44 DAVID A. BOSWORTH and eventual detachment from Israel. Although the book famously includes strong language condemning the people for their crimes and making the case that they deserve their enormous suffering, this anger derives from YHWH’s love for Israel. The harsh speeches begin with a fond recollection of Israel as a new bride (Jer 2,2-3). The nation is a choice vine (2,21), the lovely and delicate daughter Zion (6,2), and the people are children of YHWH (3,19), and my daughter people (6,26; 8,11.19). In 12,7-13, YHWH’s speech high- lights the emotional pain of having to inflict suffering on a people YHWH loves. Israel is “my house” (v. 7) “my heritage” (vv. 5.7.9), “my delightful portion” (v. 10), and “the beloved of my vpn” (v. 7), whom YHWH has abandoned (v. 7), hated (v. 8), and given over to desolation (vv. 9-13). YHWH’s emotional distress appears vividly in the weeping poems. In a divine speech that culminates in tears (8,18-23), YHWH begins by saying, “My joy is gone, grief is upon me, my heart is sick”. The weeping of YHWH intensifies and mag- nifies these expressions of emotional anguish. Tears signify deep distress, especially when an important relationship is threatened or terminated, for example by exile or death. The motif of divine weeping in Jeremiah draws attention to the suffering of YHWH. YHWH inflicts punishment on the people, but also feels pain as the people suffer since YHWH (like Jeremiah) is deeply attached to the community that is being wrecked. Indeed, YHWH’s agony has an additional dimension since YHWH is the agent of Israel’s suffering, and not a fellow victim (Jer 12,7-13; 31,20). Why does Jeremiah describe the emotions of God and depict YHWH as shedding tears? Jeremiah frequently employs metaphorical language to describe the relationship between YHWH and Israel. The relationship is often parent-child or husband-wife. The language of tears fits neatly into both of these relationships, since weeping is an attachment behavior that motivates empathy and care-giving in those who witness the tears. Weeping is a powerful non-verbal expression of distress and need, and the weeping of YHWH is revealed to the peo- ple in order to motivate their concern for YHWH. They should respond with empathy for a suffering God and seek to soothe YHWH’s pain by their own repentance and conversion. This conversion would also serve their own good since it would alleviate YHWH of the burden of having to punish them. Fretheim proposes that for those who experi- enced the catastrophe Jeremiah lived through, the revelation that YHWH’s experience of the punishment is sorrow rather than satisfac- © Gregorian Biblical Press 2012 - Tutti i diritti riservati