A quiver filled with emptiness: The power of metaphor (on the writing of Jeremiah)

“Their quiver a gaping tomb…”

--Jeremiah 5:16

This image startled me because it was so unexpected.  In its paradox it becomes such a powerful metaphor.  A quiver is something to hold arrows. If it is to be dreadful, then it should be full; full of arrows, full of death, full of pain, full of misery and woe, full even of flashing, piercing sharp-edged darts of lightning.  Metaphorically, it seems, it should be full of something.

But in this image the metaphor is of emptiness: a gaping tomb.  How fascinating that is to me. To picture the terror and power of an invading army by invoking a vision of solemn and dreadful emptiness, it feels to counterintuitive, and yet so profound.  The enemy comes not bearing quivers filled with destruction, or shiny barbs of flaming death, but bearing only the fearfulness of nothingness –gaping tombs. Their quivers empty of everything but death itself!

It is such a powerful way to stop the reader from simply reading on, simply passing over yet another image of destruction; making the reader pause to ask: What was that? Did I just read what I think I read?  This is a passage that challenges us to re-open our eyes and read scripture anew, with renewed attention. Those of us who have eyes that no longer see, and ears that no longer hear, are called to open our eyes and actually look, open our ears and really listen.

This is an image that takes my breath away. It stopped me in my tracks and left a dreadful chill in my bones as I let the words sink in.  Think about it: what should be full is empty, what should be terrible, seems for a moment not so threatening and then… what for a moment seemed almost a blessing --an empty quiver, the refraining (perhaps) of God’s wrath—on second reading seems even more horrifying, the emptiness of that quiver more frightening than any thing  that might have been in it.

What a fascinating piece of writing.  As I read God’s word, I am delighted to discover how often the ancient writer (the eternal author?) has found a way to make me see the world with new eyes and hear His meaning with new ears.  Even in a 20^th century translation… It is as if the power of the writer refuses to be hidden.  To me, that speaks of not just good writing, but of truly awesome writing. Even when it frightens, it thrills with its power and inspires with its truth…

Whether you believe it is the word of God, the Bible truly is much more than just a “good” book.