Speaking of Kings (21:1-23:8) 99Jeremiah, as suggested above, and Zephaniah is sympathetic to the prophet, as
appears likely, the king could be employing a "good cop, bad cop" strategy in
sending the two together, which he seems to have done in sending Zephaniah
with Jucal on a later embassy (see Note for 37:3). Malamat (199lb: 231-32)
points out how in the Mari texts diviners are typically sent in pairs to the secret
council of the king, most likely "to support the testimony emerging from the
omens and to present it properly." The name "Zephaniah" occurs elsewhere in
the OT and is well attested on contemporary nonbiblical artifacts. "Maaseiah,"
in its short form, "Maasai," is attested on one of the Arad ostraca, and appears
in its long form on seals and seal impressions from Tell Beit Mirsim, Jerusa-
lem, Hebron, and elsewhere. On both names, see further Appendix I.- Seek would you Yahweh on our behalf The verb drs has the technical
meaning of "seek by means of a divine oracle" (37:7; 1 Kgs 22:5; 2 Kgs 3:11).
Earlier, Jeremiah cited foolish kings who failed to do this (10:21). In 37:3, the
request is, "Pray (hitpallel) would you on our behalf to Yahweh our God,"
which means the same thing (Thelle 1998). Hezekiah's embassy to the prophet
Isaiah in 2 Kgs 19: 1-4 = Isa 37:1-4 came in response to a similar emergency. It
was common practice in antiquity for kings to seek oracles from prophets or
other intermediaries in times of war. In a Mari text the deity states:
When you participate in a campaign, by no means set out without consult-
ing an oracle. When I, in an oracle of mine, should be favorable, you will
set out on a campaign. If it is not so, do not pass the gate [of the city?].
(Malamat 1993: 238)The Mari text's situation, however, differs from the present one in that the king
is deciding whether to wage war, whereas Zedekiah, with an enemy outside
Jerusalem preparing to besiege it, wonders whether he can defend the city or
be delivered by miraculous intervention.
Seek would you. Hebrew deriis-nii'. The particle nii', which is emphatic
(KB^3 ) and forceful, occurs in 37:3 but not in 2 Kgs 19:4 =Isa 37:4.
Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, is fighting against us. On the beginning of
the final siege of Jerusalem, see 2 Kgs 25:1 and Note for 39:1.
Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon. The first mention of Nebuchadrezzar by
name in the book. "Babylon" and "the king of Babylon" are first mentioned in
20:4. The LXX omits the name here, as it often does (Janzen 1973: 139-41).
But Aq and Theod have it. Nebuchadrezzar II, oldest son of Nabopolassar,
was king of Babylon from 604 to 562 B.C. These two kings, Nabopolassar and
Nebuchadrezzar, brought Babylon to its zenith of power during the late
seventh and early sixth centuries B.C., bringing down the mighty Assyrian Em-
pire in 612 B.C., expelling the Egyptians from Syria and Palestine in 605 s.c.,
and keeping Egypt within its own boundaries thereafter-also, not inciden-
tally, ending nationhood for Judah in 586 B.C. Nebuchadrezzar during his reign
also effectively controlled the Trans-Jordan-Ammon, Moab, and possibly