:1-54:17◆New blessing
          m’55:1-55:13◆Power of the Word
          l’56:1-56:8◆Salvation of Gentiles
         k’56:9-57:13◆Those who do not fear God
         j’57:14-57:21◆The blessing
        i’58:1-58:14◆Road to follow God
        h’59:1-59:21◆What hinders salvation
       g’60:1-60:22◆glory and salvation
       f’61:1-61:11◆Gospel for the poor
      e’62:1-62:12◆Salvation of Zion
      d’63:1-63:6◆Retaliation
    c’63:7-64:11◆Intercession
    b’65:1-65:25◆The promise
    a’66:1-66:24◆The manifestation of glory

  2. Zechariah
    A The word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah (1:1-6)
    B First Vision (1:7-17)
    C Second and Third Visions (1:18-2:13)
    D Fourth and Fifth Visions (3:1-4:14)
    E Sixth and Seventh Visions (5:1-11)
    F Eighth Vision (6:1-8)
    G Declaration of Crowning and Branch (6:9-15)
    H Prophet’s Question (7:1-7)
    I Lord’s Wrath (7:8-14)
    J Zion’s Promise (8:1-8)
    K Seed of Peace (8:9-13)
    L One-shot big reversal (8:14-23)
    K’ Judgment of Israel’s Enemy (9:1-8)
    J’ The arrival of the ruler riding a donkey (9:9-17)
    I’ Rain of Grace (10:1-11:3)
    H’ Two Shepherd Kings (11:4-17)
    G’ Victory of Jerusalem (12:1-6)
    F’ Lamentation of Jerusalem on the stabbed (12:7-13:1)
    E’ Idol destruction, flock of sheep scatter (13:2-9)
    D’ Lord’s Day Battle of the Lord (14:1-3)
    C’ The Second Coming on Mount Olive (14:4-7)
    B’ Battle in Jerusalem (14:8-19)
    A’ Last Victory (14:20-21)

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