‘Hear and Give Ear!’: The Soundscape of Jeremiah

Abstract

Sound offers a significant but underappreciated point of entry into the book of Jeremiah. Drawing on R. Murray Schafer's concept of the ‘soundscape’ and other work on sound and sensory criticism, this article explores the significance of sound in constructing meaning in Jeremiah. The sounds of human voices mingle with the clamor of warfare, the vocalizations of animals, and cries of pain and suffering in a way that adds complexity to an already complex and layered text. Attending to sound also clarifies structure, as the text contains multiple nested soundscapes. Sound is likewise linked to gender, as in the use of marked feminine sounds such as lament. Reading Jeremiah with an ear to its sounds reveals previously unheard subtleties, while also offering a new way to perceive what is already familiar. It also demonstrates the usefulness of sound studies for reading the prophetic books.