Speaking of Prophets (23:9-40) 209Grether 1934; 103-7; Durr 1938: 92-114; Rabinowitz 1966: 316-21; 1972-73:
127-33). Yahweh speaks and the world comes into being (Gen 1:3; Ps 33:6); in
Jeremiah's mouth, Yahweh's words destroy and recreate (Jer 1:9-10; 5:14;
23:29). Yahweh's word is also self-fulfilling (1:12; 4:28), and once spoken, it
does not return to him void (Isa 5 5: l 0-11). Yet, Yahweh's word can be revoked
when the human condition changes, as we know from Jer 18:8-10, and more
dramatically from the tale about the prophet Jonah. Jeremiah attests to the
power of the divine word more than any other prophet, at times providing rare
glimpses into his inner self, where the word is said to have overcome him in his
call (1:6-7), strongly affected his senses later on (23:9); when at one point he
tried holding it in, he found he could not (20:8-9; Grether 1934: 105-6). This
view of the power-laden divine word, albeit with changes, carried over into
later Judaism (Sir 45:3; Wis Sol 18: 15-16) and can be seen reflected in the Tal-
mudic literature (Lauterbach 1939). One sees it reflected also in the pages of
the NT (Matt 8:8, 26, 32; 9:22; 16:19; 18:18; 24:35).
hammer. Hebrew pattfs. The hammer of a blacksmith (see Isa 41:7 and Note
for Jer 50:23).- Therefore look I am against the prophets ... who steal my words each per-
son from his fellow. "Therefore" (laken) introduces judgment, although the
judgment here is unspecified. Kiml}.i says that Yahweh is against these proph-
ets, to destroy them. More difficult is an explanation of the charge being made.
The verb "steal" (gnb) means that these prophets are appropriating something
not rightfully theirs. That something, says Yahweh, is "my words." But how can
prophets under indictment be speaking Yahweh's words? Rashi and Kiml}.i
think that the prophets in question are stealing oracles from prophets who are
genuine. Since Jeremiah and other genuine prophets occasionally prophesied
salvation for Judah, also judgment on Judah's enemies, the peace prophets
could have taken these oracles and used them improperly. Peace was not now
in the offing for Judah. Prophets also should be reporting their own revelations,
not the revelations of other prophets.
31. Look I am against the prophets ... who heed their own tongue and oracle
an oracle. Here is a derisive judgment against prophets who speak nonsense,
emanating from themselves or others-in any case a message not from Yah-
weh. The verb lq~, usually "to take," is used in an unconventional way. Rashi
interpreted it to mean "teach" in the sense of 9:4[Eng 9:5]: "They teach their
tongue to speak a lie." Holladay says the prophets are "taking charge" of their
own tongue. The verb could also mean "heed, obey," as in Prov l 0:8. Whatever
its precise meaning, prophets are beholden to their own tongues, not preach-
ing from the mouth of Yahweh.
and oracle an oracle. Hebrew wayyin'amu ne'um. Another cognate accusa-
tive (see Note for 22:16), where yin'amu ("they oracle") may be Jeremiah's own
coinage (Bright). The combination makes a wordplay. The verb is otherwise
unattested in the OT, although Gelston ( 1993) suggests revocalizing the prob-
lematic hinnam ("behold them") in Isa 41:27 to a Qal participle of num with
the definite article, hannam ("the speaker"). He notes that in lQis• the reading