My Servant

Yahweh describes only a handful of people as “My servant” – Abraham, Moses, and David. In 1-2 Kings, the title is almost exclusively reserved for David, and in almost every case the title is used in places where the Lord is reminding a king that His care for Israel is because of David (1 Kings 11:13, 32, 34, 36) or negatively comparing a king to the faithful David (1 Kings 11:38; 14:8). Once, toward the end of Kings, MOses is named as “My servant” (2 Kings 21:8).

Jeremiah continues this usage (Jeremiah 33:21, 22, 26). It’s remarkable, then, when Jeremiah later gives this title to Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 25:9; 27:6). Nebuchadnezzar is, in effect, given a Davidic role.