Was there a Palistrophe on the ark?

One of the 5 keys to help us interpret the Bible is to be aware of the different literary styles in the many writings there. Some parts of the Bible are narratives (stories), some are poetry, some are historical accounts, some letters, etc. Knowing what we are reading can be a big aid to our understanding.

Additionally, being able to recognize various writing techniques can also help us gain understanding. Yesterday I discussed idioms. Today’s topic is the chiasmus or palistrophe.

A chiasmus (ki- az’ mus) is a writing or speaking technique wherein a topic is arranged so that two elements are discussed first in one order, then in the exact opposite order. For example:

“I entered the room and turned on the light. Then I turned off the light and left the room.”

This is a chiasmus.  There are only two pairs, told forwards and then again backwards.  This can be recognized in a code: ABBA.

When there are more than two on each side, then the name of the technique is different. Palistrophe (sounds similar to “apostrophe”). There is no limit to how many individual components can be included, as long as they re repeated in reverse order on the other side.

An example of a palistrophe is in the story of the flood: There are up to 15 different elements on both sides leading up to and away from the central line “God remembered Noah.” Read Genesis 6:10 through 9:19. See if you can recognize them all. (They are included at the end here, in case you don’t have your Bible handy.)

The reason the Bible makes use of these types of techniques is two-fold. First, it draws attention to a central passage. One can easily see the importance of the middle verse “God Remembered Noah” in this palistrophe.

Secondly, we must recall that the Bible stories weren’t written down at first. Instead, they were passed down orally, from generation to generation. The palistrophe technique served as a memory aid, a nmemonic.  (Imagine learning the alphabet forward and then backwards. Same kind of aid.)

Here, then is the palistrophe in the flood story:

A  Noah (6:10a) [P]

B    Shem, Ham, and Japeth (6:10b) [P]

C      ark to be built (6:14-16) [P]

D        flood announced (6:17) [P]

E          covenant with Noah (6:18-20) [P]

F            food in the ark (6:21) [P]

G              command to enter ark (7:1-3) [J]

H                7 days waiting for flood (7:4-5) [J]

I                  7 days waiting for flood (7:7-10) [J]

J                    entry into ark (7:11-15) [P/J]

K                      Yahweh shut Noah in (7:16) [J]

L                        40 days flood (7:17a) [P]

M                          waters increase (7:17b-18) [J/P]

N                            mountains covered (7:19-20) [P]

O                              150 days water prevailed (7:21-24) [P/J/P]

P                                GOD REMEMBERED NOAH (8:1) [P]

o                              150 days water abated (8:3) [P]

n                            mountain tops visible (8:4-5) [P]

m                          waters abate (8:5) [P]

l                        40 days (end of) (8:6a) [J]

k                      Noah opens windows of ark (8:6b) [J]

j                    raven and dove leave ark (8:7-9) [J]

i                  7 days waiting for waters to subside (8:10-11) [J]

h                7 days waiting for waters to subside (8:12-13) [J/P/J]

g              command to leave the ark (8:15-17, or 22) [P, or P/J]

f            food outside ark (9:1-4) [P]

e          covenant with all flesh (9:8-10) [P]

d        no flood in future (9:11-17) [P]

c      ark (9:18a) [J]

b    Shem, Ham and Japeth (9:19b) [J]

a  Noah (9:19) [J]


So now you know a little more about the Holy Bible!