Pattern Analysis

Frequencies for All Literary Devices

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This frequency chart shows the consistency of forty (40) literary devices across nine (9) genres. Consistency is seen by reading horizontally across after each literary device, comparing each genre with the column labeled Mean: All Genres. The mean for the entire Bible is presented in that second column from the right. Sample computation: there are 14 instances where the literary device ABSENCE appears in the 209 literary units of the Torah. That computes to 7% which is 0.07, the value shown.

Literary
Device

Torah
Non
Torah
Poetry+
Wisdom
Major
Prophets
Minor
Prophets
Synoptic
Gospels
Johannine
Books
Paul’s
Epistles
Other
Writings
Mean: All
Genres
Total
Devices
Absence

An intentional omission of an element in a chiasm or parallel symmetry, indicating something is missing.

0.07 0.07 0.03 0.05 0.03 0.03 0.09 0.01 0.05 0.05 66
Amplification

Often applies to immediate repetitions; the second part embellishes the first.

0.23 0.29 0.17 0.25 0.31 0.28 0.24 0.30 0.13 0.24 334
Beginning Marker

Indicates the start of a new literary unit.

0.88 0.92 0.90 0.95 0.92 0.91 0.96 0.89 0.98 0.92 1254
Center Point

An emphasis or turning point that is at the logical center of a structure, often an X.

1.33 1.46 1.19 1.54 1.02 0.99 1.39 1.21 1.29 1.29 1765
Chiasm

An A-B-C-X-C'-B'-A' or A-B-C-C'-B'-A' arrangement; a repetition of similar ideas in the reverse sequence.

0.31 0.32 0.37 0.31 0.25 0.32 0.37 0.43 0.41 0.34 465
Chiasm (Imperfect)

An asymmetric chiasm where the symmetry is altered with an absence, extra, or transposition.

0.12 0.17 0.09 0.12 0.20 0.11 0.22 0.10 0.12 0.13 178
Chiasm Substructure

A chiastic-shaped sub-unit of an element, may be asymmetric.

1.06 1.11 0.70 1.02 0.61 0.48 0.91 0.72 0.82 0.85 1171
Closing Summary

An emphatic summarization that concludes a basic structure.

0.70 0.68 0.62 0.70 0.81 0.70 0.68 0.67 0.76 0.69 943
Comparison

Two or more elements or sequences have emphatic similarity of themes.

0.05 0.08 0.04 0.07 0.17 0.04 0.11 0.12 0.13 0.08 103
Composite

The combination of two or three basic structures within a literary unit.

0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.02 0.01 7
Contrast

Two corresponding elements or sequences with emphatically opposing themes.

0.24 0.36 0.34 0.40 0.24 0.29 0.36 0.41 0.50 0.34 469
Correlation Of Sequences

An emphatic comparison or contrast of conjugate pairs within a chiasm or parallel symmetry.

0.11 0.10 0.09 0.16 0.08 0.14 0.11 0.13 0.07 0.12 158
Corresponding Elements

An emphatic comparison or contrast of elements in a conjugate pair.

0.51 0.72 0.49 0.77 0.71 0.64 0.88 0.75 0.72 0.66 898
Ending Marker

Marks the end of a structure or substructure.

0.27 0.29 0.08 0.17 0.08 0.09 0.13 0.04 0.20 0.16 226
Extra

An emphatic element that was intentionally inserted into a chiasm or parallel symmetry.

0.32 0.39 0.15 0.34 0.22 0.20 0.37 0.14 0.21 0.27 364
First/first

Applies to parallel symmetries; an emphasis in the two A elements.

0.29 0.33 0.34 0.41 0.34 0.18 0.28 0.25 0.24 0.30 411
First/last

Applies to chiasms; an emphasis in the two A elements.

0.83 0.98 0.78 1.01 0.59 0.57 0.86 0.76 0.84 0.82 1124
Frame

The repetition of a theme, usually near the beginning and end of a structure or substructure.

0.69 0.58 0.37 0.53 0.39 0.34 0.38 0.34 0.30 0.47 638
Immediate Repetition

An A-A'-B-B' or A-A'-B-B'-C-C' type of arrangement.

