Isaiah 53:7

Hebrew Bible

5 He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds, crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed. 6 All of us had wandered off like sheep; each of us had strayed off on his own path, but the Lord caused the sin of all of us to attack him. 7 He was treated harshly and afflicted, but he did not even open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block, like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not even open his mouth. 8 He was led away after an unjust trial—but who even cared? Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living; because of the rebellion of his own people he was wounded. 9 They intended to bury him with criminals, but he ended up in a rich man’s tomb because he had committed no violent deeds, nor had he spoken deceitfully.

Psalm 44:22

Hebrew Bible

20 If we had rejected our God, and spread out our hands in prayer to another god, 21 would not God discover it, for he knows a person’s secret thoughts? 22 Yet because of you we are killed all day long; we are treated like sheep at the slaughtering block. 23 Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O Lord? Wake up! Do not reject us forever. 24 Why do you look the other way, and ignore the way we are oppressed and mistreated?

 Notes and References

"... Jeremiah complains about God duping him and prevailing over him, but he finally is concerned more about his antagonist’s duping him and prevailing over him and the word he is called to speak (verses 10-11). His last sharp complaint in verses 14-18 expresses in strong terms a wish that he had not been placed in this position; but there is not a hint of concern that the word that God has called him to speak is false. Jeremiah’s anguish is as severe as it is because he recognizes the truth of the word he has spoken and the conflict it has engendered. That the language of deception is used (approvingly) for God in other prophetic texts means that Jeremiah is not being innovative, let alone rebellious or blasphemous. In view of this prophetic tradition, to use this verb as evidence for Jeremiah accusing God “of having broken the relation which he had initiated” is unacceptable. Or, to claim that Jeremiah had a “love-hate relation” with God is much too global in its assessment. People with deep and genuine faith can use accusatory language - if that’s what this is - in prayer to God (e.g., Psalm 44:22-23) and raise sharp questions with God (e.g., Genesis 18:25). This is the type of honest interaction that God encourages in relationships ..."

Fretheim, Terence E. The Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary: Jeremiah (p. 299) Smith & Helwys, 2002

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