The Family of Shaphan

1. The Family of Shaphan • Shaphan took book of the law to Josiah (2 Kgs 22) • Ahikam (Shaphan’s son) saved Jeremiah from execution after temple sermon (26:24) • Elasah (Shaphan’s son) conveyed letter to exiles (29:3) • Gemariah (Shaphan’s son)--Baruch read Jeremiah’s scroll in his temple chamber; urged Jehoiakim not to burn scroll. • Gedaliah (Shaphan’s grandson, through Ahikam) was governor after the fall of Jerusalem (39:14) and was asked to protect Jeremiah after Babylonian victory (40:5). Later assassinated (41:2)

2. Temple Sermon--609 • Chapter 7 C; Chapter 26 B • Relationship to Deuteronomic reform • Temple of Yahweh • Steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely • Has this house become a den of robbers? • My place at Shiloh

3. Temple Sermon--609 • Chapter 26 B • Jeremiah is threatened with death; saved because of precedent of Micah who said: “Zion shall be plowed like a field” • Then Hezekiah prayed and God changed his mind • Was Micah unduly pessimistic, even wrong? • Uriah killed by Jehoiakim (26:23); per contra Jeremiah--saved by Ahikam son of Shaphan (26:24)

4. Letter to the exiles 29:1-9 • Communication took place between exile and the land • Build, marry, have children--seek shalom of the city • Worship (without temple and sacrificial cult) possible in an unclean land • Praying for Babylon is in Israel’s self-interest • Praying for the enemy

5. Another letter to the exiles 51:59-64 • Delivered by Seraiah the son of Neriah (brother of Baruch) • Listed disasters that would come on Babylon • Private rather than public • Dealt with future not present • Read it and cast it into Euphrates--thus shall Babylon sink, no more to rise

6. Jeremiah’s Life (37-38) • Kings: Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah, (Gedaliah) • Rescued by Ebed-melech, the Cushite • If you, Zedekiah, surrender, your life will be spared. • Zedekiah begs Jeremiah not to tell others of the disastrous fate that awaits the king

7. Jeremiah’s Life (39-41) • Zedekiah captured, witnesses murder of his sons, and is blinded. • Jeremiah entrusted to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan. • Word of deliverance for Ebed-melech. • Baalis king of the Ammonites sends Ishmael to assassinate Gedaliah

8. Jeremiah’s Life (42-44) • Jeremiah advises against going to Egypt • Jeremiah and Baruch forcibly taken to Egypt. • Jeremiah: Nebuchadrezzar will invade Egypt. • Jeremiah denounces worship of the queen of heaven

9. Baruch in 605 • 36 Baruch writes words of first scroll and read it in the temple. • 36 Baruch writes also a second scroll. • 45 Baruch given life as a prize of war. • Frames story of Jeremiah and the peril of the word of God in 37-44

10. Jeremiah’s Messiah • righteous or legitimate “branch” • I am going to bring my servant the branch Zech 3:8; 6:12 • He shall rule as king and act wisely; he shall practice justice and righteousness • Judah will be saved and Israel dwell securely • “Yahweh is the source of our vindication.” Zidqiyahu becomes Yahweh sidqenu

11. Shepherds scatter sheep 23:1-2 You (shepherds) drove them away 23:2 You did not supervise (attend to) them 23:2 I, Yahweh, will scatter them 9:16 I drove them away 23:3, 8 Behold I will supervise (punish) you 23:2 Deuteronomistic Phraseology in chapter 23 and related passages

12. Deuteronomistic Reversals in Jeremiah • I will gather the remnant that has been scattered 23:3 • I will bring them back from the place where I have driven them 23:3 • I will carry out a saving visit of you who have been visited with punishment 29:10

13. A Step beyond the Deuteronomistic History • Deut 28:63 and Josh 23:15: God’s bad word is as certain as his good word. Just as the Lord took delight in making you prosperous, so the Lord will take delight in bringing you to ruin. • Jer 31:28; 32:42 God’s good word is as certain as his bad word. Just as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, so I will watch over them to build and to plant.

14. A Reinterpretation of the Messiah, 33:14-16 • God promises to establish the previous word (=23:5-6) • Judah will be saved and Jerusalem (not Israel) dwell securely • Her (not his) name = Yahweh is the source of our vindication • 33:14-26 lacking in the Septuagint

15. Later reinterpretation of this passage • vv. 17-18 Davidic dynasty, not an individual; Levitical priests also = “dynastic” • vv. 19-22 the covenant with Davidic and Levitical lines unbreakable. • vv. 23-26 Yahweh has an unbreakable covenant with Jacob and David. One of David descendants will reign over seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

16. Genesis 15 Covenant with Abram and Sarai Genesis 17 Everlasting Covenant with Abraham and Sarah Deuteronomy--ancestral covenant Fulfilled in David--Nile to Euphrates and covenant with David Genesis 17 = ancestral covenant an end in itself Fulfilled on Horeb/Sinai Ancestral and Sinai Covenants

17. The New Covenant--Jer 31:31-34 • It’s an oracle of Yahweh! vv. 31, 32, 33, 34 • Both kingdoms--Israel and Judah • “New” or “renewed”? • Even though I was their husband? their baal? Ytl[b

18. More on the New Covenant • God’s law written on heart (cf. new heart in Ezekiel) • What does it mean to “know” Yahweh? • [Josiah] judged the cause of the poor and needy….Is not this to know me? 22:15-16 • Basis for new covenant • I will forgive their iniquity • I will not remember their sin anymore