Narrative Among the Latter Prophets

This chapter examines the “comedic” arc prevailing in the metanarratives of prophetic books, moving from rebellion to reconciliation. It then catalogs portions of prophetic books showing distinctive narrative features, including narratives shared with 2 Kings in Isaiah 36–39 and Jeremiah 52; Isaiah 6, 7, 8, and 20; Hosiah 1 and 3; Amos 7–9; and Jeremiah’s varied narratives, including (a) dialogues between Jeremiah and God in Jeremiah 1–20; (b) first-person narratives portraying Jeremiah’s symbolic actions, in Jeremiah 13, 18, 24, 25; and (c) third-person narratives, beginning in Jeremiah 19. Finally, the article discusses (d) Ezekiel’s and Zechariah’s first-person accounts and, briefly, (e) Jonah. Two scenes recurring throughout prophetic narratives portray the prophet’s difficulties in conveying God’s plans to humans: the prophet’s encounters with God, and his encounters with intended recipients. Only Jonah and the stories adapted from Kings transgress these parameters.