What is it about?
While biblical texts generally tend to conciliatory endings, this does not seem to hold true regarding the traumatic destruction of Jerusalem in 587 v.Chr. (cf. 2 Kgs 25// Jer 52). The article presents how some texts manage to transport comforting messages along with the reference to the catastrophic event, e.g. Lev 26; Dtn 4 and 28–32 as well as 2 Kgs 25 in the context of Jos 1 – 2 Kgs 17 and more specifically 2 Kgs 17–24. Jer 52 is interpreted in connection with Jer 39–40 and 29–33. Thr 1; 3 and 5 at the end open up some comfort in the hope of being heard by God. 2 Chr 36 presents the catastrophe as a way to new beginnings. Bar 4–5 and the Letter of Jeremiah can be read as continuations of the Book of Jeremiah with a stronger accent on hope.
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Why is it important?
We seek to discover and understand the experiences underlying the text, the emotions captured in it and the resulting image of God in the Bible during hard times as the Babylonian exile.
Perspectives
We hope this article might help people to talk about their traumas and it helps to find some consolation. The bible gives different examples of how to find words and how to deal with God when it comes to troubles or even a big crisis.
Dr. Benedikt Josef Collinet
Universitat Innsbruck
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Trauma und Trost – Strategien und Perspektiven zur Bewältigung des Untergangs Jerusalems, Biblische Zeitschrift, July 2022, Brill Deutschland GmbH,
DOI: 10.30965/25890468-06602001.
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