Table of Contents
Who was Jeremiah in the Bible? Jeremiah was a prophet and the son of a Jewish priest.
- The Book of Jeremiah bears his name and chronicles his calling from God.
- God who knew Jeremiah before he was formed and ordained him to be a prophet to Israel's falling way and many other themes.
- He is known as the weeping prophet.
Quick Facts About Jeremiah From Across The Web
- Jeremiah was a Hebrew prophet, reformer
- He was the last prophet that God sent to preach to the southern kingdom.
- He is known as the Weeping Prophet.
- Jeremiah was a man called to be a prophet to deliver God's message to Judah
- He was born of priestly parentage, toward the middle of the seventh century, in the little town of Anathoth
| Event / Stage | Biblical Reference | Approximate Date (BCE) | Notes / Scholarly Commentary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Call of Jeremiah | Jeremiah 1:1–10 | c. 627 BCE | Jeremiah was called in the 13th year of King Josiah’s reign. Scholarly consensus: Josiah reigned 640–609 BCE, so 627 BCE is widely accepted. |
| Early Prophetic Activity / Josiah’s Reforms | Jeremiah 2–6 | c. 627–609 BCE | Jeremiah preached during the religious reform era; warnings against idolatry and social injustice. |
| Assassination / Opposition by Officials | Jeremiah 11:18–23; 12:6 | c. 621–610 BCE | Jeremiah faced persecution for his messages; historical evidence aligns with political instability during Josiah’s late reign. |
| Nebuchadnezzar’s Rise / Early Babylonian Threat | Jeremiah 25:1–14 | c. 605 BCE | Jeremiah predicts Babylonian domination; corresponds to Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest of Jerusalem vassalage. |
| Jehoiakim’s Reign and Warnings | Jeremiah 26; 36 | c. 609–597 BCE | Jeremiah writes scrolls warning Jehoiakim; burned by king. Scholarly dating based on Babylonian chronicles. |
| Jehoiachin / First Deportation | Jeremiah 52; 2 Kings 24 | 597 BCE | Babylonian siege of Jerusalem; deportation of elite and royal family. Jeremiah’s prophecies reflect historical events. |
| Zedekiah’s Reign / Continued Prophecy | Jeremiah 27–39 | 597–586 BCE | Jeremiah advises submission to Babylon; Jerusalem falls in 586 BCE, marking the final destruction. |
| Siege and Fall of Jerusalem | Jeremiah 39; 52 | 586 BCE | Babylonian destruction of the temple and city; Jeremiah witnesses and survives, later taken to Egypt. |
| Prophecy in Egypt / Later Activity | Jeremiah 40–44 | c. 586–? BCE | Jeremiah continues preaching in Egypt; exact death date unknown. Scholarly consensus: he likely died early in the exile period. |
The Book of Jeremiah Chapter 1
The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin,
2 to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.
The Prophet Jeremiah Is Called By God
4 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;
Before you were born I sanctified[a] you;
I [b]ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
6 Then said I:
“Ah, Lord God!
Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.”7 But the Lord said to me:
“Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’
For you shall go to all to whom I send you,
And whatever I command you, you shall speak.
8 Do not be afraid of their faces,
For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord.
Scholars On The Book of Jeremiah:
| Chapter Range | Scholarly Commentary |
|---|---|
| Jeremiah 1–3 | These chapters introduce Jeremiah’s divine commission and Israel’s covenant infidelity. God appoints the prophet to uproot and to plant, establishing the dual theme of judgment and restoration. Israel’s spiritual adultery highlights the depth of their estrangement. Hermann Ewald notes that this opening section frames the book’s enduring conflict between divine holiness and patient mercy. |
| Jeremiah 4–6 | These chapters warn of impending destruction due to Judah’s persistent rebellion. The prophet paints calamity with vivid imagery that reveals moral collapse. Attempts at repentance are superficial and lack true transformation. John Peter Lange emphasizes that spiritual deafness is the root cause of political disaster. |
| Jeremiah 7–10 | The “Temple Sermon” condemns false reliance on ritual without obedience. Jeremiah exposes idolatry as both intellectual folly and spiritual treason. God rejects worship divorced from righteousness. Carl Friedrich Keil argues that Judah’s confidence in the temple becomes the very reason judgment accelerates. |
| Jeremiah 11–15 | Jeremiah announces the broken covenant and experiences rising persecution. Judgment is portrayed as unavoidable due to chronic disobedience. The prophet’s personal laments reveal the weight of bearing God’s word. C. von Orelli teaches that this section displays the profound costliness of authentic prophetic ministry. |
| Jeremiah 16–20 | Jeremiah’s symbolic actions portray the severity of coming judgment. Hostility intensifies, culminating in public humiliation and personal despair. The prophet’s confessions reveal a life torn between obedience and anguish. A. R. Fausset notes that Jeremiah becomes a living embodiment of the suffering servant pattern. |
| Jeremiah 21–24 | These oracles confront corrupt kings and lying prophets. God contrasts failed shepherds with the coming righteous Branch. Justice and humility mark true leadership, not outward power. Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg interprets these chapters as announcing the Messianic hope rising from failed monarchy. |
