Oh You People Who Rely on Egypt: In the introduction to chapters 28–30 we suggested that 31:1–32:20 is one unit. Chapter 31 is much shorter than the units on either side, chapter 32 has no opening “Oh” like the rest of chapters 28–33, and taken together chapters 31–32 better fit the pattern whereby chapters 28–30 give increasing prominence to reassuring promise on the other side of threat.

32:9–20 The position of this address to the women of Judah, leading into the final promises of chapters 28–32, parallels that of 3:16–4:1. A message to the women complements a message to the men. The reference will again be to the well-to-do women, the mothers and wives and daughters of the community’s politicians, businessmen, prophets, and clergy. Women in a patriarchal society had little choice but to …