The book of Daniel, along with much of the rest of the Bible, is written in the Chiastic structure. Knowing this structure can help the present-day reader to understand passages as well as to appreciate how it reflects a guiding intelligence behind the word of God.
Sermon Notes
CHIASTIC STRUCTURE
Hebrew poetry typically through parallelism—thought rhyme. One such kind is reverse parallelism, as we see in the structure ABBA (or ABB’A’) or ABCBA, etc.
Song of Solomon 1:6
A—They made me keeper
B—of the vineyards,
B’—but my own vineyard
A’—I have not kept.
Song of Solomon 2:14
A—Let me see your face [or form],
B—let me hear your voice
B’—for your voice is sweet
A’—And your face [or form] is lovely.
The literary term for this pattern is chiasm (named after the Greek letter chi, or X, representing crossed lines showing correspondence between elements at opposite corners as well as a central pivot. This type of parallelism can occur in a single verse or across many verses or even whole books, as it does with the Song of Solomon on many levels.
We find it heavy in other poetic books too, like Psalms and Proverbs. We’ve noted a number of examples in our online Bible Reading Program commentary. You can look there if you want to see a lot more of this.
Here’s one way it’s been explained:
THIS PART OF THE PASSAGE THIS PART CORRESPONDS
THERE IS A CENTER WITH THIS PART CORRESPONDS WITH THIS PART
Can also think of this like concentric rings or brackets within brackets within brackets [[[]]]. And we find this in biblical books that are not primarily poetic as well.
Leviticus 14:51
A—And he shall take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet
B—and the living bird,
C—and dip them in the blood of the slain bird and in the running water,
D—and sprinkle the house seven times.
D’—And he shall cleanse the house
C—with the blood of the bird and the running water
B—and the living bird,
A—with the cedar wood, the hyssop, and the scarlet.
Joshua 1:5b-9
A—As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. (5b)
B—Be strong and of good courage . . . Be strong and very courageous, (6-7a)
C—that you may observe to do according to all the law . . . that you may prosper wherever you go. (7b)
D—This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, (8a)
D’—but you shall meditate in it day and night, (8b)
C’—that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous . . . (8c)
B’—Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, (9a)
A’—for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (9b)
E.W. Bullinger, who wrote the notes of The Companion Bible, stated of the chiasmus or “introverted correspondence”: “This is by far the most stately and dignified presentation of a subject, and is always used in the most solemn and important portions of the Scriptures” (Figures of Speech Used in the Bible, 1898).
Chiastic structure of the book of Daniel (black parts are Hebrew, italic part is Aramaic)
A—(Chap. 1*) Prologue: Story: Gentile empire/Babylon gains dominion and plunders temple; Daniel captive
B—(Chap. 2*) Story with prophecy: Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of 4 kingdoms and Messiah bringing Kingdom of God
C—(Chap. 3) Story: God’s 3 servants accused and delivered through angel intervention (witness to Babylonian king)
D—(Chap. 4) Story with prophecy of timing: Nebuchadnezzar/Babylon judged (then and seven times)
D’—(Chap. 5) Story with prophecy of timing: Belshazzar/Babylon judged (then, and money figures = seven times)
C’—(Chap. 6) Story: Daniel accused and delivered through angel intervention (witness to Persian king)
B’—(Chap. 7) Prophecy: Daniel’s dream of 4 kingdoms, little horn, and Messiah bringing Kingdom of God
B’’—(Chap. 8) Prophecy: Post-Babylonian kingdoms to little horn, abomination, and Messiah bringing ultimate deliverance
C’’—(Chap. 9:1-23) Story: Daniel’s earnest prayer brings angel intervention giving prophecy
D’’—(Chap. 9:24-27): Prophecy: How long till Messiah, abomination, judgment on desolator (seventy sevens/weeks)
C’’’—(Chap. 10) Story: Daniel’s earnest prayer brings angel intervention giving prophecy
B’’’—(Chaps. 11–12:4) Prophecy: Post-Babylonian kingdoms to abomination, final dictator, and Messiah bringing ultimate deliverance
A’—(Chap. 12:5-13) Epilogue: Story: How long till ultimate deliverance?; time from abomination; Daniel rests and rises to inheritance
*Switch from Hebrew to Aramaic actually comes at 2:4b with quote.
Daniel 2
A—Nebuchadnezzar has dream, keeps it secret, offers rewards and threats (1-6)
B—First scene before Nebuchadnezzar: the wise men fail to reveal the dream
B1—Wise men can’t answer; only gods can (7-11)
B2—King’s emotional response of anger (12a)
B3—King orders all the wise men to be killed (12b-13)
C—Daniel and Arioch: Sent to kill, brings Daniel to the king (14-16)
D—Daniel and his friends pray (17-18)
E—GOD ANSWERS DANIEL (19a)
D’—Daniel praises God for answering his and his friends’ prayer (19b-23)
C’—Daniel and Arioch: Asked not to kill, brings Daniel to the king (24-25)
B’—The second scene before Nebuchadnezzar: the dream revealed by God through Daniel
B’1—Wise men can’t answer; only the great God of heaven can (26-45)
B’2—King’s emotional response of falling prostrate (46a)
B’3—King orders Daniel to be honored (46b)
A’—Nebuchadnezzar praises the God who reveals secrets, honors Daniel and promotes his friends (47-49)
MP3 Audio (4.77 MB) 