| Jeremiah 25–29 | The seventy-year exile prophecy becomes the theological center of Jeremiah’s message. Babylon is revealed as God’s instrument, not merely an invader. False prophets challenge Jeremiah’s authority with messages of premature peace. Franz Delitzsch sees this section as the arena where true and counterfeit revelation clash sharply. |
| Jeremiah 30–33 (Book of Consolation) | These chapters present the promise of restoration and the new covenant. God’s everlasting love becomes the foundation of renewed hope. The new covenant centers obedience within the heart. J. J. Stewart Perowne calls this the theological pinnacle of Jeremiah’s entire ministry. |
| Jeremiah 34–36 | Judah’s leaders violate the covenant by re-enslaving freed servants. God exposes the emptiness of repentance made under pressure. Jeremiah’s scroll is burned by Jehoiakim, yet rewritten by divine command. William Henry Green teaches that the preserved scroll signifies the invincibility of God’s Word. |
| Jeremiah 37–39 | During Jerusalem’s final siege, Jeremiah suffers imprisonment and harsh treatment. King Zedekiah’s fear-driven indecision contrasts with the prophet’s steadfastness. The fall of Jerusalem validates decades of ignored warnings. Samuel Rolles Driver notes that the city’s collapse embodies the consequences of resisting God’s word. |
| Jeremiah 40–44 | The remnant rejects Jeremiah’s counsel and flees to Egypt. Even after judgment, the people persist in idolatry and distrust. Jeremiah prophesies disaster for those who continue rebellion abroad. Thomas Kelly Cheyne argues that this remnant displays the tragedy of unbelief surviving catastrophe. |
| Jeremiah 45–47 | Baruch receives personal encouragement amid chaos, showing God’s care for individuals. The oracles against foreign nations begin, expanding Jeremiah’s scope. Judgment against Philistia demonstrates God’s universal sovereignty. Friedrich Bleek notes that Jeremiah’s theology transcends Israel to embrace the whole world. |
| Jeremiah 48–49 | Oracles against Moab, Ammon, and Edom expose national pride and injustice. Each nation faces judgment yet retains a glimmer of restoration. Jeremiah’s geographic detail reveals deep knowledge of the surrounding world. George Adam Smith teaches that these oracles affirm Yahweh’s rule over all political destinies. |
| Jeremiah 50–51 | Babylon, once God’s instrument, now becomes the target of divine judgment. The destruction of Babylon represents moral balancing in the divine order. These chapters proclaim that oppressive empires cannot escape reckoning. Otto Thenius interprets this as theological reversal that completes Jeremiah’s exile message. |
| Jeremiah 52 | The final chapter recounts the fall of Jerusalem and the exile’s devastation. Historical detail verifies Jeremiah’s prophetic accuracy. Jehoiachin’s release hints at renewal beyond judgment. H. A. W. Meyer explains that this appendix confirms the reliability of Jeremiah’s entire witness. |
Reference:
George Adam Smith (1840–1918). The Book of Jeremiah (International Critical Commentary). Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1910.
—Comprehensive analysis of Jeremiah’s prophetic career, historical context, and chronology.Matthew Henry (1662–1714). Commentary on the Whole Bible, Jeremiah. London: 1710.
—Devotional and chronological notes linking prophecies to the reigns of Judah’s kings.John Gill (1697–1771). Exposition of the Bible, Jeremiah. London: 1746–1763.
—Provides chronological references to Josiah, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah.Adam Clarke (1762–1832). Commentary on the Bible, Jeremiah. London: 1825–1827.
—Chronological and historical commentary on Judah’s kings and the Babylonian exile.Charles Ellicott (1819–1905). Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers: Jeremiah. London: 1878.
—Historical and exegetical commentary with attention to the sequence of events.Keil, Carl Friedrich, & Franz Delitzsch (1807–1890 & 1813–1890). Commentary on the Old Testament, Jeremiah. Edinburgh: 1866–1891.
—Exegetical and historical discussion of Jeremiah’s life, ministry, and prophetic timeline.
John Bright (1908–1995). A History of Israel, 4th ed. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2000.
—Historical contextualization of Jeremiah within Judah’s political and Babylonian context.J. A. Thompson (1930–2017). The Book of Jeremiah (New International Commentary on the Old Testament). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1980.
—Detailed chronological discussion of prophetic activity and historical correlations.Robert P. Carroll (b. 1938). Jeremiah: A Commentary. London: 1986.
—Analyzes narrative structure and chronology in relation to historical events.William McKane (1921–2004). A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Jeremiah (International Critical Commentary). Edinburgh: 1986–1987.
—Critical discussion of dating, prophetic chronology, and textual composition.Richard E. Friedman (b. 1946). Who Wrote the Bible? San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1987.
—Textual and compositional insights relevant to chronological issues in Jeremiah.
