Pattern Analysis for Genesis 9:8-17

Pattern Analysis Methodology

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Rhetoric

There are three places of emphasis in this IMPERFECT CHIASM:

1) The OPENING SUMMARY establishes the covenant: all flesh shall never again be cut off by the water of the flood, neither shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth. As one of the covenants that the Lord made with mankind, it is clearly emphatic.

2) The X CENTER POINT, verse 15B, states: Never again shall a flood destroy all flesh. That repeats a portion of the emphasis in the opening summary.

3) The lack of text in the B′ element points to the importance of the EXTRA B element, verse 13. B identifies that the bow in the cloud shall be the sign of the covenant.

Structured Themes

CHIASM (IMPERFECT):

... the Noahic covenant ...

a divine oracle

BEGINNING MARKER:  ____ ___ _____ __ ____ ___ __ ___ ____ ____ ____ _______ ____ _______  (v8,9A) 

OPENING SUMMARY: the covenant promise

SUM 

_ ______ __ _________ __ ________ ____ ____ ___ ____ ____ ___________ _____ ____ ___ ____ _____ ______ ________ ____ __ ____ ____ ___ ______ ___ _______ ___ _____ _____ __ ___ _____ ____ ____ __ ___ ____ _____ ___ __ ___ ____ ____ _____ _____ __ ___ ______ _ _________ __ ________ ____ ____ ___ ___ _____ _____ _____ _____ __ ___ ___ __ ___ _____ __ ___ ______ _______ _____ _____ _____ __ _ _____ __ _______ ___ _______  (v9B-11)

the sign of the covenant with you all

___ _____ _____ __ ___ ____ __ ___ ________ _____ _ __ ______ _______ __ ___ ___ ___ _____ ______ ________ ____ __ ____ ____ ___ ___ __________ ____________  (v12)

EXTRA: My bow shall be a sign of that covenant

_ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ______ ___ __ _____ __ ___ _ ____ __ _ ________ _______ __ ___ ___ ______  (v13)

when I see the bow, I will remember My covenant

___ _____ ____ ______ ____ _ _____ _ _____ ____ ___ ______ ____ ___ ___ ____ __ ____ __ ___ ______ ___ _ ____ ________ __ _________ _____ __ _______ __ ___ ___ ___ _____ ______ ________ __ ___ ______  (v14,15A)

the water shall never become a flood to destroy all flesh

___ _____ _____ _____ ___ _____ ______ _ _____ __ _______ ___ ______  (v15B)

when I see the bow, I will remember My covenant

C′ 

_____ ___ ___ __ __ ___ ______ ____ _ ____ ____ ____ ___ __ ________ ___ ___________ ________ _______ ___ ___ _____ ______ ________ __ ___ _____ ____ __ __ ___ _______  (v16)

no text

B′ 

the sign of the covenant with you all

A′ 

___ ___ ____ __ _____ _____ __ ___ ____ __ ___ ________ _____ _ ____ ___________ _______ __ ___ ___ _____ ____ __ __ ___ _______  (v17)