Before and after Exile

This article draws attention to differences in the characterisation of Israel in the poetry of Jeremiah and the judgement oracles of Ezekiel. Whilst both conceive of Israel as an ethnic entity, comprised especially of elites and associated particularly with the city of Jerusalem, Ezekiel demonstrates a much stronger interest in Israel's past history and a much more sustained focus on the homeland. We argue that these issues are resonant with the concerns of other involuntary migrants and likely relate to the involuntary migrant experience of the authors and audiences of Ezekiel.