Jerusalem Attacked! (6:1-8): The oracles in chapter six continue the difficulty of distinguishing individual oracles. Fortunately, the major effect on the reader is not dependent on proper division of the text or accurate dating of the original setting of the oracles. A further difficulty is determining who is speaking. Subtle clues indicate whether it is Jeremiah or God. This too, however, is not a major obstacle to understanding the message, since Jeremiah, after all, is Yahweh’s spokesperson.

We take 6:1–8 as the first oracle and here Jeremiah employs an event-vision to describe the future judgment of God on his people. An event-vision describes a future occurrence as if it were a present event. See also 4:11–18.

6:1–3 The call goes out to the people of Benjamin to get out of Jerusalem. T…