The call for revenge in Jeremiah's complaints (Jer xi-xx)

Abstract

AbstractThis article deals with the troublesome issue of Jeremiah's calls for revenge in the so-called 'Jeremiah's laments' (Jer xi-xx). Such calls are strange due to the fact Israelite prophets are usually conceived as intercessors. After surveying the different views and criticizing them, the author offers three solutions to the problem. Instead of focusing on our moral judgment of Jeremiah's calls for revenge, the author tries to show how they were interpreted by the author of the book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah's calls are designed according to the principle of measure for measure; the prophet is described as God's messenger who is worthy of being protected; and finally Jeremiah is conceived as trying to let justice be shown.