290 TRANSLATION, NOTES, AND COMMENTS
preclude a shift in the mood of the crowd once Jeremiah had been heard and
the princes had shown that they were in favor of acquittal. Perhaps the prob-
lem is with the hyperbolic "all." At no time did the people speak with a uni-
fied voice, but the controlling mood of the people appears clearly to have
changed as the trial progressed.
You shall surely die! Hebrew mOt tfimilt. The same expression occurs in
1 Sam 14:44 and 1 Kings 2:37, 42. In the Covenant Code, the formula forcer-
tain crimes is mot yumat, "he shall surely be put to death" (Exod 21: 15, 16, 17;
22:18[Eng 22:19]). Jeremiah has not done anything deserving death, but what
is one to say concerning Uriah, about whom we will hear shortly (vv 20-23),
also years later concerning Jesus and Stephen (Mark 11:15-19 and parallels;
Acts 6-7), who hit directly at gross evil and announced God's judgment on
people, the land, and precious symbols of the faith?
- Why have you prophesied in the name of Yahweh? Anger is expressed be-
cause Jeremiah's prophecy is spoken in the name of Yahweh. Ahab became
angry over Micaiah's prophecy for the same reason (1 Kgs 21:16). But with
only Yahweh prophets in the field and contrary words being spoken, truth as
well as untruth will be spoken in Yahweh's name. Thus the need for a true-
false prophecy test, such as we have in Deut 18:21-22. Compare the conflict
between Jeremiah and the Yahweh prophet Hananiah in chap. 28. The LXX
has a statement of rationale instead of a question, translating maddila'
("Why?") with hoti ("because"). It reads "because you have prophesied in the
name of the Lord," giving a reason for the opposition having said, "You shall
surely die." Compare v 11, where a reason is given for the desired sentence of
death.
Like Shiloh this house shall become, and this city will dry up without inhabit-
ant? Another syntactic chiasmus: "It will become I this house II and this city I
will dry up." See also v 6. Holladay notes that the paraphrase leaves out the pro-
tasis, "If you do not listen to me" (v 4), which he says transforms a covenant
speech into an announcement of judgment. The opposition claims again to
have heard unmitigated judgment from Jeremiah in its statement to the court
(v 11), and Holladay finds another example in 36:29, only there the reduction
occurs in a divine oracle (see Note there). One might easily explain this reduc-
tion as an angry response by people who did not hear the oracle as it was spo-
ken, common enough in heated debate, or who gave it back only partially in
order to bolster reckless and impassioned charges. On the other hand, if the
word about Shiloh was spoken as it is recorded in Oracle III of 7: 12-15, where
it is unmitigated judgment, then the charges here and in v 11 are accurate,
even if they remain unjustified.
And all the people crowded up to Jeremiah. A summary statement in good
narrative style, referring to what happened at the conclusion of Jeremiah's or-
acle (vv 7-9a). Several MSS once again have 'al for 'el, which is presupposed
in the Versions (see Note for 11 :2). Here 'el gives a forcible picture of people
pressing up to the prophet. The verb qhl does not signify a formal gathering of
any sort; it simply means "crowded."
