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Which groups have scholars identified as Jeremiah’s foe from the north?
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Jeremiah
Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem, oil on panel by Rembrandt, 1630: in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
Scholars have proposed several different groups as the "foe from the north" mentioned in the prophecies of Jeremiah. These identifications include:
- The Scythians: Often cited as the primary candidates, these were nomads from southern Russia who supposedly descended into western Asia during the 7th century BCE and attacked Palestine.1
- The Medes, Assyrians, or Chaldeans (Babylonians): Some scholars suggest these specific regional powers were the intended subjects of the prophecy.1
- Eschatological symbols: Other scholars interpret the "foe from the north" not as a specific historical people, but as a vague, symbolic prediction of destruction.1
Additionally, some modern scholars argue that the difficulty in identifying this foe suggests the prophecies may have been intended to refer to the Babylonians of a later period, which would imply that the traditional dating of the start of Jeremiah’s career might be inaccurate.1