0.07 0.11 0.17 0.15 0.15 0.09 0.08 0.15 0.06 0.12 162
Immediate Repetition Substructure

A sub-unit within an element, shaped like a-a'-b-b'.

0.66 0.57 0.63 0.75 0.41 0.32 0.33 0.52 0.24 0.54 739
Imperative

An element with an imperative verb that indicates a strong directive or command.

0.23 0.21 0.71 0.31 0.19 0.36 0.36 0.42 0.24 0.36 487
Intensification

An escalation of themes from beginning to end of a parallel sequence, or outside to middle in a chiasm.

0.06 0.04 0.04 0.06 0.10 0.03 0.08 0.08 0.06 0.06 76
Interjection

The word behold which points to important words that follow.

0.16 0.10 0.05 0.30 0.31 0.10 0.14 0.04 0.02 0.13 175
Last/last

Applies to parallel symmetries; an emphasis in the last conjugate pair.

0.61 0.62 0.41 0.72 0.46 0.56 0.58 0.36 0.41 0.54 746
Link

An association of emphasis from an Old Testament pericope into the New.

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.70 0.34 0.77 1.05 0.72 335
List

An A-B-C-D-E or 1-2-3-4-5 type of sequence&msdash;must have three elements.

0.10 0.05 0.06 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.03 0.02 0.01 0.05 63
List Substructure

An a-b-c-d-e or 1-2-3-4-5 shaped sub-unit within an element.

0.91 0.51 0.60 0.57 0.61 0.17 0.13 0.66 0.34 0.53 732
Opening Summary

A summarization that appears near the beginning of a basic structure.

0.08 0.13 0.13 0.16 0.10 0.10 0.16 0.18 0.11 0.12 171
Parallel Symmetry

A step-like A-B-C-X-A'-B'-C' or A-B-C-A'-B'-C' arrangement.

0.24 0.22 0.22 0.22 0.27 0.32 0.17 0.23 0.21 0.24 323
Parallel Symmetry (Imperfect)

An asymmetric parallel symmetry with an absence, extra, or transposition.

0.15 0.13 0.09 0.15 0.08 0.14 0.12 0.07 0.16 0.13 172
Parallel Symmetry Substructure

A step-like sub-unit within an element, may be asymmetric.

0.77 0.78 0.33 0.78 0.51 0.45 0.53 0.34 0.48 0.58 792
Parenthesis

An emphatic annotation to the text that explains tangential yet relevant information.

0.02 0.05 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.05 0.00 0.04 0.02 28
Preliminary

Background information normally located near the beginning of the pericope.

0.57 0.76 0.22 0.45 0.31 0.64 0.54 0.31 0.60 0.51 694
Question

An emphatic request for clarification to another, or a rhetorical question.

0.05 0.06 0.18 0.09 0.22 0.32 0.20 0.15 0.20 0.15 200
Repeated Phrase

The restatement of the same words or theme within a literary unit.

0.12 0.04 0.10 0.05 0.12 0.05 0.05 0.01 0.02 0.06 88
Structure Split

The continuation of a literary unit at a later point in the book.

0.15 0.21 0.01 0.05 0.02 0.23 0.05 0.11 0.06 0.12 160
Substructure Summary

An emphasis at the beginning or end of a substructure.

1.62 1.42 1.09 1.56 1.08 0.71 0.96 1.11 0.78 1.21 1663
Sub-unit Marker

A marker within a literary unit, not at the beginning or end. Often at the start of a substructure.

2.29 1.86 0.97 2.37 1.59 1.30 1.39 0.78 1.37 1.60 2198
Transposition

An emphatic re-ordering of elements from their normal order in a chiasm or parallel symmetry.

0.19 0.21 0.10 0.20 0.15 0.13 0.16 0.07 0.20 0.16 218
Variation

When two otherwise corresponding elements have somewhat different themes.

0.14 0.13 0.02 0.05 0.07 0.06 0.08 0.00 0.02 0.07 96
 
Literary Units Analyzed 207 246 224 170 59 184 76 122 82 1370
Verses Remaining to be Analyzed 0 241 0 681 0 0 0 0 0

Updated on 8/21/2026