Segment 3: Jeremiah YHWH s plan to bring disaster over Judah

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1 1 Numerical Features of Jeremiah Please read the General Introduction For the compositional structure of the book as a whole, see the analysis of Jeremiah1-6, pp Segment 3: Jeremiah YHWH s plan to bring disaster over Judah The compositional structure based on layout markers, content and numerical considerations The paragraphs marked blue in Columns 1-3 are highlighted by multiples of 17 and 26. Vss Texts Words Letters Sum words P/S Compositional structure Part 1: 13,1-27 YHWH will ruin the pride of Judah and Jerusalem 321 Jer 13, The symbolism of the linen waistcloth 322 Jer 13, S This S draws attention to YHWH s order in v Jer 13, ,1-5 YHWH orders Jeremiah to buy a linnen 324 Jer 13, waistcloth and to hide it in a cleft of the rock by 325 Jer 13,5 7/51 (3x17) the Euphrates: 51 (3x17) words. It is clearly a 326 Jer 13, distinct literary unit. 327 Jer 13, /86 P 13,7 Jeremiah retrieved it: it was ruined: 17 w. 328 Jer 13, God explains the symbolism; he forsees doom 329 Jer 13, / Jer 13, The paragraph is highlighted by 136 (8x17) words. 331 Jer 13, / a Jer 13,12a S This S draws attention to the message in v b Jer 13,12b Jer 13, Jer 13,14 16/136(8x17) /136 S 335 Jer 13, Jeremiah s appeal to the people to listen 336 Jer 13, Jer 13, /42 S 13,17 Jeremiah will weep over the disaster: 17 w. 338 Jer 13, He warns the king and the queen mother 339 Jer 13, /20 S 340 Jer 13, Jerusalem will be punished for her adultary 341 Jer 13, ,21 What will you say when pangs seize you? Jer 13, Jer 13, ,20-25 has altogether 68 (4x17) words. 344 Jer 13, Jer 13,25 12/68 (3x17) Jer 13, Jer 13, /93 P 13,27 Woe to Jerusalem! How long? 17 words. 27 Part 1: 13, x 377 Part 2: Has YHWH utterly rejected Judah? 348 Jer 14, The situation during the terrible drought 349 Jer 14, Jer 14,3 17/ ,2-6 Because of the drought the people 351 Jer 14, as well as the animals suffer: (2x17) words. 352 Jer 14, Jer 14,6 12/34 (2x17) /69 [] 354 Jer 14, Jeremiah prays to God for mercy 355 Jer 14, Jer 14, S This S draws attention to what is said in v Jer 14, /60 S 358 Jer 14, YHWH forbids Jeremiah to pray for the people 359 Jer 14, /28 S 360 Jer 14, S 9 Jeremiah accuses the false prophets 361 Jer 14, /45 S 10 YHWH agrees: they are telling lies

2 2 362 Jer 14, YHWH s judgement of these prophets 363 Jer 14, Jer 14, Jer 14, /91 S 366 Jer 14, Jeremiah asks forgiveness, prays for mercy 367 Jer 14, Jer 14, Jer 14, /63 P 370 Jer 15, YHWH is adamant about Judah s doom 371 Jer 15, ,1 Even Moses and Samuel cannot persuade 372 Jer 15, God to change his mind: 17 words. 373 Jer 15, /75 [] 374 Jer 15, YHWH foretells distress for Jerusalem 375 Jer 15, Jer 15, ,6-10 The city has rejected YHWH; that is why 377 Jer 15, he has streched out his hand against her and her 378 Jer 15, S inhabitants: 78 (3x26) words. 379 Jer 15,10 18/78(3x26) /91 S This S draws attention to Jeremiah s protest (v.10) 380 Jer 15, YHWH is angry and will not change his mind 381 Jer 15, In v. 11 I maintain the MT reading and take Jer 15, as a divine speech. 383 Jer 15, /43 S 384 Jer 15, Jeremiah protests and cries out in anguish 385 Jer 15, S This S draws attention to what is said in v Jer 15, S This S draws attention to what is said in v Jer 15, /60 S 388 Jer 15, YHWH answers that He will help Jeremiah 389 Jer 15, Jer 15, /46 P Until this point the book has 390 (15x26) verses. 43 Part 2: x 671 Part 3: 16,1-17,27 YHWH s judgement on Judah 391 Jer 16, YHWH forbids Jeremiah to raise a family 392 Jer 16, Jer 16, Jer 16, /59 S 395 Jer 16, Jeremiah may not participate in social life 396 Jer 16, Jer 16, ,7 There is no comfort or consolation: 17 words. 398 Jer 16, /67 S 399 Jer 16, Jeremiah must explain their fate to people 400 Jer 16, ,10-11 Jeremiah is to tell the people the reason 401 Jer 16,11 22/51 (3x17) for their fate: the sin of their fathers: 51 words. 402 Jer 16, Jer 16, /111 S 404 Jer 16, YHWH promises to restore the Israelites 405 Jer 16, /40 S 406 Jer 16, God will recompense their iniquity and sins 407 Jer 16, Jer 16, /49 S 409 Jer 16, Jeremiah is confident: Israel will know YHWH 410 Jer 16, Jer 16,21 14/130(5x26) /41 S 16,14-21 ( 21-23): =130 (5x26) words. 412 Jer 17, YHWH intends to ruin Judah completely 413 Jer 17,

