Tale of Two Readings

Uche Anizor’s Kings and Priests includes a neat description of a “tale of two readings” – that of Josiah (2 Kings 22-23) and that of Jehoikim (Jeremiah 36).

In both cases, a text is presented to a king, and Jeremiah wrote his account of Jehoiakim to evoke the memory of Josiah’s faithfulness: “outside of Jeremiah, King Josiah is not mentioned anywhere frequently, while in this small section he is mentioned three times ([Jeremiah] 36:1, 2, 9). . . . this is a deliberate move to connect this narrative with that of Josiah’s reform” (65).

There are other links between the episodes: “First, it is said that upon hearing the words of the scroll Jehoiakim tore . . . not his clothing, like Jeremiah . . . , but the scroll. . . .He does not respond in great fear like his royal advisors. . . , a contrast that suggests that the king has reached the limit of defiance, being utterly cynical and in opposition to the scroll and to the God who speaks therein” (66).

There are many responses to the word of God, but Josiah and Jehoiakim represent the stark extremes: Attention and repentance v. intransigent resistance, tearing the robe v. tearing the word.