Jeremias 45

Jeremias 45:1-5

45:1 "in the fourth year of Jehoiakim" The date for this would be 605 B.C. This was the same year Neo-Babylon defeated the remnants of the Assyrian army and the Egyptian army at Carchemish in northern Syria (cf. Jer. 46:2). The power in the ANE changed! The historical setting for this brief chapter is chapter 36. SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF THE DIVIDED MONARCHY ▣ "when he had written down these words in a book at Jeremiah's dictation" It is uncertain if this phrase refers to Jeremiah's first dictation to Baruch ‒ Jer. 36:4 Jeremiah's expanded rewriting‒ Jer. 36:32 45:3 Baruch was grieving over the current state of affairs (i.e. for the king burning Jeremiah's scroll, see chapter 36). "woe is me!" (cf. Jer. 4:13,31; 6:4; 10:19; 13:27; 15:10; 22:13; 23:1; 48:1,46; 50:27, obviously a cultural idiom of despair) the Lord has added sorrow to my pain I am weary with my groaning I have found no rest 45:4 This verbiage reflects Jeremiah's call in Jer. 1:10 (cf. Jer. 18:7-10; 24:6; 31:28; 42:10). The curses of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 have come to reality! A reverse "exodus" has occurred in parallel to the removal of the Canaanite population who had previously inhabited Canaan (cf. Gen. 15:16). Their idolatry caused them to be exiled, so too, now Judah's idolatry has caused her to be exiled. SPECIAL TOPIC: IDOLATRY (OT) SPECIAL TOPIC: CONSEQUENCES OF IDOLATRY ▣ "the whole land" Context clarifies that erets (BDB 75, KB 90) refers to Canaan also possibly Egypt SPECIAL TOPIC: LAND, COUNTRY EARTH SPECIAL TOPIC: WORLD (several terms) 45:5 "But you, are you seeking great things for yourself?" This is always an appropriate question for fallen, self-centered humanity. Believers must remember that all things are in our God's hands. We are only stewards. Our only appropriate response is, "I am available!" or "Here am I, send me." A good biblical example of a person who recognized his spiritual stewardship (at least at first) was Solomon (cf. 1 Kgs. 3:9,11). ▣ NASB, NKJV, NRSV, NET "you seek great things for yourself?" "Are you looking for special treatment for yourself?" "you ask for special treatment!" REB, Peshitta "you once sosught great things for yourself" "do you expect great things for yourself?" This phrase is not clarified in context. The translation options show the theories. Baruch expected special treatment (i.e. did not have to go to Egypt) Baruch was upset that he did not receive some honor with Jeremiah (i.e. recognized as a spiritual leader and compiler/editor of Jeremiah's prophecies) Baruch was hoping to escape the prophesied judgment of Judeans in Egypt he expected to be rewarded for supporting Jeremiah's oracles (cf. Jer. 43:3) ▣ "I am going to bring disaster on all flesh" This hyperbolic idiom is also found in Jer. 25:31 and Isa. 66:16. It is difficult for modern westerners to interpret ANE poetry because of our tendency toward literalism. A book that has really helped me in this genre is D. Brent Sandy, Plowshares and Pruning Hooks: Rethinking the Language of Biblical Prophecy and Apocalyptic. I commend it to you! ▣ "but I will give your life to you as booty" YHWH promises to spare Baruch's life in the midst of the judgment which will fall on the Judeans in Egypt. This military imagery (i.e. "booty") occurs several times in Jeremiah (cf. Jer. 21:9; 38:2; 39:18).