Retribution means “repayment.” The ultimate repayment is giving someone back what they gave you. This concept is expressed in the Old Testament law of “breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth.” The repetition of action implied in this law is expressed poetically in the way the law is written in Leviticus 24:13-23. The law itself is first given, and then repeated backwards, giving form to its “tit for tat” or “measure for measure” essence.
A And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying
B Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him
C And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel
D saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin. And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death,
and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land,
when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death
E And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death
F And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast
G And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him
H breach for breach [Hebrew “sheber”]
I eye for eye
H’ tooth for tooth [Hebrew “shen”]
G’ as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again
F’ And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it
E’ and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death
D’ Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God
C’ And Moses spake to the children of Israel
B’ that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And the children of Israel did
A’ as the LORD commanded Moses
Notice that element D is itself a sort of chiasm, with the main point (the point repeated in D’) situated at its center. This pattern of chiasm within one branch of a chiasm also occurs in the Book of Mormon. See, for example, element E’ of the Peace Chiasm and element A of the Interpreters Chiasm.
Also notice that the very center of the chiasm,
eye
for
eye,
is itself a chiasm that, in one three-word phrase, represents the entire law in both meaning and form. In fact, the single word for at the very center is a one-word summary of the law, with its meaning of “instead of” or “in place of.”
Alma, in teaching his son about the principle of restoration (the broader principle encompassing retribution), seems to be aware of the Leviticus chiasm. He addresses similar concepts and sets his main points also in the form of a chiasm. But his Restoration Chiasm in Alma 41:12-15 reflects a higher law more characteristic of the New Testament (see Matthew 5:38-48).
A And now behold is the meaning of the word restoration to take a thing of a natural state and place it in an unnatural state or to place it in a state opposite to its nature O my son this is not the case But the meaning of the word restoration is to bring back again evil for evil or carnal for carnal or devilish for devilish
B good for that which is good
C righteous for that which is righteous
D just for that which is just
E merciful for that which is merciful
E’ Therefore my son see that ye are merciful unto your brethren
D’ Deal justly
C’ judge righteously
B’ and do good continually
A’ And if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward
E” Yea ye shall have mercy restored unto you again
D” ye shall have justice restored unto you again
C” ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again
B” and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again
A” For that which ye doth send out shall return unto you again and be restored Therefore the word restoration more fully condemneth the sinner and justifieth him not at all
The center of his chiasm is not “eye for eye,” but “merciful for that which is merciful; therefore my son, see that ye are merciful unto your brethren.” The law in the Book of Mormon gives mercy, not justice, the prime spot at the chiasm’s center.