Yes, there are thematic patterns shown by the use of Hebraic Parallelism. Below is a full explanation.

Hebraic Parallelism in the Book of Daniel

By David Sheldon

During studying the book of Daniel and reading Daniel: An Introduction & Commentary by Joyce G. Baldwin (InterVarsity Press, p. 59-63), I came across the use of Hebrew Literature's parallelism. So why is it there? If Daniel was written in Hebrew Parallelism, there is probably a reason for it. Could those parallels present any themes? Joyce Baldwin touched upon a few, and I formulated a chart of the chapters which presented themes that could be expanded upon. Not only are there thematic elements in Daniel, but some of these thematic elements can also be seen in the book of Revelation. I have provided a chart below: the black single arrows show the normal reading of the book whereas the colored triple arrows show the thematic arrangements. Chapters 2, 7, 8, 11 have two colors because there is an interweaving of the kingdoms of the world and the Kingdom of God.

There is a chart quite similar here in the wikipedia "double chiasm" outline. It is taken from The Seventy Weeks, Leviticus, and the Nature of Prophecy by Frank Holbrook, ed., 1986, Daniel and Revelation Committee Series, Volume 3, Review and Herald Publishing Association.

Copyright © 2007, Updated 2010, David Sheldon. Edited by Kerri Sheldon
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