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44 Structure and the Book ofZechariah
1. There is some significance for the intended structure in the
fact that these chapters mention the date of the incidents
related. If this is so, why is the formula not the same in
chs. 26 and 35? A plausible reply might be offered, but it
would have to be a guess.
2. There is significance for the task of relating units to each
other in the fact that chs. 26 and 35 speak of Jeremiah in the
Temple. But there are many references to the 'house of the
LORD' in the book of Jeremiah, including 28.1, cf. 36.5-6.
3. The formula in 36.9 can safely be discounted in the
discussion at this point (cf. 4).
4. Jer. 36.9-32 is a later addition to the text. But 36.8 makes a
strange ending for a book—even a first edition.
5. We can safely ignore the parallels between chs. 32 and parts
of the chapters in the clusters under consideration (e.g.
Anathoth, 29.27).
6. Chapters 27 and 28 should be considered as two separate
entities, comparable to 26 and 35, yet they clearly belong
together, and there is evidence of some editorial activity in
28.1.
7. Jer. 27.1 should read 'Zedekiah' (which I should accept, but
it is not completely certain).
8. Chapter 24 is so similar to ch. 1 that it must have been
intended as the first chapter of the clusters, even when they
were put together. It is true that there are similarities
between chs. 1 and 24—both tell of visions; both have 'What
do you see Jeremiah?' (1.11, 13; 24.3); and, we might add,
both mention building up, tearing down, planting and
uprooting (1.10; 24.6 nan, cnn, sot, 0ra). Jer. 1.10 also has
pro and "DR. Nevertheless there is a logical jump here.
9. We may ignore other parallels, such as the promise 'they shall
be my people and I will be their God' in 24.7, 31.33 and
32.38.
However plausible each of these might be, none is secure, and the
whole series adds up to a shaky hypothesis.
Lundbom, then, has made some very interesting suggestions, but
they need to be much more thoroughly investigated. As far as I know
he has not attempted to do this.