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

More on Restoration and Covenants (33:1-26) 535

Again it shall be heard in this place-of

which you are saying, 'It is a waste,

without human and without beast ... '

II Again there shall be in this place

of waste,

without human or beast ...

'od ... bammaqom-hazzeh v 10

... bareb ha'

me'en 'adam ume'en behema

'od ... bammaqom hazzeh v 12

hebareb

me'en-'adam we'ad-behema

In both oracles, the concluding "said Yahweh" makes an inclusio with the

opening "thus said Yahweh (of hosts)":

Thus said Yahweh: koh 'amar yhwh v 10

... said Yahweh ... 'amaryhwh v 11

II Thus said Yahweh of hosts: koh 'amar yhwh ~eba'ot v 12

... said Yahweh ... 'amaryhwh v 13

Condamin, who scans the verses as poetry, which they are not, nevertheless

notes all these repetitions.

Oracle II has, in addition, this key word inclusio:

II Again ('Od) there shall be ...

again ('od) the flock shall pass ...

NOTES

v 12

v 13

33:10. in this place. Another common term in the Jeremiah prose (see Note for
7:3), clarified in what follows about the desolate streets of Jerusalem and other
Judahite cities (Mezudath David).
without human and without beast. See Note for 21:6.
in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted without
human and without inhabitant and without beast. This looks like a later inter-
polation intended to clarify "this place." "Cities of Judah and streets of Jerusa-
lem" is a stereotyped expression in Jeremiah (see Note for 11:6) not used by
other prophets (S. R. Driver 1913: 276). The LXX omits "and without inhabit-
ant," reducing the expression to the more normal "without human and without
beast." The loss, however, could be attributed to haplography (whole-word:
wm'yn ... wm'yn). The Hebrew rendering "without human and without in-
habitant" is a hendiadys, connecting with "and without beast."

11. the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the groom and the
    voice of the bride. In earlier judgments (7:34; 16:9; 25:10) the absence of hu-
    man voices was a curse (see Note for 7:34), but now the phrase takes on new
    meaning. The silent streets of Judah's cities will once again come alive with
    happy voices. On the return of joy to the city, see also 30: 19; 31:4, 5, 12-14.
    the voice of those saying, Give thanks to Yahweh of hosts, for Yahweh is good,
    for his stead{ ast love is eternal, and those bringing a thank offering to the house
    of Yahweh. Joyful worship will also return to Jerusalem (cf. 30: 19). Temple