Book of the Covenant (30:1-31:40) 433(Lev 7:31). The "fat(ness)" promised to the priests is food in abundance, or
general prosperity (T; Calvin; Thompson; McKane; cf. Pss 36:9[Eng 38:8];
65:12[Eng 65:11]; Isa 55:2). The LXX lacks "fat" and adds "sons of Levi,"
which is another inferior reading. 4QJerc supports MT. The term dasen is so-
norous with sason ("joy") in the prior line. Hebrew nepes is best taken here as
referring to the whole being, as in v 12c, although it might possibly be re-
duced to "appetite" since food is at issue (Streane). It is unlikely to have the
more restricted meaning of "throat" (pace Gruber 1987: 365; KB^3 ), although
"throat" may translate nepes in 31:25.MESSAGE AND AUDIENCE
Jeremiah begins this oracle with an announcement to the nations, who in turn
are to tell people on distant coastlands that the One who scattered Israel is now
about to gather him and will care for him as a shepherd cares for his flock. The
nations must know, as they doubtless already do, that Yahweh is redeeming
Israel from a hand of considerable strength. They, too, know the mighty Assyr-
ians. Israelite exiles together with people from the northern territories will
come and sing joyfully on Zion's height, and there they will beam brightly over
Yahweh's goodness, consisting of abundant crops with expanding flocks and
herds. The returnees will be refreshed like a well-watered garden, and men
young and old will be gladdend by maidens twirling in the dance.
Yahweh confirms this happy anticipation by saying that mourning will in-
deed be turned into joy. Yahweh will comfort them and replace their sorrow
with gladness. Israelite priests-those from exile and those living to the
north-will be filled to overflowing with Yahweh's abundance, and others too
will experience the divine goodness in a way they have not known before.
This oracle should be dated to the reform years of Josiah, i.e., anytime after
622 B.C., when the call was being made for Northern Israel to make its way to
Zion. After the fall of Jerusalem, the oracle became a call for all exiles to return
at some future date to Zion's lofty height.
When heard following the oracle in vv 7-9, the present oracle will supple-
ment Yahweh's word of salvation to Israel's remnant by an announcement of
the same to the nations, and via the nations to people further distant. The
whole world must know of Israel's redemption and of Israel's God who will
bring about this redemption.
j) Rachel Weeping in Ramah (31:15)
31 15 Thus said Yahweh:
The voice of lament is heard in Ramah
bitterest weeping
Rachel is weeping over her sons
she refuses to be comforted over her sons
because they are not.