314 TRANSLATION, NOTES, AND COMMENTS
is acceptable as an apposition. On the pairing of "human and beast" in the
Jeremiah prose, see Note for 21:6.
with my great strength and with my outstretched arm. This stereotyped expres-
sion occurs also with reference to Yahweh's awesome creation in 32: 17, which
Martens (2001: 140-41) points out to be a peculiar usage in Jeremiah. In Deut
9:29 and 2 Kgs 17:36 the expression describes the Exodus deliverance (see again
later in Bar 2: 11 ). The more common cliche used in connection with the Exodus
is "with outstretched hand and with strong arm" (see 32:21 and Note for 21:5).
and I give it to whoever seems right in my eyes. A statement of principle build-
ing on the Creation theology of Gen 1:28, which is given specific application
in the verse following. See also Dan 4: 14, 22, 29[Eng 4: 17, 25, 32]; 5:21. A state-
ment of principle is similarly injected in 18:7-10, where Yahweh's prerogative
to judge or rescind judgment builds on the potter image in the J Creation ac-
count. Jeremiah elsewhere employs this same rhetoric-introducing abstrac-
tions or statements of principle-in 26: 14-15 and 28:8-9. In 26: 14 the
expression "right in your eyes" (yasar be'enekem) also appears.
- And now I. Hebrew we'atta >anokf. Another occurrence of the emphatic
divine "I." The rhetorical particle we'atta ("and now") facilitates the shift from
an abstraction to the situation at hand (see Note for 2: 18). The LXX omits both
words, which could be due to haplography (homoeoteleuton: y ... y). Janzen
( 1973: 119) notes haplography as being a likely possibility. GL, Aq, and Theod
all have kai nun ego eimi. Giesebrecht therefore retains. Van der Kooij ( 1994:
63), too, goes with the MT reading. The LXX reading is flat by comparison,
lacking the emphasis of the Hebrew and the pivotal shift to Yahweh's choice of
Nebuchadnezzar as servant and custodian of the land.
I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Baby-
lon, my servant; and even the beasts of the field I have given to him, to serve him.
Shalmaneser III of Assyria (859-825 B.c.) boasted how the gods handed over
to him all the wild animals, ordering him to hunt them (Michel 1947-52:
472-73; iv 40-42; CAD 2: 315 bulu). That Yahweh can give Nebuchadnezzar
lordship even over the beasts is consistent with what is stated in Gen 1:26 and
Ps 8:8[Eng 8:7].
all these lands. Hebrew ha>ara$8t ha>elleh. The LXX has "the earth" (ten
gen), which carries over the wording and perhaps also the idea of v 5. Other
Versions support the MT (T: "all these countries"; Aq and Symm: pasas tas
gaias [tautas]; Vg: omnes terras istas), which is the better reading (pace Cor-
nill; Janzen 1973: 66; Holladay; McKane). While Yahweh may be giving over
the whole earth, as it were, to Nebuchadnezzar, of overriding importance here
is that the nations represented at the present conference, and their lands, are
being turned over to the Babylonian king. Van der Kooij (1994: 62-63) is right
to link up "all these lands" with the nations of v 3, and one should add also
"the nations" immediately following in v 7.
into the hand of Hebrew beyad. I.e., "into the power of" (so T). See again v 8.
Nebuchadnezzar ... my servant. On this bold metaphor, which occurs two
other times in 25:9 and 43:10, see Note on 25:9. For the spelling of "Nebu-
