Structure – Sefer Yirmeyahu/0

Structure – Sefer Yirmeyahu

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

Overview

When learning Sefer Yirmeyahu one is struck by the seeming lack of order within the book. While the first 20 chapters are largely undated,¹ the following ones appear to go back and forth between the reigns of Yehoyakim and Tzidkeyahu,² without any obvious explanation behind the ordering. Thematically as well, the book is not consistent, for the few prophecies of consolation are placed right in the middle of the book (chapters 30-33), breaking up the prophecies of rebuke which surround them.³  In addition, though Yirmeyahu is commanded to prophesy against the foreign nations in Chapter 25, the series of prophecies regarding them appear only at the end of the book, in chapters 46-51.⁴ What is the logic behind the book's structure?

The Writing of the Book – The Scrolls

A key to unraveling the book's structure might lie in the mention of several distinct scrolls of prophecies that Yirmeyahu was commanded to write. 

• Yirmeyahu 36 speaks of Baruch b. Neriya, Yirmeyahu's scribe, writing all of the prophecies given from the time of Yoshiyahu through to the fourth year of Yehoyakim, plus others added later ("וְעוֹד נוֹסַף עֲלֵיהֶם דְּבָרִים רַבִּים כָּהֵמָּה"). As the king reacts to the prophecies by burning the scroll, it is likely that it contained mainly prophecies of rebuke. Additionally, the scroll presumably did not include any of the narrative and historic material of our book, which would have been unnecessary to share with the king.
• Yirmeyahu 30:1-2 mentions a second scroll (כְּתׇב לְךָ אֵת כׇּל הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ אֶל סֵפֶר), which apparently contained prophecies of consolation (those prophecies which immediately follow this heading).
• Finally, Yirmeyahu 46:1 opens, "אֲשֶׁר הָיָה דְבַר י"י אֶל יִרְמְיָהוּ הַנָּבִיא עַל הַגּוֹיִם", perhaps suggesting that these prophecies, too, were recorded in their own scroll.  [Alternatively, they were originally part of the scroll mentioned in chapter 36 which included: הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי...  עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל יְהוּדָה וְעַל כׇּל הַגּוֹיִם, but were later separated.]

The existence of such scrolls likely helped shape the character of Sefer Yirmeyahu, as the book appears to alternate between the prophetic material found in the scrolls and accompanying narrative which was likely added later. 

Thus, as we will see below, the book opens with a unit of prophetic material (1-36) which contains a section of prophecies of rebuke (1-25) – the first scroll mentioned above, followed by relevant historical narrative (26-29), then a section of prophecies of consolation (30-31) – the second scroll discussed above, followed by correlating narrative (32-35). These lead into chapters which speak of the historical fulfillment of the prophecies (37-45) and then a concluding section of prophecies aimed at foreign nations (46-51). For the most part, each individual section proceeds chronologically,⁵ even though the book as a whole does not.

Division into Units

The book can be divided into three main units and a conclusion

I. Prophecies to Israel (1-36)
II. Historical Fulfillment (37-45)
III. Prophecies to the Nations (46-51)
IV. Conclusion (52)

This division is based on the following factors:

• Genre – Units one and three contain prophetic material, whereas the second and fourth sections are historical in nature.
• Content – Sections one and two complement each other, with the first section mostly devoted to chastising the people and foretelling the calamities to befall Yehuda, and the second section describing the fulfillment of these prophecies, as Jerusalem is destroyed and the people exiled.
• Audience / Characters – While the first two sections focus on Israel, the third turns to the foreign nations.
• Literary markers – This division is supported by several literary markers as well:
• Colophons – Each of the three main units ends with a discussion of the writing down of Yirmeyahu's prophecies by his scribes.⁶
• Bookends – The book opens by stating that what follows are "דִּבְרֵי יִרְמְיָהוּ".  Chapter 51 closes the main body of the book with the words, "עַד הֵנָּה דִּבְרֵי יִרְמְיָהוּ", clearly setting Chapter 52 as an appendix.
• Headings – The heading of Chapter 46, "אֲשֶׁר הָיָה דְבַר י"י אֶל יִרְמְיָהוּ הַנָּבִיא עַל הַגּוֹיִם" serves to introduce the new unit.

Subdivision of Unit I – "Prophecies to Israel"

a. Prophecies of Chastisement (1-29)
b. Prophecies of Consolation (30-35)
c. Conclusion (36)

• Content – Almost all of the material in chapters 1-29 constitute rebuke or predictions of destruction,⁷ while the prophecies of chapters 30-35, in contrast, mainly relay consolation. [Chapter 34 is a notable exception, and might be placed where it is only to serve as a contrast to chapter 35.]
• Literary Markers – Chapter 30 opens with the directive, " כְּתׇב לְךָ אֵת כׇּל הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ אֶל סֵפֶר", suggesting that it and the following chapters comprise their own distinct scroll of prophecies.

