The previous three blogs looked at story trellises in 1 Samuel 13-14. This next set will focus on three chiasms in the same chapters that overlap the texts of the story trellises. In order to post these blogs quickly, I will keep the discussion to a minimum and let the tables carry the weight of presenting the patterns.
Saul’s Kingdom and Offering Chiasm
The primary setting of the chiasm, shown in element A of Table 5.1, is the kingship of Saul and the duration of his reign. Aᵅ focuses on the beginning of his reign, while Aᵝ focuses on its termination. Then moving inward, like an onion, elements B through D depict Saul’s deteriorating situation. Element B describes the Philistines mustering at Michmash to fight against Israel. Element C reveals that the prophet Samuel had not come during the appointed time. Element D reports that the Israelite people, his soldiers, were scattering from him. By the center of the chiasm, Saul is panicking. In element E, he makes the pivotal decision to offer the burnt offering himself.
Table 5.1: Saul’s Kingdom and Offering Chiasm
| Des | Element Specifications | Text – 1 Sam 13:1-13 |
|---|---|---|
| Aᵅ | Saul’s reign | |
| A₁ᵅ | [Saul] ◐[kingship start] | Saul lived for one year and then became king, (13:1) |
| A₂ᵅ | [Saul reign], ‘over Israel’, [Duration] | and when he had reigned for two years over Israel, (13:1) |
| Bᵅ | philistines mustered, Michmash, [fight Israel] | And the Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, …. They came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth-aven. (13:5) |
| Cᵅ | days, appointed, [Samuel] not come | He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, (13:8) |
| Dᵅ | ‘the people were scattering from’ [Saul] | and the people were scattering from him. (13:8) |
| E | [Saul], ‘burnt offering’ | So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, (13:9-10) |
| Dᵝ | ‘the people were scattering from’ [Saul] | Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, (13:11) |
| Cᵝ | days, appointed, [Samuel] not come | and that you did not come within the days appointed, (13:11) |
| Bᵝ | philistines mustered, Michmash, [fight Israel] | and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, (13:11-12) |
| Aᵝ | Saul’s reign | |
| A₂ᵝ | [Saul reign], ‘over Israel’, [Duration] | And Samuel said to Saul, … For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. (13:13) |
| A₁ᵝ | [Saul] ◐[kingship end] | But now your kingdom shall not continue. (13:14) |
This chiasm is similar to chiasms in Makhashabah: Patterns in Ruth in two ways. First of all, it presents thematic material with the center element of the chiasm being the most significant part. In Saul’s Kingdom and Offering, element E marks the pivotal point of Saul’s reign. When he disobeyed God by offering the burnt offering himself, his kingdom began to unravel and its premature end was assured.
This chiasm also resembles those in Patterns in Ruth in that its text overlaps the text of a story trellis. Saul’s Kingdom and Offering Chiasm (1 Sam 13:1-13) overlaps the first text of Saul’s Foolishness Story Trellis (1 Sam 13:1-14). Like the author of Ruth, the author of 1 Samuel develops two different structures independently in the same text.
Makhashabah: Patterns in 1 Samuel 