Ezekiel 22:6-13 = 22:25-29 chiasm
element B, B'

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NOTE:
        The layout of the following structure is rather unique and doesn't follow a typical chiastic or parallel sequence, but rather, repeats various points without any particular sequence.   Nevertheless, there is a definite repetition of points made in the beginning of the chapter with points made at the end of the chapter, with the exception of the first phrase coming into the last half, thus placing strong emphasis on that phrast:  "There is a conspiracy!"   One of the primary reasons the people of the God are in such hot water with the Lord is because they have failed to adequately sound the warning voice both among themselves and to the world at large about the threat posed by a modern secret combination that seeks to overthrow the freedom of all lands nations and countries.  This chiasm not only refutes their complacency, but points the finger of blame for accountability in a way that would make any Sunday School student shudder.  A scripture dodger might try to get away with saying this is not talking about them, but that it is talking about the Jews anciently.  However, the very strong wording correlation between this chapter and Zephaniah 3, which is very clearly talking about the latter days, does not let the honest in heart get themselves of the hook.    This is us he is talking about.

Quoting:

B

. . -1a v6 Behold, the ^aprinces of Israel, every one

. . . -1b were in thee

. . . . . . -2a to their power to shed blood.

. . . -1b v7 In thee

. . -1a have ^athey

. . . . . . . . -2b set light by father and mother:

. . . -1b in the midst of thee

. . -1a have ^athey

. . . . . . . . . . -2c dealt by oppression with the stranger:

. . . -1b in thee

. . -1a have ^athey

. . . . . . . . . . . . -2d vexed the fatherless and the widow.

. . . -1a v8 ^bThou

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2e hast ^adespised ^bmine holy things,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2e and hast ^aprofaned ^cmy sabbaths.

. . . -1b v9 In thee

. . -1a are ^cmen

. . . . . . -2a that carry tales to shed blood:

. . . -1b and in thee

. . -1a ^cthey

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2f eat upon the mountains:

. . . -1b in the midst of thee

. . -1a ^cthey

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2g commit lewdness.

. . . -1b v10 In thee

. . -1a have ^cthey

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2g discovered their fathers' nakedness:

. . . -1b in thee

. . -1a have ^cthey

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2g humbled her that was set apart for pollution.

. . -1a v11 And ^cone

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2g hath committed abomination with his neighbour's wife;

. . -1a and ^canother

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2g hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law;

. . -1a and ^canother

. . . -1b in thee

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2g hath humbled his sister, his father's daughter.

. . . -1b v12 In thee

. . -1a have ^cthey

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2h taken gifts

. . . . . . -2a to shed blood;

. . -1a {back up to first 1a} ^bthou

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2h hast taken usury and increase,  {see word study on Utah and usury}

. . -1a and ^bthou

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2h hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2j and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2i  v13 Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2h at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made,

. . . . . . -2a and at thy blood which hath been

. . . -1b in the midst of thee.

(Ezekiel 22:14-24 go here, including focal chiasm.)

B'

. . . . . . -2 v25 There is a conspiracy   [Compare  Isa. 28:15 = 2 Ne. 28:3 parallel]
                        [compare wording in vs. 25-28 here with the same wording in Zephaniah 3:3,4]

. . -1a {see 2nd 1a}   of ^dher prophets   [Compare Isa. 28:7 = 2 Ne. 28:21 parallel]

. . . -1b in the midst thereof,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2i like a roaring lion ravening the prey;

. . -1a ^dthey

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2i have devoured souls;

. . -1a ^dthey

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2h have taken the treasure and precious things;

. . -1a ^dthey

. . . . . . . . . . . . -2d have made her many widows

. . . -1b in the midst thereof.

. . -1a v26 ^eHer priests

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2e have ^aviolated my law,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2e and have ^aprofaned ^bmine holy things:

. . -1a ^ethey

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2e have put no difference between the holy and ^aprofane,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2e neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2e and have hid their eyes from ^cmy sabbaths,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2e and I am ^aprofaned among them.

. . -1a v27 ^aHer princes

. . . -1b in the midst thereof

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2i are like wolves ravening the prey,

. . . . . . -2a to shed blood,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2i and to destroy souls,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2h to get dishonest gain.

. . -1a v28 And ^dher prophets

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2j have daubed them with untempered mortar,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2j seeing vanity,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2j and divining lies unto them,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2j saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken.

. . -1a v29 ^fThe people of the land

. . . . . . . . . . -2c have used oppression,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2h and exercised robbery,

. . . . . . . . . . . . -2d and have vexed the poor and needy:

. . -1a yea, ^fthey

. . . . . . . . . . -2c have oppressed the stranger wrongfully.

end

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by Sterling D. Allan; Tucson, Arizona; February 13, 1995

Download WP.zip file for Ezk. 22   chiasm element B, B'

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