APPENDIX A (supplement)

1 Nephi 17:30-42 Chiasm

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        Text sequence is as in the scriptures. Correlations are labeled accordingly (e.g. C-1 goes with C-1). The purpose of indentation is to help locate visibly distant matched pairs. Hyperlinked labels enable navigation back and forth between the matching points.

Quoting:

A-1 v30 And notwithstanding they being led,
A-1 the Lord their God, their Redeemer, going before them,
A-1 leading them by day
A-1 and giving light unto them by night,
. A-2 and doing all things for them which were expedient for man to receive,
. .A-3 they hardened their hearts
. .A-3 and blinded their minds,
. . A-4a and reviled against Moses
. . A-4b and against the true and living God.
. . .A-5 v31 And it came to pass that according to his word he did destroy them;
. . .A-5 and according to his word he did lead them;
. . .A-5 and according to his word he did do all things for them;
. . .A-5 and there was not any thing done save it were by his word.
. . .A-5 v32 And after they had crossed the river Jordan he did make them mighty
. . .A-5 unto the driving out of the children of the land,
. . .A-5 yea, unto the scattering them to destruction.

. . . . B v33 a And now, do ye suppose
. . . . . . . . b that the children of this land, who were in the land of promise, who were driven out by our fathers,
. . . . . . . . . . c do ye suppose that they were righteous?
. . . . . . . . . . . . d Behold, I say unto you, Nay.
. . . . . . a v34 Do ye suppose
. . . . . . . . b that our fathers
. . . . . . . . . . • would have been more choice than they [See 2 Ne. 26:25-28.]
. . . . . . . . . . c if they [those driven out] had been righteous?
. . . . . . . . . . . . d I say unto you, Nay.

. . . . . . . . C-1 v35 Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one;
. . . . . . . . . C-2 he that is righteous is favored of God.
. . . . . . . . . .C-3 But behold, this people had rejected every word of God,
. . . . . . . . . . C-4 and they were ripe in iniquity;
. . . . . . . . . . .C-5 and the fulness of the wrath of God was upon them;
. . . . . . . . . . . C-6a and the Lord did curse the land against them,
. . . . . . . . . . . .C-6b and bless it unto our fathers;
. . . . . . . . . . . C-6a yea, he did curse it against them
. . . . . . . . . . . . C-7 unto their destruction,
. . . . . . . . . . . .C-6b and he did bless it unto our fathers
. . . . . . . . . . . . C-7 unto their obtaining power over it.

. . . . . . . . . . . . D v36 Behold, the Lord hath created the earth
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E that it should be inhabited;
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F and he hath created his children that they should possess it.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-1 v37 And he
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-2 raiseth up
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G-3 a righteous nation
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-4 and destroyeth
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G-5 the nations of the wicked.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-1 v38 And he
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-2 leadeth away
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G-3 the righteous into precious lands,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G-5 and the wicked
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-4 he destroyeth,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F and curseth the land unto them for their sakes.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [See Gen. 3:17 "...cursed is the ground for thy sake...."]
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E v39 He ruleth high in the heavens, for it is his throne,
. . . . . . . . . . . . D and this earth is his footstool. [Compare Num. 14:21.]

. . . . . . . . C-1 v40 And he loveth those who will have him to be their God.
. . . . . . . . . C-2 Behold, he loved our fathers,
. . . . . . . . . . . C-6 and he covenanted with them, yea, even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;
. . . . . . . . . . . C-6 and he remembered the covenants which he had made;
. . . . . . . . . . . . C-7 wherefore, he did bring them out of the land of Egypt.
. . . . . . . . . . .C-5 v41 And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod;
. . . . . . . . . .C-3 for they hardened their hearts, even as ye have;
. . . . . . . . . . C-4 and the Lord straitened them because of their iniquity....

. . . . B v41b i He sent
. . . . . . . . ii fiery flying serpents among them;
. . . . . . . . . . iii and after they
. . . . . . . . . . . . iv were bitten
. . . . . . i he prepared
. . . . . . . . ii a way
. . . . . . . . . . iii that they
. . . . . . . . . . . . iv might be healed;

A-1 and the labor which they had to perform was to look;
. A-2 • and because of the simpleness of the way, • or the easiness of it, there were many who perished.
. .A-3 v42 And they did harden their hearts from time to time,
. . A-4a and they did revile against Moses,
. . A-4b and also against God;
. . .A-5 nevertheless, ye know that they were led forth by his matchless power into the land of promise.

In PDF

by Sterling D. Allan; Mapleton, Utah; Fall, 1988

Commentary:

Correlation A solidifies the juxtaposition of B as presented here. The structural similarity of B further justifies its correlation, each having an internal, four-element parallel. This peculiar match could very well be the apex of this intricate litany of paralleling patterns and cross-references in 1 Nephi 17. The universal requirement of obedience and the inescapable consequences of sin on the one hand, and the simple requirement to look to Jesus Christ on the other. The irrelevance of bloodline to final accountability on one hand, and the unconditional beckoning to all on the other. The blessings and curses based on conformance to God's laws on one hand, and the atoning sacrifice that grants mercy to satisfy the demands of justice on the other. The intercession of prophets based on covenants made to the fathers on the one hand, and the intercession of our Redeemer on the other. The demise of a people ripened in inquity and another people inheriting their land on the one hand, and some looking to the brazen serpent and living while others refuse and perish on the other. Abrahamic promise subduing covenant curse on the one hand, the Savior's atonement overcoming the fall on the other.

Nephi followed up this chiasm with the following statement:

"And now, after all these things, the time has come that they [those of the children of Israel remaining in the land (the kingdom of Judah) at the time Lehi left Jerusalem — 600 B.C.] have become wicked, yea, nearly unto ripeness; and I know not but they are at this day about to be destroyed; for I know that the day must surely come that they must be destroyed, save a few only, who shall be led away into captivity." (1 Ne. 17:43.)

Coming full circle, those who at one point came in to posses the land because its inhabitants had ripened in iniquity, were about to be swept off themselves, having filled their cup of iniquity to brimming. Yet promises are still extended to them for future reinstatement when they will finally look to the Savior of all mankind. With this commentary, the following might be added to the above list of implications: The futility of attempting full righteousness of oneself on the one hand, and the reassurance of divine grace on the other, through which perfection in Christ may be attained.

See also: