Jeremiah 21-36 A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary by (Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries)

Speaking of Prophets (23:9-40)

and will make them drink poisoned water

Because from the prophets of Jerusalem

pollution has gone forth to all the land.

RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION

185

The present verses contain two oracles (vv 13-14, v 15), both in poetry, which

are delimited at the top end by a concluding messenger formula to the prior or-

acle in v 12. Verse l 3b, with two occurrences of the nota accusativi, may be

later prose expansion. Delimitation at the bottom end is by a petubah in MA

and ML after v 15, where MP has no section. Prior to v 15 is a petubah in MA

and MP and a setumah in ML separating the two oracles. Oracle II is also set off

by the expanded messenger formula in 15a. The ML (only) has another setu-

mah after v 13, the purpose of which is unclear. Verses 13 and 14 must remain

together if the prophets of Samaria and Jerusalem are to be contrasted

(Calvin).

Although vv 13-14 contain no messenger formula, Yahweh must be the

speaker on account of the first-person lf ("to me") in 14c (Holladay). What we

have then is another two-oracle sequence of indictment and judgment, where

the oracle of judgment begins with the often-used "therefore." A similar two-

oracle sequence occurs in vv 10-12.

The first oracle is two stanzas, having the following repetitions and balanc-

ing key terms:

Now in the prophets of Samaria

I have seen ...............

.................. by Baal

II But in the prophets oflerusalem

I have seen ....................

..................... by the lie

...................... evildoers

................. from his evil

.................. like Sodom

................ like Gomorrah

basseqer

mere<fm

merci<ato

The two oracles are linked by the following repetition:

I ......... the prophets oflerusalem

II ......... the prophets oflerusalem

v 13

v 14

v 14

v 15

Catchwords connecting to the preceding oracle (Condamin; Craigie et al.):

v 14 Committing adultery na,op v I 0 adulterers mena, apfm

v 15 Therefore laken v 11 they are polluted banepu

pollution banuppa v 12 The ref ore la ken