The political agenda is often obscure, or it is blurred by explanations of defeat and
misfortune that focus on the consequences of religious heterodoxy and moral corrup-
tion. Although prophets have a major role in moving the historiography of the Book
of Kings forward, Jeremiah, himself, is never mentioned in those sections of Second
Kings that cover the period from 609 – 586 BCEwhen he was active.
A corollary of the doctrine of submission to Babylonia is the fact that in the Book
of Kings, the king of Babylonia is never threatened with divine punishment for what
he did to Judah and Jerusalem, or for any of his related acts of cruelty. He is merely
carrying out Yahweh’s plan. The downfall of Babylonia is a major theme in Jeremiah,
as in Deutero-Isaiah and Ezekiel, and elsewhere (such as in Habakkuk), where it is
viewed as the fulfillment of Yahweh’s plan, and as requisite to the restoration of his
people, Israel. The Book of Kings does not see that far ahead. To be sure, the destructive
actions of Nebuchadnezzar II and his forces are recounted in Second Kings in their
full cruelty and severity, and one senses the impending doom and its attendant
hardships. And yet, it is remarkable how impersonal the Babylonian narrative of
Second Kings is in contrast to the Assyrian narrative that had preceded it. The king
of Assyria engages in debate and he propagandizes; he taunts and displays hubris,
just as he is portrayed as doing in Isaiah 10. In contrast, the king of Babylonia, both
in Second Kings and in Jeremiah, is configured as an impersonal force, cruel and
powerful. He never speaks in public, but only acts; he has no “personality.”
“NEBUCHADNEZZAR, MY SERVANT”:
JEREMIAH’S EXPLANATION OF DEFEATThe Book of Jeremiah is, along with Second Kings, a major source of knowledge on
the Babylonian presence, as viewed from Jerusalem. It is replete with historical
signposts for the reigns of the last three kings of Judah, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and
Zedekiah, giving some attention to what immediately preceded them, and going on
to report on events subsequent to 586 BCE.
In the discussion to follow, we will first present graphic images of the Babylonian
armies and campaigns as preserved in the book of Jeremiah, because such passages
convey the fearful anticipation of impending disaster, and the trauma of the final
destruction. We will then proceed to analyze the prophetic outlook on the Babylonian
threat, and its consequences for the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
Graphic images of the Babylonian campaignsIn the first nineteen chapters of Jeremiah, before prophecies become linked to the
reigns of particular kings of Judah, and connected to specific stages in the destruction,
we find numerous characterizations of the Babylonian forces in their advance toward
Judah and Jerusalem. Though these prophecies are not sequenced chronologically,
we sense how such descriptions assume greater immediacy as the enemy draws
nearer. What was far away is soon perilously close! The Babylonians are not explicitly
identified as the dreaded enemy until Jer 20 : 4 ; prior to that, they are referred to in
more relational terms. As noted earlier, the report of the delegation sent to Jerusalem
by Merodach-Baladan II ( 2 Kings 2 : 14 b; Isa 39 : 3 ) speaks of the Babylonians
— The view from Jerusalem —