Do the Allusions Found in Jeremiah 4:23–26 Support Local or Cosmic Scope?

Seminary N335

My paper builds on the observation of the leading scholars of Jeremiah, such as Holladay, Bright, McKane and Fishbane that the phrase tōhû wābōhû in 4:23 alludes to Gen 1:2 and 2:5. This allusion leads them to claim that 4:23-26 forms the undoing of creation, i.e. de-creation. The present study, however, argues that Jeremiah does not convey the idea of de-creation of the entire world via 4:23–26, but rather the destruction of the land of Judah. The three steps taken in this study include: (1) the probability of Jer 4:23–26 as being a distinct literary unit, (2) the themes of Jer 2-6, and (3) the allusions found in 4:23–26. The findings of the research indicate through different literary features that Jer 4:23–26 is a distinct literary unit. In addition, it shows via various allusions that the main topic of chapters surrounding this pericopy is covenantal curses from Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. Finally, the research summarized the findings of the study in three points and nine sub-points claiming that the poem refers to the local destruction of Judah.