Pattern Analysis

Frequencies for All Literary Devices

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This frequency chart shows the consistency of forty (40) literary devices across nine (9) genres. Consistency is seen by reading horizontally across after each literary device, comparing each genre with the column labeled Mean: All Genres. The mean for the entire Bible is presented in that second column from the right. Sample computation: there are 14 instances where the literary device ABSENCE appears in the 209 literary units of the Torah. That computes to 7% which is 0.07, the value shown.

Literary
Device
Torah		 Non
Torah		 Poetry+
Wisdom		 Major
Prophets		 Minor
Prophets		 Synoptic
Gospels		 Johannine
Books		 Paul’s
Epistles		 Other
Writings		 Mean: All
Genres		 Total
Devices
Absence

An intentional omission of an element in a chiasm or parallel symmetry, indicating something is missing.

 0.07 0.07 0.03 0.05 0.03 0.03 0.09 0.01 0.05 0.05 66
Amplification

Often applies to immediate repetitions; the second part embellishes the first.

 0.23 0.31 0.17 0.27 0.31 0.28 0.24 0.30 0.13 0.25 341
Beginning Marker

Indicates the start of a new literary unit.

 0.88 0.91 0.90 0.95 0.92 0.91 0.96 0.89 0.98 0.91 1257
Center Point

An emphasis or turning point that is at the logical center of a structure, often an X.

 1.33 1.49 1.19 1.55 1.02 0.99 1.39 1.21 1.29 1.30 1782
Chiasm

An A-B-C-X-C'-B'-A' or A-B-C-C'-B'-A' arrangement; a repetition of similar ideas in the reverse sequence.

 0.31 0.31 0.37 0.31 0.25 0.32 0.37 0.43 0.41 0.34 464
Chiasm (Imperfect)

An asymmetric chiasm where the symmetry is altered with an absence, extra, or transposition.

 0.12 0.17 0.09 0.12 0.20 0.11 0.22 0.10 0.12 0.13 179
Chiasm Substructure

A chiastic-shaped sub-unit of an element, may be asymmetric.

 1.06 1.12 0.70 1.05 0.61 0.48 0.91 0.72 0.82 0.86 1183
Closing Summary

An emphatic summarization that concludes a basic structure.

 0.70 0.68 0.62 0.70 0.81 0.70 0.68 0.67 0.76 0.69 947
Comparison

Two or more elements or sequences have emphatic similarity of themes.

 0.05 0.08 0.04 0.07 0.17 0.04 0.11 0.12 0.13 0.07 103
Composite

The combination of two or three basic structures within a literary unit.

 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.02 0.01 7
Contrast

Two corresponding elements or sequences with emphatically opposing themes.

 0.24 0.37 0.34 0.40 0.24 0.29 0.36 0.41 0.50 0.34 471
Correlation Of Sequences

An emphatic comparison or contrast of conjugate pairs within a chiasm or parallel symmetry.

 0.11 0.10 0.09 0.17 0.08 0.14 0.11 0.13 0.07 0.12 160
Corresponding Elements

An emphatic comparison or contrast of elements in a conjugate pair.

 0.51 0.73 0.49 0.76 0.71 0.64 0.88 0.75 0.72 0.66 905
Ending Marker

Marks the end of a structure or substructure.

 0.27 0.30 0.08 0.17 0.08 0.09 0.13 0.04 0.20 0.17 229
Extra

An emphatic element that was intentionally inserted into a chiasm or parallel symmetry.

 0.32 0.39 0.15 0.33 0.22 0.20 0.37 0.14 0.21 0.27 367
First/first

Applies to parallel symmetries; an emphasis in the two A elements.

 0.29 0.34 0.34 0.41 0.34 0.18 0.28 0.25 0.24 0.30 417
First/last

Applies to chiasms; an emphasis in the two A elements.

 0.83 0.98 0.78 1.01 0.59 0.57 0.86 0.76 0.84 0.82 1130
Frame

The repetition of a theme, usually near the beginning and end of a structure or substructure.

 0.69 0.59 0.37 0.52 0.39 0.34 0.38 0.34 0.30 0.47 642
Immediate Repetition

An A-A'-B-B' or A-A'-B-B'-C-C' type of arrangement.

