myBibleHistory

Books of Scripture

Jeremiah

A prophet in the fall of Judah: empire, covenant, lament and a new covenant

52 chapters

Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, a priest's son from Anathoth, was called as a young man in about 627/626 BC and spoke through the last forty years of the kingdom of Judah: Josiah's death, Egypt's and Babylon's control of Jerusalem, the surrender of 597 BC, the siege and burning of the city in 587/586 BC, and the flight of survivors to Egypt. His book mixes poetry and prose: oracles, symbolic acts, laments and complaints to God, narratives of his arrest and rescue, a letter to the exiles, the promise of a new covenant, and oracles against the nations. It also survives in two ancient editions: the longer Hebrew text in most Bibles, and a shorter edition translated into Greek and found in Hebrew fragments at Qumran. The site keeps the biblical story, the outside evidence (Babylonian chronicles, the Lachish letters, the destruction of Jerusalem) and the history of the book distinct. This volume is being published in stages; chapters 1–10 and two investigations are live.

Lessons

  1. 1Jeremiah 1: Before I Formed TheeJeremiah 1 · "The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth": the word of the LORD came to him in the thirteenth year of King Josiah (about 627/626 BC) and through the reigns of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah, "unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month" (1:1–3). "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee… I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." "Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child." God touches his mouth and sets him over nations "to root out, and to pull down… to build, and to plant" (vv. 4–10). Two visions: an almond rod, because God is "watching" over his word; a boiling pot tilted from the north, for evil will break out from the north on Judah (vv. 11–16). "Gird up thy loins… I have made thee this day a defenced city… they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee" (vv. 17–19).
  2. 2Jeremiah 2: The Fountain of Living WatersJeremiah 2 · God remembers Israel's youth: "the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness" (2:2–3). What fault did your fathers find in me, that they went after worthlessness? The priests did not ask "Where is the LORD?"; the prophets prophesied by Baal (vv. 4–8). Go to the isles of Kittim and to Kedar: has a nation changed its gods? "For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water" (vv. 9–13). Israel has become prey; alliances with Egypt and Assyria will shame it (vv. 14–19, 36–37). Images of infidelity: a harlot on every high hill, a wild vine, a stain that lye cannot wash, a camel and a wild donkey in heat (vv. 20–25). "Can a maid forget her ornaments?… yet my people have forgotten me days without number" (v. 32). Blood of the innocent poor on your skirts (v. 34).
  3. 3Jeremiah 3: Return, Ye Backsliding ChildrenJeremiah 3 · "If a man put away his wife… shall he return unto her again?" yet God says, "return again to me" (3:1–5). In the days of Josiah, God shows Jeremiah "backsliding Israel" and "her treacherous sister Judah": Israel was divorced, and Judah did not fear, but played the harlot too, and returned "not with her whole heart, but feignedly" (vv. 6–11). "Return, thou backsliding Israel… for I am merciful" (vv. 12–13). "Turn, O backsliding children… I will take you one of a city, and two of a family… And I will give you pastors according to mine heart"; the ark will not be remembered; Jerusalem will be called "the throne of the LORD"; Judah and Israel will come together from the north (vv. 14–18). "Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God" (vv. 19–25).
  4. 4Jeremiah 4: Without Form, and VoidJeremiah 4 · "If thou wilt return, O Israel… return unto me"; "Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart" (4:1–4). "Blow ye the trumpet in the land… for I will bring evil from the north": the lion has come out of his thicket, the destroyer of nations (vv. 5–9). Jeremiah protests: "Ah, Lord GOD! surely thou hast greatly deceived this people, saying, Ye shall have peace" (v. 10). A hot wind; chariots like a whirlwind; "wash thine heart from wickedness" (vv. 11–18). "My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart… because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet" (vv. 19–22). "I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void" (vv. 23–28). Every city flees; Zion dresses in scarlet for lovers who want her life; "the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself… Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers" (vv. 29–31).
  5. 5Jeremiah 5: Run Ye To and Fro Through the StreetsJeremiah 5 · "Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem… if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it" (5:1). The poor are foolish; the great have broken the yoke (vv. 2–6). How can I pardon? They swore by no-gods, they are like fed stallions neighing after their neighbors' wives (vv. 7–9). They said of the LORD, "It is not he"; the prophets are wind (vv. 10–13). A nation from afar with an unknown language will eat your harvest (vv. 14–17), yet "I will not make a full end with you" (v. 18). This foolish people "have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not"; the sea obeys its boundary, but they do not (vv. 20–25). "Among my people are found wicked men… They are waxen fat… they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless" (vv. 26–29). "A wonderful and horrible thing… The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so" (vv. 30–31).
  6. 6Jeremiah 6: Peace, Peace, When There Is No PeaceJeremiah 6 · "Flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Beth-haccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north" (6:1). Shepherds pitch tents around Zion; "hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem" (vv. 2–8). Glean Israel like a vine; their ears are uncircumcised; I am full of the LORD's fury (vv. 9–12). "From the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness… They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace" (vv. 13–15). "Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein" (v. 16). Incense from Sheba is not acceptable (v. 20). A cruel people from the north (vv. 22–26). Jeremiah as an assayer: the refining fails; "Reprobate silver shall men call them" (vv. 27–30).
