Jeremiah as the model city: ‘Iron pillar’ as temple language in Jeremiah 1.18

Abstract

Scholars debate the originality and meaning of the phrase ולעמוד ברזל in Jeremiah 1.18. Whereas some suggest the phrase is not original to the Hebrew text and thereby dismiss the issue, others suggest the phrase signifies Jeremiah’s ability to stand strong in the face of trouble. Neither option adequately places the trifold description of Jeremiah’s ministry in its historical and narrative contexts. Thus, this article argues that Jeremiah’s description as an ‘iron pillar’ serves as an allusion to the temple, imagining Jeremiah as the ideal city in comparison to Jerusalem—God’s original ideal city.