Book of the Covenant (30:1-31:40) 379RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION
MT 30:4-7 = LXX 37:4-7. Here in 30:5-31:22, the poetic core of the Book of
Restoration begins (Lundbom 1975: 32-34 [ = 1997: 47-49]), with only 30:8-9
being a mostly prose addition. This poetry combines judgment and hope, la-
ment and promise, and at the center covenant formulas are balanced on either
side of a judgment oracle. The whole is a moving dialogue, well suited for
liturgical use:Catchwordsa Judgment (30:5-7) Jacob I save(ed) (ys<) I fright( en)
Hope (30:10-11) (/:ird)b Judgment (30:12-15) blow (mkh) I heal(ing) (rp') I care
Hope (30:16-17) about (drS)Hope (30:18-21) Look (I) I restore-tum back (sub)
Covenant Formula (30:22) go forth (y$')
c Judgment (30:23-24)
Covenant Formula (31:1) go( es) forth (y$') I dance-whirls
Hope (31:2-14) (/:iul)b' Lament (31:15) voice (qol) I weeping (bky) I sons
Promise (31:16-17) (banfm)a' Lament (31:18-19) Ephraim I return, bring back,
Promise (31 :20-22) come back turning away,
turnable (sub)The judgment oracle at the center, 30:23-24, appears also in 23: 19-20 where
it has been inserted editorially. The covenant formulas on either side of this
oracle are articulated in reverse order. In 30:22 the formula is spoken directly
to its audience; in 31: 1 the speech is indirect. This inversion and addressee
alternation are added indications of an intentional structure for the poetic
core.
While the controlling structure of the core is an alternation of judgment
and hope, lament and promise, constituent parts of the collection alternate
masculine and feminine forms of address (Holladay; Bozak 1991: 19-20). The
nation -whether Northern Israel, Judah, or both-is addressed alternately as
"Jacob," "Israel," or "Ephraim," then as "Virgin Israel" or "Rachel." When
masculine address forms are used, the discourse is usually indirect (30:10-11