146 TRANSLATION, NOTES, AND COMMENTSafter slitting the throat of his rival, vowed that his victim would not be carried to
his burial in the usual manner but dragged there by oxen, as dead sheep are
dragged away.
beyond the gates of Jerusalem. If all previous kings of Judah were buried in
Jerusalem, then it was an added indignity for Jehoiakim's corpse to end up out-
side the city gates.MESSAGE AND AUDIENCE
The present oracle with its expanded messenger formula states that King Je-
hoiakim will not be lamented with customary cries of lament. Instead he will
receive the burial of an ass, dragged away and left unburied beyond the gates of
Jerusalem. Such a burial will be no burial.
In the larger context, this oracle will be heard as a much-needed judgment
on Jehoiakim, who, in the previous oracle, was indicted for covenant violation
and offending human sensibilities. The judgmental "woe" of v 13 makes up for
the "woes" of lament this king will not receive when he dies. He treated others
shamefully; now in death abundant shame will be heaped upon him. His
grand building project will also be contrasted to his ignoble death (Volz), con-
veying an even harsher judgment than the one that is meted out in the NT par-
able about the rich man who builds large barns and then dies (Luke 12: 16-21 ).
This oracle will also hearken back to the lament and oracle for Jehoahaz in
vv 10-12, which, by contrast, were sympathetic outpourings for one who never
got to be king. And the audience will not likely miss another contrast between
Jehoiakim and Josiah. In 22: IO Jeremiah had to tell people mourning Josiah to
cease their laments; here the prophet envisions a situation where people will
not be lamenting their king at all. This oracle of non-lament is to be dated dur-
ing Jehoiakim's reign, possibly just before he died in December, 598 B.C., but
possibly somewhat earlier, when the conflict between the king and Jeremiah
was at its height, i.e., ca. 605-604 B.C.
8. Lebanon South to Be Strangely Favored (22:20-23)
22 20 Go up to Lebanon and scream
and in the Bashan raise your voice!
And scream from Abarim
because all your lovers are broken(^21) I spoke to you in your good times
you said, 'I will not listen'
This has been your way from your youth
that you have not listened to my voice
(^22) All your shepherds the wind shall shepherd
and your lovers into captivity shall go
Indeed then you will be ashamed and disgraced
from all your wickedness