Texts in Conversation
Both Jeremiah’s call and Isaiah’s servant passage employ stock language, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you,” to mark key turning points in their narratives. In Jeremiah, this formula legitimizes a young prophet’s authority, while in Isaiah it reassures exiles stripped of their land and temple.
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Jeremiah 1:8
Hebrew Bible
6 I answered, “Oh, Sovereign Lord, Really I do not know how to speak well enough for that, for I am too young.” 7 The Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ But go to whomever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 8 Do not be afraid of those to whom I send you, for I will be with you to protect you,” says the Lord. 9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I will most assuredly give you the words you are to speak for me. 10 Know for certain that I hereby give you the authority to announce to nations and kingdoms that they will be uprooted and torn down, destroyed and demolished, rebuilt and firmly planted.”
Date: 5th Century B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Isaiah 42:6
Hebrew Bible
5 This is what the true God, the Lord, says—the one who created the sky and stretched it out, the one who fashioned the earth and everything that lives on it, the one who gives breath to the people on it, and life to those who live on it: 6 “I, the Lord, officially commission you; I take hold of your hand. I protect you and make you a covenant mediator for people and a light to the nations, 7 to open blind eyes, to release prisoners from dungeons, those who live in darkness from prisons. 8 “I am the Lord! That is my name! I will not share my glory with anyone else or the praise due me with idols.
Date: 7th-5th Centuries B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... “Do not be afraid, for I am with you,” enunciates an important promise to God’s people. It echoes YHWH’s promise of support to the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:8, 19; 15:20), but also to the exiles (Jeremiah 30:11; 46:28). The promise of divine presence was especially important to the exiles, deprived of land and temple, the visible symbols of God’s presence and support. These verses, a key statement concerning Israel’s return to Palestine, must be read carefully. This promise fits the pattern of 2:1-4 and 66:18-21. There is no promise here of a return to political power. The Vision sees God’s servant Israel functioning simultaneously and as a complement to his servant Cyrus. Their roles are distinct ..."
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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