Book of the Covenant (30:1-31:40) 411you will understand it. Hebrew titb8nenil bah. The cognate accusative bfna
("meaning, understanding") is added in 23:20. The reading here is supported
by 4QJerc and Aq; Symm adds the accusative (sunesei). Bright suggests that
bfna may have been lost by haplography (homeoteleuton: h ... h).MESSAGE AND AUDIENCE
This general condemnation of the wicked, which was originally spoken to a
pre-586 B.C. audience misled by uncredentialed prophets preaching a false
message (23:19-20), in the context here addresses a remnant Judahite audi-
ence after the destruction of Jerusalem. This audience is being told about Yah-
weh's future salvation, but it is nevertheless reminded-as elsewhere in the
collection-that Yahweh's wrath was poured out because of the people's wick-
edness. If people do not understand this now, they will one day in the future.g) Grace Again in the Wilderness (31: 1-6)
31 1 At that time-oracle of Yahweh-I will be God to all the tribes of
Israel, and they, they will be a people to me.(^2) Thus said Yahweh:
It found grace in the wilderness
a people, survivors of the sword
Going to find his rest is Israel
(^3) From far off Yahweh appeared to me:
'With an eternal love I have loved you
therefore I draw you faithfully along
(^4) Again I will build you and you shall be built
virgin Israel
Again you'll deck yourself with your hand-drums
and go forth in the dance of merrymakers
(^5) Again you'll plant vineyards on Samaria's mountains
planters shall plant and eat the fruit'
(^6) For there shall be a day watchmen will call out
on Mount Ephraim
'Up, let us go to Zion
to Yahweh our God!'
RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION
MT 31:1-6 = LXX 38:1-6. The present verses contain the covenant formula,
given as a prose oracle (v 1), and a salvation oracle in poetry (vv 2-6). The
chapter division marks the upper limit of the unit, correctly joining the covenant
oracle to the salvation oracle following. The latter may be thematic for all or