3 3 414 Jer 17,3 11/34 (2x17) ,1-3 He will hand over their wealth: 34 (2x17) w. 415 Jer 17, /54 S 416 Jer 17, YHWH curses those who trust in mortals 417 Jer 17, /30 S 418 Jer 17, YHWH blesses those who trust in him 419 Jer 17, Jer 17, The paragraph is highlighted by 51 (3x17) words. 421 Jer 17,10 11/51(3x17) /51 S 422 Jer 17, A prayer expressing trust in YHWH 423 Jer 17, Jer 17, /36 S 425 Jer 17, Another prayer: Heal me, YHWH! 426 Jer 17, Jer 17, Jer 17, Jer 17, /58 S 17,18 May my prosecutors be foiled, not I: 17 w. 430 Jer 17, YHWH orders Jeremiah to speak in the gate 431 Jer 17, /35 S 432 Jer 17, The message Jeremiah has to convey 433 Jer 17, Jer 17, Jer 17, Jer 17, Jer 17, Jer 17, /138 P 48 Part 3: 16,1-17, x 769 Part 4: 18,1-19,15 The potter and the clay; plots against Jeremiah 439 Jer 18, YHWH sends Jeremiah to the potter s house 440 Jer 18, Jer 18, Jer 18, /41 P 18,4 The potter reworks a spoiled vessel 17 words. 443 Jer 18, YHWH explains to Jeremiah the metaphor 444 Jer 18, /24 S This S draws attention to what is said in vs Jer 18, The paragraph is highlighted by 68 (4x17) words. 446 Jer 18, /23 S ( =68) 447 Jer 18, This S draws attention to what is said in vs Jer 18,10 13/68(4x17) /21 S 449 Jer 18, Jeremiah must warn Judah and Jerusalem 450 Jer 18, /40 S 451 Jer 18, YHWH s resolve to show them his back 452 Jer 18,14 11/ Jer 18, ,13-14 Whoever heard the like of this? Israel 454 Jer 18, has done a thing most horrible: 26 words. 455 Jer 18, /62 S have altogether 40+62=102 (6x17) words. 456 Jer 18, Jeremiah s enemies make plots against him 457 Jer 18, Jer 18, ,18-21 The dicision of the plotters and the pro- 459 Jer 18,21 21/68 (4x17) phet s prayer for their destruction: 68 (4x17) w. 460 Jer 18, Jer 18, /106 S 462 Jer 19, The metaphor of the earthernware jar 463 Jer 19, Jer 19, ,3-5 YHWH will bring evil upon the kings of 465 Jer 19, Judah: they have forsaken him: 68 (4x17) words. 466 Jer 19,5 19/68 (4x17) /96 P