Subdivision of Unit Ia. – "Chastisement"

i. Pure Prophecies (1-25)
ii. Prophetic Narratives (26-29)

• Genre - The first subsection contains mainly prophetic material, while the second unit mixes this prophetic material with narrative.  We read not just Yirmeyahu's prophecies, but about the setting in which they were relayed and the people's reactions to them.
• Speakers – While in the first unit the only speakers are Hashem or the prophet speaking in His name, in the second unit there are multiple speakers, including members of the nation, priests, officers, false prophets and kings.
• First vs. third person – Much of the first section is relayed in first person, while the second section is mainly third person.⁸ This is highlighted by the fact that the word "אלי" appears multiple times throughout the first unit and only once in the second unit.
• Relationship between the two sections – It is possible that some of the prophecies mentioned in the first section are retold from the different, narrative perspective in the second unit.  Chapters 7 and 26 serve as an example.  In both, the prophet compares the destruction of the Mikdash and Yerushalayim to the destruction of Shiloh, but while chapter 7 elaborates on the details of the prophecy, chapter 26 shares what happened in the aftermath of Yirmeyahu relaying it.

Subdivision of Unit Iai. – "Pure Prophecies"

a) Nation (1-21:10) 
b) Kings (21:11-23:9)
c) False prophets (23:10-40)
d) Yehoyachin and Tzidkeyahu (24)
e) Foreign powers (25)

• Audience – This division is based purely on the audience of each set of prophecies.
• Chronology – For the most part, each individual subunit maintains chronological order within it.  Recognizing that various chapters make up distinct units helps make sense of the otherwise apparently arbitrary chronology of the book.  [This is true for all levels of subdivision, as each unit individually maintains chronology, even though the book as a whole does not.]

Subdivision of Unit Ib. – "Consolation"

i. Pure Prophecies (30-31)
ii. Prophetic Narratives (32-35)

As above, this unit similarly breaks into two sections, one of pure prophecies and one in which the prophecies are mixed with historical narrative.

Subdivision of Unit II – "Historical Fulfillment"

a. Jerusalem Destroyed & Yirmeyahu Saved (37-40:6)
      i. King & Prophet: Last Words of Warning
      ii.King & Prophet: Punishment vs. Salvation
b. The Assassination of Gedalya (40:6-44:30)
      i. Assassination (40-41)
      ii. Descent to Egypt (42-44)
c. Conclusion (45)

• Content – Each subsection speaks of a different stage in the destruction.  Chapters 37-40 speak of Yirmeyahu's final words of warning to Tzidkeyahu and the ultimate destruction of the city. They highlight the punishment of the wicked and salvation of the righteous.  Chapters 40-44, in contrast, speak of the aftermath of the destruction, the assassination of Gedlaya and the descent to Egypt.
• Characters – While the first unit focuses mainly on Tzidkeyahu and Yirmeyahu, the second unit focuses first on Gedalya and his opponents, and then on Yirmeyahu and the nation.

Subdivision of Unit III – "Prophecies to Nations"

a. Assorted Nations (46-49)
     i.Egypt (46)
     ii. Philistines (47)
     iii. Moav (48)
     iv. Ammon, Edom, Damesek, Keidar & Eilam (49)
b. Babylonia (50-51)

• Audience – This division is based on the audience targeted by the prophet in each prophecy.
• Chronology

¹ One exception is Yirmeyahu 3:6 which states, "וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֵלַי בִּימֵי יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ הַמֶּלֶךְ".

² Chapters 22, 25, 26, 35-36, and 45-46 take place during the reign of Yehoyakim while chapters 21, 24, 28-29, 32-34, 37-39 and 51 mention Tzidkeyahu. The heading of chapter 27 dates it to the reign of Yehoyakim, but the body speaks of Tzidkeyahu.  [This leads Shadal to suggest that there was an error in the redaction of the chapter's opening, while Radak suggests instead that the prophecy must have been relayed to Yirmeyahu in the earlier reign of Yehoyakim, even though it pertained to later times.]

³ There are several individual verses of consolation scattered throughout the book as well. See, for example, 2:1-3 and 23:5-8 (though, see R"Y Kara in "זָכַרְתִּי לָךְ חֶסֶד נְעוּרַיִךְ" who claims that all of chapter 2:1-3 is rebuke as well).

⁴ This division is highlighted by the fact that in the Septuagint they appear in the middle of the content of Chapter 25.

⁵ Within the unit containing prophecies of rebuke, at first glance there would seem to still be much achronology, but this relates to the need to subdivide the unit further into prophecies aimed at the nation, leaders, false prophets and foreign nations.  Within each of these subdivisions, chronological order (for the most part) is  kept.

⁶ See Chapter 36:2, 45:1, and 51:59-61.

⁷ See above note that there are some exceptions, but these involve just a few verses rather than entire chapters.

⁸ This might match the genre of the two sections.  Many of the prophecies are relayed in first person, while the narrative is told in third person.