Editing Inclusio (section)

==In the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament)==
Inclusio is one of a number of repetitive devices in [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] poetry, including parts of the Old Testament.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Longman III |first1=Tremper |last2=Enns |first2=Peter |title=Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings: A Compendium of Contemporary Biblical Scholarship |date=6 June 2008 |publisher=InterVarsity Press |isbn=978-0-8308-1783-2 |page=323 |language=en}}</ref>

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 (1:11, 24:3), and by similar imagery—that of almond rods and baskets of figs. ''Inclusio'' may also be found between chapters 36 and 45, both of which mention [[Baruch ben Neriah|Baruch ben Nerya]], to whom Jeremiah's prophecies were entrusted. ''Bracketing'' can also be seen in The Lord's sayings in 1:10 and 24:6. Indeed, the whole book save for its last (52nd) chapter—which some 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:{{cn|date=February 2024}}

{{verse translation|lang=he|rtl1=y
|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.''
|attr2=[[King James Version of the Bible|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.{{cn|date=February 2024}}

Inclusio also abounds in other books of the Bible. The first and last (29th) verses of [[Psalm 118]], "הודו לה' כי-טוב כי לעולם חסדו", form an inclusio. 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. In the visions of the prophet [[Zechariah (Hebrew prophet)|Zechariah]] ([[Zechariah 1#Vision of horses (1:7–17)|Zechariah 1:8]]-[[Zechariah 6#Vision of the four chariots (verses 1–8)|6:8]]), an inclusio has been identified, as the whole world is at peace as the visions commence, and at the end the four spirits of heaven go out in all directions and peace is imposed on "the north country".<ref>Larkin, K. J. A., ''37. Zechariah'', in Barton, J. and Muddiman, J. (2001), [https://web.archive.org/web/20171102094409/http://b-ok.org/book/946961/0df02a The Oxford Bible Commentary], p. 612, archived on 2 November 2017</ref> 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.