4 4 467 Jer 19, YHWH will cause the people to die 468 Jer 19, Jer 19, ,8-13 YHWH will make Jerusalem a horror and 470 Jer 19, Jeremiah must break the jar to symbolize the fall 471 Jer 19, of the city and the people: 102 (6x17) words. 472 Jer 19, Jer 19, Jer 19,13 22/102 (6x17) /143 P 475 Jer 19, S 38 Jeremiah repeats the message in Jerusalem 476 Jer 19, /44 [] This S draws attention to Gods speech in v x Part 4: 18,1-19, x x Parts 2-4: (120x17) x 2040(120x17) 14,1-19,15 ( 6-38) has 2040 (120x17) words. 477 Jer 20, Pashhur puts Jeremiah in the stocks 478 Jer 20, The paragraph is highlighted by 52 (2x26) words. 479 Jer 20,3 20/52(2x26) /52 P 480 Jer 20, YHWH will punish Pashhur and the people 481 Jer 20, ,4 Pashhur will be made a terror: 26 words. 482 Jer 20, /70 S Compare the 70 words in 25,8-11 and 52,31-34! 483 Jer 20, Jeremiah pleads his cause with YHWH 484 Jer 20, Jer 20, ,9 Jeremiah cannot hold God s word in: 17 w. 486 Jer 20, Jer 20, ,11-12 He expresses his trust in God: 34(2x17)w. 488 Jer 20,12 15/34 (2x17) S This S draws attention to the call in v Jer 20, /111 S Call to sing and praise YHWH 490 Jer 20, Jeremiah curses the day he was born 491 Jer 20, Jer 20, ,14-17 The person who announced his birth 493 Jer 20,17 11/51 (3x17) should have killed him in the womb: 51 (3x17) w. 494 Jer 20, / /61 P 20,7-18 Jeremiah s plea ( 41-42): 646 (38x17) lett. 18x Part 5: 20, x Segm. 3: x 2711 Segment 3 has (622x17) letters. 494 Jeremiah x ,1-20, (19x26) verses. Observation 1 In Segment 3 (13-20) 158 of the 174 verses (91%) and 2526 of the 2711 words (93%) are highlighted by 17 and 26. Jeremiah 1-20, the first main part of the book in terms of its tripartite overall structure (1-20; 21-45; 46-51), is finalized and sealed as a distinct literary entity by its 494 (19x26) verses. Compositional structure of Segment 3 (Chapters 13-20) Part 1 (13) YHWH will ruin the pride of Judah and Israel. P: 377 words; 1477 letters. Part 2 (14-15) Has YHWH utterly rejected Judah? P: 671 words; 2591 letters. Part 3 (16-17) YHWH s judgement on Judah. P: Part 4 (18-19) The potter and the clay; plots against Jeremiah. P: 600 words; Part 5 (20) Pashhur s sentence; has YHWH deceived Jeremiah? P: 294 words; 769 words; 2040 (120x17) 3017 letters letters. 646 (38x17) letters. Jeremiah words; (622x17) letters. Observation 2 Parts 2-4 (14-19) dealing with God s judgement on Judah and the confrontation between Jeremiah and the false prophets stand out with their 2040 (120x17) words. Observation 3 The final chapter is sealed by its 646 (38x17) letters. Observation 4 The 2711 words of Segment 3 have (622x17) letters. This may not be simply a matter of coincidence. Eikelenboom drew my attention to the fact that the dreadful fate of Judah and Jerusalem is

5 5 described in 19,7 and that the number 622 represents the numerical value of the combination which is explicitly mentioned: ( =622). The combination occurs 5x in Jeremiah: 4x in connection with deportation (19,7; 27,2.21; 29,2) and 1x in connection with restoration (33,16). Crucial passages in Segment 3 (13-20) highlighted by 17 and The incident of the linen waistcloth (13,1-5): 51 (3x17) words. 2. Jeremiah retrieves the waistcloth, which was ruined (13,7): 17 words. 3. YHWH explains the symbolism of the waistcloth as intimating doom (13,8-14): 136 (8x17) words. 4. Jerusalem will be punished for her adultary (13,20-25): 68 (4x17) words. 5. Woe to Jerusalem! How long? (13,27): 17 words. 6. Even Moses and Samuel cannot persuade God to change his mind (15,1): 17 words. 7. YHWH accuses Jerusalem that she has rejected him (15,6-10): 78 ( 3x26) words. 8. There is no comfort or consolation for the mourner (16,7): 17 words. 9. YHWH promises to recompense the people s iniquity and to restore them (16,14-21): 130 (5x26) words. 10. YHWH will hand over for spoil Judah s wealth and treasures (17,1-3): 34 (2x17) words. 11. YHWH blesses those who trust in him (17,7-10): 51 (3x17) words. 12. Jeremiah prays that YHWH must destroy his prosecutors with double destruction (17,18): 17 words. 13. The potter reworks a spoiled vessel (18,4): 17 words. 14. YHWH explains to Jeremiah the metaphor (18,5-10): 68 (4x17) words. 15. Jeremiah must warn Judah and Jerusalem (18,11-17): 102 (6x17) words. 16. YHWH will bring evil upon the kings of Judah (19,3-5): 68 (4x17) words. 17. YHWH will make Jerusalem a horror and Jeremiah must smash the vessel (19,8-13):102 (6x17) words. 18. Pashhur puts Jeremiah in the stocks (20,1-3): 52 (2x26) words. 19. Pashhur will be made a terror (20,4): 26 words. 20. Jeremiah cannot hold God s word in (20,9): 17 words. 21. Jeremiah expresses his trust in God (20,11-12): 34 (2x17). Words attributed to YHWH in Jeremiah The introductions at the beginning of the divine speeches are not part of the divine speeches. As for the formulae referring to God s speaking, however, such as and within and at the end of the speeches (Ref. For.), it is difficult to say whether they are integral part of the speeches or editorial notes. In the overview I shall register them separately. In any case, they stress the divine origin of the words attributed to God. When it concerns speeches in which YHWH tells the prophet precisely what he must say to the people (preformulated messages), such formulae are part and parcel of the divine speeches. They are underlined in the Hebrew text to be found after the table below. Column 1: The numbering of the divine speeches (DS) Column 2: The texts in which they are to be found (Text) Column 3: The addressees (Addressee) Column 4: The number of words in the introductions (Introduction) Column 5: The number of words in the divine speeches as such (Divine Speech) Column 6: The number of words in the formulae referring to God s words (Referring Formulae) Column 7: The number of words in the DSS including the Referring Formulae (DS + Ref.For.) Column 8: The total number of words devoted to God s speaking (Total).

