The Earth Mourns: Interconnectedness of Yahweh, People and Land in Jeremiah 23:10 and 15

Abstract

According to Jeremiah 23:10 the land mourns because of the unethical behaviour of the religious leaders in Judean society. The example set by these leaders gives leeway to the people of Judah to follow suit. The article discusses the relationship between the actions of people in society and the effect of their behaviour on the land. I depart from the assumption that this reciprocal relational reliance is the result of a particular worldview in which there exists interconnectedness of the divine, the people relating to this divine entity and the land allotted to them. The view argued is that Jeremiah 23:10 reflects a particular worldview consisting of the conceptual structures HOLY/COMMON and PURE/IMPURE. Besides discussing the issue of the relationship between the divine, the people and the land in 23:10 and 15, I make some suggestions relevant to the ecological debate in society.

Keywords

• mourn
• land
• unethical behaviour
• curse
• worldview
• jeremiah 23:10
• adultery
• evil