Author
The Book of Jeremiah is titled after its author. Its pages record the ministry and personal life of the prophet in greater depth and detail than any other Old Testament prophet except perhaps Moses. Jeremiah devotedly served the God who called him, but he experienced deep emotional conflict as God set before him one difficult task after another. He suffered not only resistance to his ministry and persecution by God’s own people, but he also witnessed the downfall of Jerusalem and the temple.
Jeremiah’s name may mean “Yahweh exalts” or “Yahweh loosens [the womb],” depending on the Hebrew root with which the name is associated. Jeremiah’s hometown was Anathoth. He was born into the priestly family of Hilkiah, although no evidence exists to suggest that he himself was a priest (1 Kin. 2:26, 27). Jeremiah was unique among the writing prophets in that he was commanded not to marry and produce offspring because of the impending judgment on the nation (Jer. 16:1–4). The faithful scribe Baruch recorded the words of the prophet (Jer. 36:4) and accompanied him into Egypt (Jer. 43:6, 7). Baruch may have been responsible for the final compilation of the book and the addendum of the historical material in Jeremiah 52.
Jeremiah provided a portrait of a great man of God. Yet he was not a superman or the stoic ideal who allowed the currents of life to wash around him with no effect. Rather, Jeremiah was a real person with a complex personality, who nonetheless remained true to his calling and to God. He experienced fear and despair, joy and praise. Called the “weeping prophet,” Jeremiah agonized over Judah’s sin and coming judgment. In a series of prayers labeled “confessions,” Jeremiah honestly confronted the meaning of his messages and complained to God in a spirit of humility (Jer. 11:18–23; 12:1–4; 15:10–21; 17:14–18; 18:18–23; 20:7–18). However, God did rebuke Jeremiah for worthless talk (Jer. 15:19). His prayers against his enemies recall the imprecatory psalms (see Jer. 12:1–3; 18:19–23; Ps. 35), so zealous was Jeremiah for the glory and reputation of God. As Jeremiah dealt with his conflicting emotions, he turned to God to receive encouragement. Jeremiah’s words reflect a man in rich, honest dialogue with God.
Date
The approximate dates of Jeremiah’s ministry are 626 to 586 B.C. Jeremiah received God’s call in the thirteenth year of King Josiah’s reign (Jer. 1:2). He was a contemporary of Zephaniah, Ezekiel, Habakkuk, and perhaps Obadiah. It is difficult to determine the amount of interaction that such prophets would have had (compare Obad. 1–4 with Jer. 49:14–16). The northern kingdom of Israel had disappeared into exile approximately 100 years before Jeremiah’s call. After that event, the southern kingdom of Judah sometimes is designated Israel (see chart, Terminology for the Divided Kingdom).
Jeremiah’s writing ministry is dated from the fourth year of Jehoiakim in 605 B.C. (Jer. 36:1, 2), though portions of the Book of Jeremiah may have been written earlier. The book was completed sometime after the fall of Jerusalem. The events recorded in the Book of Jeremiah are not in chronological order.
Background
Setting
The dates of Jeremiah’s ministry encompass a world experiencing great change. The three great powers of that time were Assyria, Babylon, and Egypt. The strength of Assyria and Egypt was on the wane, and the power of Babylon was rising. Much of what happened to God’s people and the surrounding states happened in the context of the struggle among these powers, a struggle in which Babylon and the dynasty of Nabopolassar would dominate (see chart, The Kings of Babylon). Judah, located on a major route used by invading armies, was particularly vulnerable since whoever controlled Syria-Palestine could attack Egypt. At such times, the smaller city states were under great pressure to declare for one power or the other and usually chose either the one represented by the nearest army or the one most likely to win. A wrong choice would have serious consequences. Judah’s rebellion against Babylon, despite Jeremiah’s counsel to surrender, contributed, in human terms, to the destruction of Jerusalem.
Literary Characteristics
The Book of Jeremiah contains lengthy prose sections, both narrative and discourse (Jer. 7; 11; 16; 19; 21; 24–29; 32–45), but much of the work is poetic in form. The poetry of Jeremiah reflects skillful use of the Hebrew language. Jeremiah was particularly adept at using poetic repetition, as well as “living metaphors.” These living metaphors were actions taken by the prophet to reflect or embody symbolically his message. Other prophets, especially Jeremiah’s contemporary, Ezekiel, used this technique. Examples include the ruined sash (Jer. 13:1–11), God’s command not to marry and raise a family (Jer. 16:1–4), the prohibition against participating in a funeral meal or feast (Jer. 16:5–9), the smashed flask (Jer. 19:1–15), the bonds and yokes (Jer. 27:1–22), the purchase of his relative’s field in Anathoth (Jer. 32:6–15), and the hidden stones (Jer. 43:8–13). All these directives involved actual objects and actions in Jeremiah’s life. God also revealed Himself to Jeremiah in ordinary experiences of life such as a visit to the potter’s house (Jer. 18:1–11) and two baskets of figs (Jer. 24).
The composition of the book is not chronological, but rather loosely thematic. The Book of Jeremiah should be viewed as a collection of the writings and sermons of the prophet, which, when read together, form a powerful, unitary whole.
Themes
The skillfully combined writings effectively communicate the controlling theme of Jeremiah, clearly summarized in Jeremiah 1:10. God used Jeremiah to proclaim His word of both judgment and hope to the nations. Verbs of destruction predominate in this verse, indicating that Jeremiah’s message would be primarily one of judgment. Constructive verbs, “to build” and “to plant,” indicate that Jeremiah’s message also contained an element of hope, such as that found in the New Covenant passage (Jer. 31:31–34).
Outline
I. The Making of a Prophet (1:1–19)
A. The historical setting (1:1–3)
B. Jeremiah’s prophetic role (1:4–19)
II. The Prophet’s Warnings and Exhortations (2:1–35:19)
A. Israel’s guilt and punishment (2:1–6:30)
B. False religion and its judgment (7:1–10:25)
C. Warnings and judgment (11:1–15:9)
D. Confessions, symbolic actions, and sermons (15:10–25:38)
E. Foretelling of the Babylonian Exile (26:1–29:32)
F. Promises of restoration (30:1–33:26)
G. Historical appendix: Jehoiakim and Zedekiah (34:1–35:19)
III. The Suffering Prophet (36:1–38:28)
A. Jeremiah’s scrolls (36:1–32)
B. Jeremiah’s arrest and imprisonment (37:1–38:28)
IV. The Fall of Jerusalem and Events Thereafter (39:1–45:5)
A. The fall of Jerusalem (39:1–18)
B. The accession and assassination of Gedaliah (40:1–41:15)
C. The migration to Egypt (41:16–44:30)
D. Instructions and encouragement to Baruch (45:1–5)
V. God’s Judgment Against the Nations (46:1–51:64)
A. Against Egypt (46:1–28)
B. Against Philistia (47:1–7)
C. Against Moab (48:1–47)
D. Against Ammon (49:1–6)
E. Against Edom (49:7–22)
F. Against Damascus (49:23–27)
G. Against Kedar and Hazor (49:28–33)
H. Against Elam (49:34–39)
I. Against Babylon (50:1–51:64)
VI. Historical Appendix (52:1–34)
A. The fall of Jerusalem and capture of Zedekiah (52:1–16)
B. The sacking of the temple (52:17–23)
C. The record of the deportation to Babylon (52:24–30)
D. The release of Jehoiachin from prison (52:31–34)