Like a Docile Lamb to Be Slaughtered. Metaphors on the Theme of Retribution in Jeremiah’s Confessions

This project studies the metaphorical conceptualizations of retribution and God’s role therein within the Confessions of Jeremiah (11:18-12:6, 15:10-21, 17:14-18, 18:18-23, and 20:7-18). These Confessions are a unique collection of prophetic texts in which Jeremiah complains against God about his fate, even to the point of accusing God of being the cause of his personal calamity. In spite of the long research tradition of diachronic and synchronic studies of these Confessions, no attention has been paid to their conceptual world. In this project, the central concept holding together the Confessions, is addressed, viz. the concept of retribution and God’s role in paying this retribution to the prophet’s enemies. In particular, attention is paid to the different metaphors used in the conceptualization of this divine retribution. After comparing metaphors used in the Ancient Near East and in the Hebrew Bible and analyzing the imagery in the Confessions, it will be shown that the retribution metaphor connects the Confessions and determines their position and function in the prophetic book.