The oracle of deliverance for Ebed-Melech, the cushite

Table Of Contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• About the author
• About the book
• Citability of the eBook
• Preface
• Foreward
• Acknowledgment
• Table of contents
• Signs and abbreviations
• Journals, series and abbreviated titles
• Grammatical and other special abbreviations
• Introduction
• 1. Theme and scope of the study
• 2. Status quaestionis
• 3. Uniqueness and limits
• 4. Content and outline
• 5. Methodology
• 6. Choice between MT and LXX
• Chapter I Contexts and characters (Jer 37–39)
• 1. Historical context
• 1.1 Babylonian siege
• 1.1.1 Limited historical and scriptural evidence
• 1.1.2 Jerusalem’s actual fall and obliteration
• 1.1.3 Tenable conclusion
• 1.2 Internal discrepancies
• 1.3 Social atmosphere
• 2. Literary context
• 2.1 Proposed structure
• 2.2 Extensive sequence
• 2.2.1 Zedekiah’s reign and Jeremiah’s detention (Jer 37,1–21): Plot one
• 2.2.2 Jeremiah’s rescue and meeting with Zedekiah (Jer 38,1–28): Plot two
• 2.2.3 Jerusalem falls but some people survive (Jer 39,1–18): Plot three
• 2.3 Apparent repetitions
• 3. Characters
• 3.1 God
• 3.2 Jeremiah
• 3.3 Zedekiah
• 3.4 Nebuchadnezzar
• 3.5 Zedekiah’s officials
• 3.6 Nebuchadnezzar’s officials
• 3.7 Ebed-melech
• 3.7.1 Name and its implications
• 3.7.2 Nationality and social status
• 3.7.3 His words and deed
• 3.7.4 God’s approbation
• 3.8 Ebed-melech’s aides
• Excursus 1: Cush and the Cushites
• Chapter II Jeremiah in and out of the cistern (Jer 38,1–13)
• 1. Immediate context (Jer 38,1–28)
• 2. Narrative structure (Jer 38,1–13)
• 3. Jeremiah thrown into the cistern (Jer 38,1–6): Scene I
• 3.1 Delimitation of the text
• 3.2 Text-criticism and translation20
• 3.3 Rhetoric analysis
• 3.3.1 The passage in its entirety (Jer 38,1–6)
• 3.3.2 Relationship between parts of the passage
• 3.3.3 Assessment of individual parts of the passage
• 3.4 Narrative analysis
• 3.4.1 Officials heard Jeremiah’s oracle (vv.1–3)
• 3.4.1.1 Characters
• 3.4.1.2 Setting
• 3.4.1.3 Cause of conflict
• 3.4.2 Officials requested to kill Jeremiah (v.4)
• 3.4.3 Zedekiah’s response to the officials (v.5)
• 3.4.4 The officials threw Jeremiah in the cistern (v.6a-e)
• 3.4.5 Jeremiah sank in the mud in the cistern (v.6f)
• 4. Jeremiah drawn out of the cistern (Jer 38,7–13): Scene II
• 4.1 Delimitation of the text
• 4.2 Text-criticism and translation
• 4.3 Rhetoric analysis
• 4.3.1 The passage in its entirety (Jer 38,7–13)
• 4.3.2 Unifying elements for the passage
• 4.3.3 Relationship within component parts
• 4.3.4 Analysis of individual parts of the passage
• 4.4 Narrative analysis
• 4.4.1 Background information (v.7)
• 4.4.1.1 Characters
• 4.4.1.2 Motivation for Ebed-melech’s act
• 4.4.1.3 Setting
• 4.4.2 Ebed-melech’s report to the king (vv.8–9)
• 4.4.2.1 Ebed-melech’s address to the king
• 4.4.2.2 The evil of the officials
• 4.4.2.3 Famine in the city
• 4.4.3 The king’s command to Ebed-melech (v.10)
• 4.4.4 Ebed-melech delivers Jeremiah (vv.11–13a-b)
• 4.4.5 Jeremiah stayed in the court of the guard (v.13c)
• 5. Exegetical issues
• 5.1 Sword, famine and pestilence
• 5.2 One’s life as booty
• 5.3 Not seeking peace but evil
• 5.4 Sitting in the gate
• 5.5 Significance of thirty men
• Excursus 2: Ebed-melech, the Cushite in Judah
• Chapter III God’s promise of deliverance to Ebed-melech (Jer 39,15–18)
• 1. Literary genre and form
• 2. Specaific literary context (Jer 39,1–18)
• 3. Judgment for Zedekiah (Jer 39,1–10): Scene I
• 3.1 Delimitation of the text
• 3.2 Text-criticism and translation
• 3.3 Narrative analysis
• 3.3.1 Final siege of Jerusalem (vv.1–3)
• 3.3.2 Zedekiah’s attempted flight (v.4)
• 3.3.3 The capture and judgment of Zedekiah (v.5)
• 3.3.4 The fate of the people and the city (vv.6–9)
• 3.3.5 Favor for the poor (v.10)
• 3.4 Parallel texts
• 4. The liberation of Jeremiah (Jer 39,11–14): Scene II
