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

Speaking of Kings (21:1-23:8) 177

MT and LXX, respectively, at first vertically in the margins, then later in the

text itself! This explanation should be rejected. It is too complicated, too con-

jectural, and totally unnecessary.

Whereas many commentators take the present oracle as being exilic or post-

exilic, it fits the post-597 B.C. situation well and can certainly be assigned to

Jeremiah (Weiser; Thompson; Jones).

Catchwords connecting to the oracle preceding (Craigie et al.):

v 7 Look ... days are coming v 5 Look, days are coming

NOTES

23:7-8. See exegesis for 16:14-15.

7. the children oflsrael. The LXX has "the house of Israel"; however, in v 8
   where MT has "house of Israel," it omits the phrase entirely.


8. who brought up and who. An omission in the LXX, doubtless due to hap-
   lography (whole-word: >Sr ... >sr; or homoeoarcton: h ... h).
   who brought in the offspring of the house of Israel from a land to the north and
   from all the lands where I scattered them. Isaiah 43:5 looks ahead to the redemp-
   tion of Israel's "offspring" (zera<) from the east. Jones thinks that "offspring" in
   the present verse has a deeper theological meaning of Israel as a fulfillment of
   Yahweh's promise to Abraham (Gen 13:15-16; 15:5, 18).
   where I scattered them. Or "where I dispersed them." The verb is ndb. The
   LXX has the reading of 16: 15: "he scattered them." The shift to the divine "I"
   is awkward but can stand (Calvin). Yahweh is speaker of the oracle.
   And they shall dwell. Hebrew weyasebU. The LXX has kai apekatestesen au-
   tous, "and I will restore them" wahiisibotfm in 16:15). The LXX and 16:15
   do not read "and I shall settle them" (pace Holladay, 621 g-g).

MESSAGE AND AUDIENCE

The oracle here, as in 16:14-15, gives a Judahite audience facing exile a new
confession that will be greater than the one celebrating deliverance from
Egypt. The oracle makes good sense any time after 597 B.C., when people are
either exile-bound or already exiled to Babylon. It will assume even greater
meaning after 586 B.c., when the Judahite population has been scattered in
every direction.
In its present context the oracle builds on the words in v 3, where Yahweh
speaks of gathering the remnant of his flock from distant places and returning
them to pasture. The final reference about Israel dwelling in the land also con-
firms the words in v 6, which says that Judah will be saved and Israel will dwell
in security.