6 6 DS Text Addressee Introduction Divine Speech Ref. For. DS + Ref. For. Total 1 13,1 Jeremiah (to me) ,3-4 Jeremiah (to me) 6 15/ / ,6 Jeremiah (to me) ,8-11 Jeremiah (to me) ,12-14 Jeremiah (7x26) ,23-27 Jeremiah 0 51= 3x17) ,10a >> the people ,11-12 Jeremiah (to me) (3x17) ,14 Jeremiah (to me) ,15-18 Jeremiah ,1-2 Jeremiah ,3-4 Jeremiah ,5-9 Jeremiah ,11-14 Jeremiah ,19-21 Jeremiah ,1-2 Jeremiah (to me) ,3-4 Jeremiah ,5-8 Jeremiah (11x17) ,9-13 Jeremiah 7 104= 4x (4x26) ,14-15 Jeremiah ,16-18 Jeremiah ,20-21 No addressee ,1-4 No addressee ,5-10 No addressee 3 78 (3x26) 0 78 (3x26) ,19-20 Jeremiah (to me) ,21-27 Judah and its king ,1-2 Jeremiah ,5-10 Jeremiah (to me) (4x17) 29 18,11-12 Jeremiah ,13-17 Jeremiah /102 (6x17) 31 19,1-5 Jeremiah ,6-13 Jeremiah ,15 >> Jerusalem ,4-6 >> Pashhur x Jer (98x17) Observation 4 DSS 1-2 have altogether 26 words. DSS 4-6 have altogether 182 (7x26) words. DS 6 has 51 (3x17) words. DSS 7-9 have altogether 51 (3x17) words. DSS have altogether 187 (11x17) words. DS 19 has 104 (4x26) words. DS 24 has 78 (3x26) words. In connection with DS 28 altogether 68 (4x17) words are devoted to the divine speech. In connection with DSS altogether 102 (6x17) words are devoted to the divine speeches. The 34 DSS in Segment 3 have altogether 1666 (98x17) words. See the significant numbers (multiples of 17) in connection with the divine speeches in Segments 1 (1-6) and 2 (7-12). Finally, the 1811 words devoted to the divine speeches (see the table below) amount to 67% of the total number of words (2711).

7 7 The underlined words are part of the divine speeches contrary to those marked green Jeremiah ,1 4+11= , = ,6 7+11= , = , =67 In terms of content, 13,18-22 is part of the words spoken by Jeremiah. Therefore, I propose to read, I shall say, instead of, Say. 6 13, [53]=53

8 8 Jeremiah 14 The divine speech in question is to be found in 14,10a In Jeremiah the relative particle can introduce an editorial note; see 32,9. For this remarkable editorial heading, see also 46,1, 47,1, and 49, ,10a 5+6= , = , = , =91

9 9 Jeremiah , = , [35]= , [73]= , =43

10 , [42]=46 Jeremiah , = , = , [63]= , (4x26)= , [40]=40

11 , [49]= , =21 Jeremiah , = , (3x26)=81

12 , = , [135]=138 Jeremiah , = , [63]=68 (4x17) 29 18, = , =62

13 13 Jeremiah , = , [143]=143

14 , =28 Jeremiah , =70 Continue to Segment 4: Jeremiah 21-29

Vss Texts Words Let. Sum w. P/S Compositional structure Prophecies concerning Zedekiah and his house

Vss Texts Words Let. Sum w. P/S Compositional structure Prophecies concerning Zedekiah and his house 1 Numerical Features of Jeremiah 21-29 Please read the General Introduction For the compositional structure of the book as a whole, see the analysis of Jeremiah1-6, pp. 1-3. Segment 4: Jeremiah 21-29 Prophecies