Chiasmus is a figure of speech and a literary composition technique very widespread in the Bible, particularly in the books of the Old Testament such as Daniel, the Psalms or the prophets.
Simple definition
Chiasmus consists in organizing a passage according to a mirror structure, of the type:
A – B – C – B’ – A’
The ideas at the beginning and at the end answer one another, as do those in the middle, and the center (C) often carries the main message.
Why it is used in the Bible
In biblical texts, chiasmus serves to:
- highlight a central idea,
- create a literary unity,
- aid memorization (important in an oral culture),
- show parallels or contrasts,
- underline the theological coherence of a passage.
A very simple example
“The , and the .”
Structure: A – B – B’ – A’
In the book of Daniel
Chiasmus is used to organize narratives and visions symmetrically, as in chapters 2 to 7, where each chapter answers another in mirror fashion.