This is the fourth in a series of biblical summaries derived from David Dorsey's book, The Literary Structure of the Old Testament:
a primeval history: the nations receive their allotted territories (Gen. 1-11)
b Abraham (Gen. 12:1-21:7)
c Isaac and death of Israel's founding father, Abraham (Gen. 21:8-28:4)
d Jacob: a story illustrating evils of social and family discord (Gen. 28:5-37:1)
e Joseph: a story of how God rewards faithful obedience (Gen. 37:2-50:26)
f exodus from Egypt (Exod. 1:1-13:16)
g failure and divine grace in the wilderness (Exod. 13:17-19:2)
CENTER: treaty at Sinai (Exod. 19:3-Num. 10:10)
g' failure and divine grace in the wilderness (Num. 10:11-21:20)
f' victory in Moab (Num. 21:21-Deut. 3:29)
e' call to obedience; based on lessons from history (Deut. 4-11)
d' laws for stability and justice in society and families (Deut. 12-26)
c' Moses' final words and death of Israel's other founding father, Moses (Deut. 27-34)
b' conquest of Canaan (Josh. 1-12)
a' allotment of land of Canaan to Israel (Josh. 13-24)
(Dorsey, 101)
The 'a' pattern illustrates the parallel qualities of Genesis and Joshua. In Genesis, nations' have territory according to their families. Later, Israel has territories according to their families. Earlier, we are introduced to Israel's ancestor's in Mesopotamia: Terah, Nahor, and Abraham. Later, we are reminded of these same three ancestors. This all suggests that while the nations have their respective lands, this story chronicles how the descendants of Abraham came to live in their respective land.
The 'b' pattern shows the promise to Abraham being fulfilled. In the first section, God promises to give Canaan to Abraham's descendants. In the second section, this is fulfilled. In the first section, Abraham builds altars in Shechem, between Bethel and Ai, and in Hebron. In the second section, Israel builds an altar in Shechem, and wins battles in Ai and Hebron. This suggests that Israel is seeing the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham, and even walking in Abraham's footsteps as they see it.
The 'c' pattern focuses on death and life. In the first section, Sarah, Abraham, and Ishmael die. Isaac is near death when Abraham brings him to Mount Moriah for the sacrifice. In the second section, Moses dies, and also holds out life and death to the Israelites depending on whether they obey. In the first section, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and Esau all receive blessings. In the second section, Moses holds out blessings for obedient Israel. This suggests the significance of figures like Abraham and Moses in God's providential plan, as these sections contain their final words, deaths, and burials.
The 'd' pattern links the stories of Jacob's family and laws concerning families. The first section, Jacob's section, is a story of social and family strife, murder, lying, theft, and in the case of Laban's abuse of Jacob, the mistreatment of aliens and the disadvantaged. In the second section, there are laws to counter each of these things. In the first section, we encounter a story of an unloved wife, hired man, younger and older siblings, and birthrights. In the second, we find laws covering each of these things. This suggests that the chaos and wrongdoing that Jacob's family experienced are also the subject of the Deuteronomy laws that will bring peace and order to society.
The 'e' pattern shows how in the same way Joseph's obedience is rewarded with faithfulness, Israel's obedience will as well. In the second section, Moses points out that when Israel was obedient to God, they were blessed, but when they disobeyed, they were punished. Joseph, the subject of the first section, is a great example of this. Despite all the sins committed against Joseph, he remains faithful to God, and he is rewarded for this. This underscores the importance of obeying God.
The 'f' pattern relates Israel's earlier experience in Egypt to their later experience in Moab. In both cases, God saves Israel in a foreign land. In both sections, a foreign king fears Israel is too numerous, calls magicians to oppose Israel, which fails. This reinforces the theme of God's great power.
The 'g' pattern relates Israel's wandering in the wilderness before Sinai to their wandering in the wilderness after Sinai. Both sections feature Israel in migrations. Both show meetings between Moses and his father-in-law Jethro. Finally, both evoke themes of Israel's complaining and God provides water from a rock, manna, and quail in both sections. All this suggests that God's covenant with Israel is not based on their righteous, since they complained and quarreled all the way to Sinai and from Sinai.
Finally, at the center is the Treaty of Sinai. The Treaty guards the very central, climactic event of the whole Book of the Law: the glory of God entering and filling the sanctuary. Dorsey writes: "Yahweh's remarkable act of tabernacling among his people, then, represents the climax of the climax. It is the central point, the bottom line, of the entire Book of the Law. Almighty God has taken up his abode among humankind, among the people of Israel. All else in the book and in Israel's history leads toward or derives from this central truth." (Dorsey, 102)
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