Hebrew Scripture knows of two
different ways in which the words “blood” and “pure, clean, innocent” are bound
to each other. In the case of dām nāqî’, “innocent” is simply an
adjective to “blood,” with each word receiving its own accent; I translate this
phrase simply by “innocent blood.” In the other case, “blood” loses its accent
and enters into construct with the nominalized adjective “innocent person,”
leading to a phrase (dam [han]nāqî/neqîyîm) that can be rendered with “blood
of the innocent person(s).” . . . The difference between the two constructions
is subtle and is available to the eye rather than to the ear, for we cannot
hear any difference when either is pronounced. “Innocent blood” focuses on the act
of shedding blood, regardless of one who is the victim, while “blood of the
innocent person” dwells on the blamelessness of a victim.
In this light, “innocent blood” in
our verse permits one more perspective by which to appraise the sailors’
prayer: they are beginning God’s understanding, not for judging a prophet
guilty, but for a crime they are about to commit. In other words, the sailors
are not completely convinced of the truth conveyed by Jonah even as they made
ready to heave him overboard. Despite their prayer, therefore, the sailors have
not yet completely and obediently yielded to God’s will. (Jack M. Sasson, Jonah:
A New Translation With Introduction, Commentary, and Interpretation [The
Anchor Yale Bible 24B; New Haven: Yale University Press, 1990], 134)
In a footnote to the above, we read that
Vocabulary parallels to Jonah’s is
found Jer 26:15. Despite the soothing words of the other prophets, Jeremiah
insists on predicting calamity and destruction the unreconstructed. Angered
officials seek his death, to which Jeremiah responds, “I am, now, at your
disposal; do with me as you deem it right and proper. However, do realize that
if you put me to death, innocent blood will be assessed against you (kî-dām
nāqî ‘attem nōtenîm ‘alêkem), and upon this city and its inhabitants. God
has indeed empowered me to deliver these words to you individually.” Jeremiah
does not hope to frighten his enemies by warning about hurting God’s messenger (they
are too callous for that), but to alarm them about the crime of shedding any
individual’s blood. The vocabulary in the Jonah and Jeremiah passages can be compared
to that found in Deut 21:1-9, where a crime has been committed, but the
criminal cannot be identified. Levites will break the neck of an unworked (and
unmated?) heifer and elders will pledge, “We are not personally responsible for
this crime, nor have we witnessed it. Accept expiation, Lord, for your folk
Israel, whom you have redeemed; do not impose the guilt of innocent blood upon
your folk Israel (we’al-tittēn dām nāqî beqereb ‘ammekā yiśra’ēl). May
this bloodshed be expiated for them.” (Ibid., 134 n. 9)
