Biblical Hebrew Forum

["B. M. Rocine" <brocine AT twcny.rr.com>]

skeptic dude wrote:
> Is God admitting to making a false prediction in Jeremiah 3:7?
I must admit to being reluctant to respond to "skeptic dude."  What a 
dumb handle!  Do you have a whole name, Dave?

Whatever ambiguities exist in the text (it may mean "she (Israel) would 
return," "she (Israel) will return," "you (m. s.) should return," and 
other modal nuances, I would hardly call thinking that Israel will, 
would, should or might return is a "false prediction."

Jeremiah consistently expresses that the future is contingent on 
people's choices.  See 18:7-10 where YHWH clearly admits contingency and 
his own flexibility of mind.  I would recommend the masterful commentary 
on Jeremiah in Abraham Heschel's /The Prophets/. 

Shalom,
Bryan





--
B.M. Rocine
Living Word Church
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