Chiasmus · 1 Nephi 16:3–22
The Hunt at the Center
A reading of the wilderness journey
The family goes out, and the verses come back in reverse. Six pairs. Murmuring, the ball, the river, Shazer, and the wilderness all reverse. The hunt for food is the center point.
- A
Ye would not murmur because of the truth, and say: Thou speakest hard things against us.16:3
- B
He beheld a round ball of curious workmanship, and the one spindle pointed the way.16:10
- C
We did take our tents and depart into the wilderness, across the river Laman.16:12
- D
We did pitch our tents again, and we did call the name of the place Shazer.16:13
- E
We did take our bows and our arrows, and go forth into the wilderness.16:14a
- F
To slay food for our families.16:14b
- F′
And after we had slain food for our families.16:14b
- E′
We did return again to our families in the wilderness.16:14c
- D′
To the place of Shazer.16:14d
- C′
We did go forth again, in the borders near the Red Sea.16:14e
- B′
We did follow the directions of the ball, which led us in the more fertile parts.16:16
- A′
They did murmur exceedingly, because of their sufferings, and they could obtain no food.16:20–22
Why the form matters
Read from the outside in: hard words are answered by hunger, the ball is found and then followed, the river crossing is answered by the road along the sea, Shazer is named and then regained, and the wilderness is entered and then left. At verse 14 they go to slay food and, in the same verse, have slain it. The broken steel bow in verses 18 and 19 sits just after this center point, outside these six pairs.