Editing Inclusio (section)

==In the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament)==

While this may not be evident to many of the Bible's modern day readers, the [[Hebrew Bible]] is full of literary devices, some of which, having fallen out of favor over the years, are lost on most modern readers. ''Inclusio'', of which many instances can be found in the Bible, is one of these, although many instances of its usage are not apparent to those reading translations of the Bible rather than the [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] source.

Particularly noteworthy are the many instances of ''inclusio'' in the [[Book of Jeremiah]]. A rather far-flung example of ''inclusio'' in the Book of Jeremiah can be found in its first section, chapters 1–24, which are enveloped both by a similar question in the first and last episode ([[Jeremiah 1|1:11]], [[Jeremiah 24|24:3]]), and by similar imagery—that of almond rods and baskets of figs. ''Inclusio'' may also be found between chapters [[Jeremiah 36|36]] and [[Jeremiah 45|45]], both of which mention Baruch ben Nerya, to whom Jeremiah's prophecies were entrusted. ''Bracketing'' can also be seen in The Lord's sayings in [[Jeremiah 1:10|1:10]] and [[Jeremiah 24:6|24:6]]. Indeed, the whole book save for its last (52nd) chapter—which some sceptics claim was appended to it—can be thought of as inside the ''inclusio'' formed by 1:1 and 51:64, both of which mention the preaching of Jeremiah (דברי ירמיה), thus implying the lateness of chapter 52; although analyzing whether so trivial a measure has any meaning but that which appeases the eye is best left to the astute reader. None of this is to say that the shorter forms of inclusio—those in which the section enframed is quite shorter—are not found in the Book of Jeremiah. An example is found in [[Jeremiah 4:22]], which reads:

:כי אויל עמי אותי לא ידעו בנים סכלים המה ולא נבונים המה חכמים המה להרע ולהיטיב לא ידעו.

:''For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.'' (KJV)

The phrase "לא ידעו" (''did not know'') is found at the beginning and the end of The Lord's analysis of his people. English translations do not preserve this structure.

Inclusio also abounds in other books of the Bible. An obvious example of inclusio is found in the first and last (29th) verses of Psalm 118 "הודו לה' כי-טוב כי לעולם חסדו.". Another, more disputed, example may be found in the [[Book of Ruth]], where one finds a certain resemblance, if somewhat [[chiastic]], between 1:1 and 1:22—in the former Elimelekh leaves [[Bethlehem]] in favor of [[Moab]], and in the latter Ruth and [[Naomi (Bible)|Naomi]] leave [[Moab]] in favor of Bethlehem. Finally, it has been suggested that [[Book of Genesis|Genesis]] 2 contains inclusio, for the male is created at the start of the passage and the female at the end, providing textual evidence for the parallels between the two.