Zwischen Restauration und Resignation. Die Amnestie Jojachins (II Reg 25,27–30) als deuteronomistischer Programmtext?

The significance of the last four verses in the Book of Kings regarding the historiographic ideas of the so-called Deuteronomistic History has been heavily debated from the beginning. Martin Noth considered them to be no more than a chronological appendix without any hope for restoration of the people or the Davidic kingdom. On the other hand, Gerhard von Rad claimed, that the passage alludes to the Nathan Oracle (II Sam 7) opening up the possibility for some new salvific acts of Yhwh. This paper presents a fresh approach to the literary pragmatic of the notice on Jehoiachin’s release in II Reg 25,27–30 within the narrative framework of the closing chapters of the Book of Kings. Especially the intertextual relations with the aforementioned assassination of Gedaliah indicate that the episode neither supports any restorative hopes for the Davidic line nor restricts them to some antiquarian interest, but expects Israel’s future to be save under the mercy of Babylonian hegemony. Therefore, Solomon’s prayer in I Reg 8,46–51 became fulfilled as has been observed already by Hans Walter Wolff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]