This post tests the claim that there is a 12 deep set of concentric circles in Isaiah 14:4-20.
This claim is made in JBL 131, no.4 (2012) 643, The Cryptic Meaning of the Isaiah 14 Mashal, by Nissim Amzallag and Mikhal Avriel.
If there are 12 concentric circles in this passage, the tables below show that it is a subjective decision. There are many aspects that weigh against it. The first is that a ring structure that is 12 deep will confuse the hearers. Humans can stretch to 7 maybe even 9 deep but 12 is well outside of our limit for processing.
I think the writers have a point that verse 12 is a centre, but a subjective structure of three deep is adequate: the first verses draw in the players who already know verse 12; the following verses describe the hubris that adds up to the fall in verse 12.
The final table below shows a seven deep objective circular structure to the passage. This is not an impossible insight into the mind of the originator of this passage.
Sorry - no English or Greek - haven't done the detailed translation yet... Just look at the pretty patterns.
Selected recurring words (Isaiah 14:4 to 20 excluding 6 to 18) - there are no pairwise connections between the verses taken in circular order (4, 20, 5, 19 etc)
This claim is made in JBL 131, no.4 (2012) 643, The Cryptic Meaning of the Isaiah 14 Mashal, by Nissim Amzallag and Mikhal Avriel.
If there are 12 concentric circles in this passage, the tables below show that it is a subjective decision. There are many aspects that weigh against it. The first is that a ring structure that is 12 deep will confuse the hearers. Humans can stretch to 7 maybe even 9 deep but 12 is well outside of our limit for processing.
I think the writers have a point that verse 12 is a centre, but a subjective structure of three deep is adequate: the first verses draw in the players who already know verse 12; the following verses describe the hubris that adds up to the fall in verse 12.
The final table below shows a seven deep objective circular structure to the passage. This is not an impossible insight into the mind of the originator of this passage.
Sorry - no English or Greek - haven't done the detailed translation yet... Just look at the pretty patterns.
Selected recurring words (Isaiah 14:4 to 20 excluding 6 to 18) - there are no pairwise connections between the verses taken in circular order (4, 20, 5, 19 etc)
| Word and gloss * first usage | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Vs | Root |
המשׁל
|
░
| 4 | משׁל | ||||
שׁבת
|
░
| 4 | שׁבת | ||||
שׁבתה
|
░
| 4 | שׁבת | ||||
משׁלים
|
░
| 5 | משׁל | ||||
מקברך
|
░
| 19 | קבר | ||||
הרגים
|
░
| 19 | הרג | ||||
לא
|
░
| 20 | לא | ||||
בקבורה
|
░
| 20 | קבר | ||||
הרגת
|
░
| 20 | הרג | ||||
לא
|
░
| 20 | לא |
Selected recurring words (6 to 18 excluding 8 to 16) - there is 1 pairwise connection in circular order (6,18)
| Word and gloss * first usage | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Vs | Root |
מכה
|
░
| 6 | מכה | |||
מכת
|
░
| 6 | מכה | |||
גוים
|
░
| 6 | גוי | |||
כל
|
░
| 7 | כל | |||
ביתה
|
░
| 17 | בית | |||
כל
|
░
| 18 | כל | |||
גוים
|
░
| 18 | גוי | |||
כלם
|
░
| 18 | כל | |||
בביתו
|
░
| 18 | בית |
Selected recurring words (8 to 16 excluding 10 to 14) - 1 pairwise connection (9,15)
| Word and gloss * first usage | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Vs | Root |
לך
|
░
| 8 | לך | |||||
שׁאול
|
░
| 9 | שׁאול | |||||
רגזה
|
░
| 9 | רגז | |||||
לך
|
░
| 9 | לך | |||||
לך
|
░
| 9 | לך | |||||
כל
|
░
| 9 | כל | |||||
ארץ
|
░
| 9 | ארץ | |||||
כל
|
░
| 9 | כל | |||||
מלכי
|
░
| 9 | מלך | |||||
שׁאול
|
░
| 15 | שׁאול | |||||
מרגיז
|
░
| 16 | רגז | |||||
הארץ
|
░
| 16 | ארץ | |||||
ממלכות
|
░
| 16 | מלך |
Selected recurring words (10 to 14) - no circular connections for 10,14 or 11,13
| Word and gloss * first usage | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Vs | Root |
ויאמרו
|
░
| 10 | אמר | |||
אתה
|
░
| 10 | אתה | |||
משׁמים
|
░
| 12 | שׁמם | |||
ואתה
|
░
| 13 | אתה | |||
אמרת
|
░
| 13 | אמר | |||
השׁמים
|
░
| 13 | שׁמם | |||
אעלה
|
░
| 13 | עלה | |||
ממעל
|
░
| 13 | מעל | |||
אעלה
|
░
| 14 | עלה |
Selected recurring words (4 to 20) - the deepest objective structure is 9 words, 7 deep. The central verse is pointed out by the recurrence in 4,12. The focus moves from how איך to you אתה.
| Word and gloss * first usage | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Vs | Root |
איך
|
░
| 4 | איך | ||||||||
עמים
|
░
| 6 | עם | ||||||||
שׁכבת
|
░
| 8 | שׁכב | ||||||||
לא
|
░
| 8 | לא | ||||||||
שׁאול
|
░
| 9 | שׁאול | ||||||||
רגזה
|
░
| 9 | רגז | ||||||||
מכסאותם
|
░
| 9 | כסא | ||||||||
ויאמרו
|
░
| 10 | אמר | ||||||||
אתה
|
░
| 10 | אתה | ||||||||
שׁאול
|
░
| 11 | שׁאול | ||||||||
איך
|
░
| 12 | איך | ||||||||
ואתה
|
░
| 13 | אתה | ||||||||
אמרת
|
░
| 13 | אמר | ||||||||
כסאי
|
░
| 13 | כסא | ||||||||
שׁאול
|
░
| 15 | שׁאול | ||||||||
מרגיז
|
░
| 16 | רגז | ||||||||
לא
|
░
| 17 | לא | ||||||||
שׁכבו
|
░
| 18 | שׁכב | ||||||||
ואתה
|
░
| 19 | אתה | ||||||||
לא
|
░
| 20 | לא | ||||||||
עמך
|
░
| 20 | עם | ||||||||
לא
|
░
| 20 | לא |
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