Moses now brings his call to decision to a climatic conclusion by challenging Israel to reflect on the uniqueness of her experience in the exodus and at Sinai, and what this means for her walk with Yahweh. While this passage is composed of the three units—C' (vv32-34), B' (vv35-38), and A' (vv39-40)—of the chiastic structure that frames the last part of Moses' first address,♦ it is also a literary unit, consisting of three logical parts:
A. Challenge, vv32-34,
B. Affirmation, vv35-38,
C. Summons, vv39-40.
The opening challenge to Israel calls on her to reflect on the uniqueness of her past experience—"Ask now . . . ask . . ." (v32-34). This is followed by an affirmation, in which the significance of her experience is explained (vv35-38). Vv39-40 concludes the passage with a summon to obedience. The three parts, however, are also bound together by a number of repeating words—"heaven" (v32 [twice], 36, 39), "earth/land" (v32, 36, 38, 39) "great" (v32, 34, 36, 37, 38) "fire" (v33, 36 [twice]), "hear" (v32, 33 & 36 [twice]), and "day" (v32 [twice]), 38, 39, 40 [thrice])—that reconnect the parts in different complex configurations. First, the three parts are bound together as a literary unit by an overarching chiastic frame, climaxing on the affirmation that Yahweh is Israel's God and there is no other (v35):
A. Ask . . . from the day (ywm) God created man on earth, ('rts). . . from one end of heavens (shmym) to the other . . . v32,
B. Has any god tried to take . . . one nation (gwy) out of another . . . by great (gdl) and awesome deeds? v34,
C. . . . like all the things Yahweh did for you in Egypt? v34,
D. You were shown (r') these things so that you may know . . . v35,
E. Yahweh he is God, and there is no other, v35,
D'. He showed (r') you his great fire, v36,
C'. he [Yahweh] brought you out of Egypt, v37,
B'. . . . by his great (gdl) strength . . . to drive out before you nations (gwym) . . . greater (gdl ) and stronger than you, v38a,
A'. Acknowledge and take to heart this day (ywm) that Yahweh is God in the heavens (shmym) above and on the earth ('rts) below, v39.
Low Chai Hok
©Alberith, 2019