Literary Devices – Bemidbar 10

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Bemidbar 1-10 is sandwiched by mention of the various tribal princes and their standards, marking these chapters as one coherent unit, with an overarching theme: the journey to and preparation for entry into Israel.

See סדר ותוכן בספר במדבר, by R. Aviyah HaCohen, for analysis of the structure of the book of Bemidbar as a whole. He divides into book three sections a) Bemidbar 1-10: The camp structure and travel b) Bemidbar 11-20: Complaints of the nation c) Bemidbar 21-34: Preparation for conquest and inheritance.
Watch Bemidbar: The Story of Two Generations, by Dr. Yael Ziegler, for discussion of an alternative structure of the book of Bemidbar¹ and an in depth look at the first sub-unit, chapters 1-10, which portrays an obedient, trusting nation, marked by inner harmony.
For further discussion of the use of literary envelopes (also called "inclusios") and analysis of other structural devices found in Tanakh, with many examples, see Structural Devices.

At the end of Bemidbar 10, the root word “טוב” appears five times in a span of just four verses (29-32). This indicates the sense of optimism and moral goodness that characterizes the Israelites’ behavior at this juncture in their journey to Israel, which will rapidly deteriorate beginning in the next chapter.
See Bemidbar: The Story of Two Generations, by Dr. Yael Ziegler, mentioned above, for discussion of the keyword and the theme of harmony that it represents, but also how it highlights the stark contrast to the coming chapters in which that serenity is destroyed.

Literary Devices – Bemidbar 10/0