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

Indictment of Judah and the Nations (25:1-38)

II... ..... the shepherds

...... the nobles of the ffock

because Yahweh .............

before the burning anger of Yahweh

III .........................

indeed ....................

Before the oppressive burning

before his burning anger

ki

ki

277

v 36

v 37

v 38

The poem also has a deliberate structure of cognate repetition and inversion,

in which the nouns of v 36 echo the verbs of v 34 (Holladay):

I Wail ......... and cry out ... helflil ... weza< aqu

II ... a scream ..... and the wailing ... ?a<aqat ... wflelat

Catchwords connecting to the prior oracle are similar in sound:

v 34 Wail

shepherds

helflu

harc/fm

v 32 evil ra<a

v 3 3 the slain balle

NOTES

v 34

v 36

25:34. Wail, 0 shepherds, and cry out. Hebrew helf[{i haro'fm weza<ci.qil. The
same two verbs are paired in 47:2; 48:20, 31, and occur elsewhere (Hos 7: 14; Isa
14: 31; Ezek 2 l:l 7 [Eng 2 l:l 2]; Joel I: 13-14). The verb yll in the H-stem means
"wail, howl," and z'q means "cry out (for help)." See also 49:3, which pairs helflf
("Wail!") and $if'aqna ("Scream!"). This call to lament is mockery, as it often is
in the Foreign Nation Oracles (48:20, 31, 39; 49:3; 51:8).
shepherds. Hebrew ro'fm is a general term for "rulers" in the ANE, but often it
refers more specifically to "kings" or "kings and princes" (see Note for 2:8).
Calvin interprets the term broadly, saying that it refers to kings, their advisers,
priests, and other rulers. But here "shepherds" likely means just "kings" (KimJ:ii),
as it is the nation's kings who receive Yahweh's cup of wrath (vv 17-26).
and roll about, 0 nobles of the ff.ock. The verb pls Hithpael means "roll about
(in mourning)," where the rolling is done in dust or ashes (ba>eper, "in ashes,"
is added in 6:26 and Ezek 27:30). The T has "cover your heads with ashes."
The "nobles" Caddfrfm) are, lit., "majestic ones" or "mighty ones" (T), who
constitute the nation's ruling elite (14:3; 30:21). Calvin says they are the rich
and those held in public esteem, but who hold no office. But Kim]:ii thinks
"nobles," like "shepherds," refer again to the kings, which may be correct, since
they are designated "the nobles of the flock."
Because your days for slaughter are fulfilled. In the divine economy, as
also in the economy of earth, things happen "in the fulfillment of days"