• 4.1 Delimitation of the text
• 4.2 Text-criticism and translation
• 4.3 Narrative analysis
• 4.3.1 Command to protect Jeremiah (vv.11–12)
• 4.3.2 Officials prepare to free Jeremiah (v.13)
• 4.3.3 Liberation of Jeremiah (v.14a-b)
• 4.3.4 Jeremiah entrusted to Gedaliah (v.14c)
• 4.3.5 Jeremiah among the people again (v.14d)
• 4.4 Parallel text (Jer 40,1–6)
• 4.4.1 Particular elements in Jer 40,1–6
• 4.4.2 Similarities in Jer 39,11–14 and Jer 40,1–6
• 4.4.3 Discrepancies in Jeremiah’s release story
• 5. Salvation for Ebed-melech (Jer 39,15–18): Scene III
• 5.1 Delimitation of the text
• 5.2 Text-criticism and translation
• 5.3 Rhetoric analysis
• 5.3.1 The passage in its entirety
• 5.3.2 Uniting elements of the text
• 5.3.3 Analysis of particular parts
• 5.3.4 Features of Ebed-melech’s oracle
• 5.3.4.1 Anachronistic placement
• 5.3.4.2 Judgment and salvation
• 5.3.4.3 God’s commitment and assurance
• 5.3.4.4 Content of the promise
• 5.3.4.5 Basis for the promised salvation
• 6. Exegetical issues
• 6.1 Flight to the wilderness
• 6.2 Darkness and blindness
• 6.3 Massive slaughter of humans
• 6.4 Meaning of «on that day»
• 6.5 To deliver and to give into the hands
• 6.5.1 וְהִצַּלְתִּיךָ «But I will deliver you» (Jer 39,17a)
• 6.5.2 כִּי מַלֵּט אֲמַלֶּטְךָ «For I will surely deliver you» (Jer 39,18a)
• 6.5.3 וְלֹא תִנָּתֵן בְּיַד «and you will not be given in the hand of» (Jer 39,17b)
• 6.6 Trust in God or in mortal potency
• 6.6.1 Trust as a hermeneutical key
• 6.6.2 Subject of faith
• 6.6.3 Object of confidence
• Chapter IV Theological significance and socio-political implications
• 1. Theological significance
• 1.1 God’s commitment to his promises
• 1.1.1 Declaration of deliverance
• 1.1.2 Accomplishment of the oath
• 1.2 Trust and deliverance
• 1.2.1 Obedience and good deeds
• 1.2.1.1 In divine-human connection
• 1.2.1.2 In human affairs
• 1.2.2 Salvation belongs to the Lord
• 1.2.3 God’s channels of deliverance
• 1.2.3.1 Direct or indirect intervention
• 1.2.3.2 Appointed persons
• 1.2.3.3 Charismatic persons
• 1.3 Judgment and redemption
• 1.3.1 Way of life and way of death
• 1.3.2 Ebed-melech and Zedekiah as models
• 1.3.2.1. Ebed-melech, the Cushite and eunuch
• 1.3.2.2 Zedekiah, king of Judah
• 1.3.3 Identity of the remnants
• 1.4 Universality of Jeremiah’s mission
• 1.4.1 Prophet to the nations
• 1.4.2 Universal Judgment
• 1.4.3 Deliverance for a stranger
• 1.5 Rejection of God’s messengers
• 1.5.1 Persecution and reaction
• 1.5.2 Implications of rejection
• 1.5.3 Human solace for Jeremiah
• 1.6 Jeremiah’s grief and Jesus’ passion
• 1.6.1 Dishonored by compatriots
• 1.6.2 False accusations
• 1.6.3 Assistance from the lowly
• 2. Social and political implications
• 2.1 Origin and scope of authority
• 2.1.1 Power comes from God
• 2.1.2 Socio-political arrangement
• 2.2 Contemporary prophets and prophetism
• 2.2.1 Christians as prophets
• 2.2.2 Divine messengers’ role
• 2.3 Religion and politics
• 2.3.1 Traits of true leaders
• 2.3.2 Scope of leadership
• 2.3.3 Dissent in administration
• 2.4 Justice and peace today
• 2.4.1 Collective responsibility
• 2.4.2 Ebed-melech, the hero of fairness
• 2.4.3 Spontaneous altruism
• 2.5 Compassion for the vulnerable
• 2.5.1 Thrust for kindness
• 2.5.2 Ubuntu – Dynamic compassion
• Conclusion
• 2. Jeremiah’s symbolic life and actions
• 2.1 Classical examples
• 2.2 Incarceration and its implications
• 2.3 The prophet’s cistern experience
• 3. The potency of active faith
• 3.1 Ebed-melech’s trust
• 3.2 Jerusalem’s mistrust
• 4. Divergent points of view
• 4.1 Prophetic announcement
• 4.2 Officials’ evaluation
• 4.3 Ebed-melech’s and Zedekiah’s assessment
• 4.4 Readers’ analysis vis-à-vis God’s interpretation
• 5. Aliens and natives in God’s plan
• 5.1 Ebed-melech and the anonymous widow
• 5.2 Theme of the remnants
• 5.3 Individual responsibility
• Appendices
• Bibliography
• Index