Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Ruthy & Baruch" <alster AT comandcom.com>]

Jonathan wrote:
> 
> The Bible most definitely does not depict a black and white world. That
is
> the "world" depicted by those who would wish to harmonize what cannot be
> harmonized.

Agreed.

> One cannot claim that the prophecy in 1 Samuel 15, the prophecy of Isaiah
1
> and the prophecy of Jeremiah 7 are all stemming from the identical
> worldview. True, all three call to heed the voice of God, But Jeremiah's
> condemnation of the cultus is far more far-reaching than those of Isaiah
1
> and the composer of 1 Sam. 15 (whom already Abrabanel said was not
Samuel).
> The immediate reason for Jeremiah's condemnation of the cult is the
> hypocrisy of the Judeans, who break God's moral laws, worship idols, and
> then go the Temple and say "We have been saved" (Things haven't changed
much
> since then). But his rejection of the cult is absolute: "Pile your
> fire-offerings on top of your burnt-offerings and eat [the[ meat]"  The
Lord
> doesn't need any of that stuff, maybe you do. He never commanded you in
any
> case to sacrifice to him. That was your idea.
> That's my reading of Jeremiah 7:21-23.

Literally interpreting this passage, you're right.  But I think the context
of the Judeans' hipocrisy makes it more probable to see it as a rhetorical
device, such as in Ben's reading in his postthe other day.  Had the cult
not been opposed to moral laws, it would have been okay, unlike "pagan"
practices, which are generally condemned on their own.

Kol Tuv,
Baruch Alster
Kochav Ya`akov, Israel