Grave Marking and Wailing: Ritual Responses to the Babylonian Crisis in Jeremiah’s Poetry (Jer 31, 21)

This article explores Jer 31,15-22, which recapitulates the history of the Babylonian crisis from invasion to exile to manumission. Against traditional “triumphalistic” approaches to this poem that view the restored Israel in its repatriation as a victorious warrior (vv. 21-22), this article argues...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Kozlova, Ekaterina E. 1975- (Author)
Format: Electronic/Print Article
Language:English
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Published: Taylor & Francis [2017]
In: Scandinavian journal of the Old Testament
Year: 2017, Volume: 31, Issue: 1, Pages: 92-117
IxTheo Classification:HB Old Testament
Further subjects:B Babylonian crisis
B 15-22
B mourning rites
B Bible. Jeremia 31,15-22
B Book of Consolation
B Jer 31
Online Access: Volltext (doi)
Description
Summary:This article explores Jer 31,15-22, which recapitulates the history of the Babylonian crisis from invasion to exile to manumission. Against traditional “triumphalistic” approaches to this poem that view the restored Israel in its repatriation as a victorious warrior (vv. 21-22), this article argues for a ritual reading of the text. It demonstrates that the need for a ritual response to the Babylonian crisis was so strong that Jeremiah prescribes mourning rites to Judah not only at the time of its demise (v. 15) but also at the time of its manumission from captivity (v. 21). Since the use of laments and other mourning rites in the restoration of “collapse societies” was well attested in the ANE, their appearance in the Book of Consolation as part of the poetic vision of Judah’s reconstitution can also be construed as a socio-religious necessity.
ISSN:0901-8328
Contains:Enthalten in: Scandinavian journal of the Old Testament
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1080/09018328.2017.1301641