Prophetic Character as Role Model? A narratological analysis of Jeremiah 32
Summary
This paper analyzes what can be concluded on the character of the prophet Jeremiah based on the sign-act narrated in Jer. 32. Concepts for a theory of character for the prophetic books are developed, refining the frameworks that exist from the longer narratives in the Hebrew Bible. Based on a translation of the text and an analysis of the structure, it is concluded that the Jer. has the potential to develop a coherent character. A detailed analysis of the characters in the narrative shows that the main character trait of Jeremiah is his loyalty to YHWH. This adjusts the common description of Jeremiah's character as fatalistic. Jeremiah's loyalty is far from blind and gives rise to a struggle with the tension between YHWH's promises and the current circumstances. Jeremiah is questioning YHWH on this tension, which gives rise to a deeper insight in the promises. Strong indications are found that the texts intentionally contrasts the character of the prophet with that of king Zedekiah. The response of Jeremiah to the answer of YHWH is witheld by the narrator. Based on the constrast with the king and the open end, it is concluded that Jer 32 indeed presents the character of the prophet as a role model.