 0.07 0.11 0.17 0.16 0.15 0.09 0.08 0.15 0.06 0.12 163
Immediate Repetition Substructure

A sub-unit within an element, shaped like a-a'-b-b'.

 0.66 0.65 0.63 0.78 0.41 0.32 0.33 0.52 0.24 0.56 766
Imperative

An element with an imperative verb that indicates a strong directive or command.

 0.23 0.20 0.71 0.32 0.19 0.36 0.36 0.42 0.24 0.36 489
Intensification

An escalation of themes from beginning to end of a parallel sequence, or outside to middle in a chiasm.

 0.06 0.04 0.04 0.07 0.10 0.03 0.08 0.08 0.06 0.06 77
Interjection

The word behold which points to important words that follow.

 0.16 0.10 0.05 0.32 0.31 0.10 0.14 0.04 0.02 0.13 179
Last/last

Applies to parallel symmetries; an emphasis in the last conjugate pair.

 0.61 0.63 0.41 0.72 0.46 0.56 0.58 0.36 0.41 0.55 750
Link

An association of emphasis from an Old Testament pericope into the New.

 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.70 0.34 0.77 1.05 0.72 335
List

An A-B-C-D-E or 1-2-3-4-5 type of sequence&msdash;must have three elements.

 0.10 0.05 0.06 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.03 0.02 0.01 0.05 63
List Substructure

An a-b-c-d-e or 1-2-3-4-5 shaped sub-unit within an element.

 0.91 0.52 0.60 0.56 0.61 0.17 0.13 0.66 0.34 0.54 736
Opening Summary

A summarization that appears near the beginning of a basic structure.

 0.08 0.12 0.13 0.16 0.10 0.10 0.16 0.18 0.11 0.12 171
Parallel Symmetry

A step-like A-B-C-X-A'-B'-C' or A-B-C-A'-B'-C' arrangement.

 0.24 0.22 0.22 0.22 0.27 0.32 0.17 0.23 0.21 0.24 325
Parallel Symmetry (Imperfect)

An asymmetric parallel symmetry with an absence, extra, or transposition.

 0.15 0.14 0.09 0.15 0.08 0.14 0.12 0.07 0.16 0.13 174
Parallel Symmetry Substructure

A step-like sub-unit within an element, may be asymmetric.

 0.77 0.79 0.33 0.77 0.51 0.45 0.53 0.34 0.48 0.58 796
Parenthesis

An emphatic annotation to the text that explains tangential yet relevant information.

 0.02 0.05 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.05 0.00 0.04 0.02 28
Preliminary

Background information normally located near the beginning of the pericope.

 0.57 0.76 0.22 0.45 0.31 0.64 0.54 0.31 0.60 0.51 698
Question

An emphatic request for clarification to another, or a rhetorical question.

 0.05 0.06 0.18 0.09 0.22 0.32 0.20 0.15 0.20 0.15 200
Repeated Phrase

The restatement of the same words or theme within a literary unit.

 0.12 0.04 0.10 0.05 0.12 0.05 0.05 0.01 0.02 0.06 88
Structure Split

The continuation of a literary unit at a later point in the book.

 0.15 0.22 0.01 0.05 0.02 0.23 0.05 0.11 0.06 0.12 164
Substructure Summary

An emphasis at the beginning or end of a substructure.

 1.62 1.51 1.09 1.59 1.08 0.71 0.96 1.11 0.78 1.23 1696
Sub-unit Marker

A marker within a literary unit, not at the beginning or end. Often at the start of a substructure.

 2.29 1.94 0.97 2.40 1.59 1.30 1.39 0.78 1.37 1.63 2235
Transposition

An emphatic re-ordering of elements from their normal order in a chiasm or parallel symmetry.

 0.19 0.21 0.10 0.20 0.15 0.13 0.16 0.07 0.20 0.16 218
Variation

When two otherwise corresponding elements have somewhat different themes.

 0.14 0.13 0.02 0.05 0.07 0.06 0.08 0.00 0.02 0.07 96
 
Literary Units Analyzed 207 249 224 172 59 184 76 122 82 1375
Verses Remaining to be Analyzed 0 0 0 607 0 0 0 0 0

Updated on 11/6/2026