32:1–15 The narrative begins by giving the date of the event that follows. It is the tenth year of Zedekiah, the eighteenth of Nebuchadnezzar, clearly within months of the downfall of Jerusalem. Indeed, the siege of Jerusalem has begun. According to Jeremiah 52:4–5, the Babylonian army arrived at the gates of Jerusalem in the tenth month of Zedekiah’s ninth year. Thus we are to imagine this story taking place within the walls of Jerusalem which was encircled by the Babylonian army. Furthermore, Jeremiah himself has been confined in the courtyard of the guard of the royal palace of Judah. The prophet was thought to be a collaborator since he advocated the view that Zedekiah ought to capitulate to Nebuchadnezzar. As verses 3–5 state, he was preaching that there was no way Zedekiah could hold…