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In this IMPERFECT PARALLEL SYMMETRY, the Lord used the illustration of two animals for each mammal, bird and snake as an example of how mankind should be designed. In verse 4, the root of the Hebrew word Nephilim is foolish for they had many wives and many children. They were not of God′s design, one man and one woman. But Noah had but three children and he took on the ark his one wife and his sons and his son′s wives.
1) The parallel symmetry substructure in the EXTRA B element is a discrete way of presenting God′s problem. Because there is no text in the B′ element, it opens the inspection of B for greater discernment. In the LAST/LAST b elements, the men took many wives for themselves, which could be construed as one man with many women. The b′ element identifies these as both young and older men. That is the wickedness that the Lord saw in verse 5.
2) The LAST/LAST elements, D and D′, identify that the Lord is not only grieved at the wickedness but is intent on destroying them. That is, the Lord was so very upset with this wickedness that He decided to start again. The law of Moses had not yet been established so man could not be expected to follow that. But the idea of one man with one woman was the Lord′s expectation, even from Genesis 2. The FIRST/LAST a elements in verses 6:13 and 17B about destruction of the people begin with the INTERJECTION Behold. The way of those being destroyed are those of the flesh.
3) The CLOSING SUMMARY is a chiasm substructure. The FIRST/LAST elements a to a′ are about covenant for Noah did everything that the Lord commanded him to do. At the x CENTER POINT of that chiasm, the animals are presented.
PARALLEL SYMMETRY (IMPERFECT):
... the Lord cursed and destroyed the corrupt people ...
a genealogy marker
BEGINNING MARKER: ____ ___ ____ _______ _____ ____ (v5:32A)
Noah was the father of three
A
___ ____ ______ ___ ______ __ _____ ____ ___ ________ (v5:32B)
a change of time
sub-unit marker: ___ __ ____ ______ (v6:1A)
men bore children
a
____ ___ _____ __ ________ __ ___ ____ __ ___ _____ ___ _________ ____ ____ __ _____ (v6:1B)
problem: the men took many wives
b
____ ___ ____ __ ___ ___ ____ ___ _________ __ ___ ____ __________ ___ ____ ____ _____ ___ ___________ ________ ____ ______ (v6:2)
man′s days shall not exceed 120 years
x
____ ___ ____ _____ ___ ______ _____ ___ ______ ____ ___ ________ _______ __ ____ __ ______ ____________ ___ ____ _____ __ ___ _______ ___ ______ _______ (v6:3)
the fools (children of God) bore children
a′
___ ________ ____ __ ___ _____ __ _____ _____ ___ ____ __________ ____ ___ ____ __ ___ ____ __ __ ___ _________ __ ____ ___ ____ ____ ________ __ _____ (v6:4A)
these were old, well-known men
b′
_____ ____ ___ ______ ___ ___ ____ __ ____ ___ __ _______ (v6:4B)
the Lord saw the corruption
C
____ ___ ____ ___ ____ ___ __________ __ ___ ___ _____ __ ___ ______ ___ ____ _____ ______ __ ___ ________ __ ___ _____ ___ ____ ____ ____________ (v6:5)
grieved, the Lord will blot out man from the earth
D
___ ____ ___ _____ ____ __ ___ ____ ___ __ ___ ______ ___ __ ___ _______ __ ___ ______ ___ ____ _____ __ ____ ____ ___ ___ ____ _ ____ _______ ____ ___ ____ __ ___ _____ ____ ___ __ _______ __ ________ ______ ___ __ _____ __ ___ ____ ___ _ __ _____ ____ _ ____ ____ ______ (v6:6,7)
Noah had the Lord′s favor
X
___ ____ _____ _____ __ ___ ____ __ ___ _____ (v6:8)
a genealogy marker
SUB-UNIT MARKER: _____ ___ ___ _______ __ ___ ___________ __ _____ (v6:9A)
righteous Noah was the father of three
A′
____ ___ _ _________ ____ _________ __ ___ _____ ____ ______ ____ ____ ____ ______ ___ ______ __ _____ _____ _____ ____ ___ ________ (v6:9B,10)
no text
B′
God saw the corruption and violence
C′
___ ___ _____ ___ _______ __ ___ _____ __ ____ ___ ___ _____ ___ ______ ____ _________ ___ ______ __ ___ ______ ___ _______ __ ___ ________ ___ ___ _____ ___ _________ _____ ___ ____ ___ ______ (v6:11,12)
the Lord will destroy man from the earth
a
____ ___ ____ __ _____ ____ ___ __ ___ _____ ___ ____ ______ ___ ___ ___ _____ __ ______ ____ ________ _______ __ _____ ___ _______ _ __ _____ __ _______ ____ ____ ___ ______ (v6:13)
protection for the ark
b
_____ ___ ________ __ ___ __ ______ _____ ___ _____ ____ ___ ___ ____ ______ ___ _____ _____ __ ______ ___ ___ ____ ______ (v6:14)
size of the ark
x
_____ __ ___ ___ _____ ____ ___ ___ ______ __ ___ ___ _____ _______ _______ ___ _______ _____ _______ ___ ___ ______ ______ _______ (v6:15)
layout of the ark
b′
____ _____ ____ _ ______ ___ ___ ____ ___ ______ __ __ _ _____ ____ ___ ____ ___ ___ ___ ____ __ ___ ___ __ ___ ____ __ ___ ___ _____ ____ __ ____ ______ _______ ___ _____ ______ (v6:16)
an interjection
sub-unit marker: ________ (v6:17A)
the Lord will destroy all earth
a′
__ ____ _ __ ________ ___ _____ __ _____ ____ ___ ______ __ _______ ___ _____ __ _____ __ ___ ______ __ _____ ____ _____ _______ __________ ____ __ __ ___ _____ _____ _______ (v6:17B)
the Lord will preserve Noah by covenant
a
____ _ ____ _________ __ ________ ____ ____ (v6:18A)
family shall enter the ark
b
___ ___ _____ _____ ___ ________ ___ ____ ____ ___ ____ _____ ___ ____ _____ _____ ____ ____ (v6:18B)
two of everything shall enter
x
____ __ _____ ______ _____ __ ___ ______ ___ _____ _____ ___ __ _____ ____ ____ ___ ____ __ ____ ____ _____ ____ ____ ____ _____ __ ____ ___ _______ __ ___ _____ _____ _____ _____ ___ __ ___ _______ _____ _____ _____ __ _____ ________ _____ __ ___ ______ _____ ___ _____ ___ __ _____ ____ ____ ____ __ ___ __ ____ ____ ______ (v6:19,20)
take food onto the ark
b′
___ ___ ____ ____ ___ ________ ____ __ ___ ____ _____ __ _______ ___ ______ __ __ _________ ___ __ _____ __ ___ ____ ___ ___ ___ ___ ______ (v6:21)
Noah obeyed God′s covenantal commands
a′
____ ____ ____ _________ __ ___ ____ ___ ___ _________ ____ __ __ ____ (v6:22)