  7. 7Jeremiah 7: The Temple SermonJeremiah 7 · "Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word… Amend your ways and your doings… Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these" (7:1–4). Only if you practice justice, do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood or follow other gods, will you dwell in this place (vv. 5–7). "Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery… and come and stand before me in this house…? Is this house… become a den of robbers in your eyes?" (vv. 8–11). "Go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh… and see what I did to it" (vv. 12–15). Do not pray for this people: children gather wood, fathers kindle fire, women knead dough "to make cakes to the queen of heaven" (vv. 16–20). "I spake not unto your fathers… concerning burnt offerings… But this thing commanded I them… Obey my voice" (vv. 21–28). Cut off your hair; they built the high places of Topheth in the valley of Hinnom "to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not"; it will be the valley of slaughter (vv. 29–34).
  8. 8Jeremiah 8: Is There No Balm in Gilead?Jeremiah 8 · The bones of kings, princes, priests, prophets and people will be dragged from their graves and spread before the sun and moon they served (8:1–3). "Shall they fall, and not arise?"; people turn away and do not return, like a horse rushing into battle (vv. 4–6). "Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times… but my people know not the judgment of the LORD" (v. 7). "How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo… the pen of the scribes is in vain" (vv. 8–9). Wives and fields to others; "Peace, peace" again (vv. 10–12, a passage the Greek lacks). No grapes on the vine; poisoned water; snorting from Dan (vv. 13–17). "When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me… The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved… Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there?" (vv. 18–22).
  9. 9Jeremiah 9: Oh That My Head Were WatersJeremiah 9 (Hebrew 8:23–9:25) · "Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!" (9:1, Hebrew 8:23). "Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place": the people are adulterers, liars; "take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother" (vv. 2–6). God will refine them; their tongue is an arrow (vv. 7–9). Weeping for the mountains; Jerusalem heaps, a den of jackals (vv. 10–11). Why is the land ruined? Because they forsook my law and followed the Baals (vv. 12–16). "Call for the mourning women… let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us… For death is come up into our windows" (vv. 17–22). "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom… But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me" (vv. 23–24). God will punish the circumcised with the uncircumcised: Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab, the desert-dwellers with clipped hair, "and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart" (vv. 25–26).
  10. 10Jeremiah 10: The Gods That Have Not Made the HeavensJeremiah 10 · "Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven": one cuts a tree, decks it with silver and gold, fastens it with nails; "They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not" (10:1–5). "Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD" (vv. 6–7). The idols are a doctrine of vanities, silver from Tarshish, gold from Uphaz; "But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king" (vv. 8–10). In Aramaic: "Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish" (v. 11). "He hath made the earth by his power… The portion of Jacob is not like them" (vv. 12–16). Gather your bundle, you under siege; "Woe is me for my hurt!… My tabernacle is spoiled" (vv. 17–22). "O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. O LORD, correct me, but with judgment" (vv. 23–25).
  11. 53Investigation: Two Ancient JeremiahsJeremiah 1–52; Greek Jeremiah 1–52; 4QJer-a to 4QJer-e; 2QJer · The Jeremiah in most Bibles follows the Masoretic Text. The Greek translation made by Jews in the last centuries BC is shorter, by roughly an eighth to a sixth depending on how it is counted, and arranges part of the book differently: the oracles against the nations, chapters 46–51 in the Hebrew, stand in the Greek after 25:13, in another order. For centuries many readers assumed the translator had abbreviated. The Dead Sea Scrolls changed the question: Hebrew fragments of Jeremiah from Qumran include copies of the longer text and at least one copy reconstructed with the shorter text's form. Jeremiah existed in more than one Hebrew edition at the same time. This investigation sets out the evidence, the leading explanations, and what the two editions show about how biblical books grew and were transmitted.
  12. 54Investigation: Jeremiah and the Fall of JerusalemJeremiah 1:1–3; 21; 22; 24; 25; 26; 27–29; 32; 34; 36–44; 52; 2 Kings 22–25; 2 Chronicles 34–36 · Jeremiah lived through the collapse of the kingdom of Judah. Josiah died at Megiddo in 609 BC; Egypt made and unmade kings in Jerusalem; Babylon defeated Egypt at Carchemish in 605 BC; Jerusalem surrendered in 597 BC and King Jehoiachin was deported; Zedekiah rebelled; the city was besieged and burned in 587 or 586 BC; the governor Gedaliah was murdered; a group of Judeans fled to Egypt, taking Jeremiah with them; and in about 561 BC the exiled Jehoiachin was released from prison in Babylon. This investigation lines up the biblical accounts with the Babylonian Chronicle, administrative tablets, the Lachish letters and the destruction layers, and marks which events each source supports and which it does not mention.

How Jeremiah came to us

Who wrote it, how it was copied, and how it reached the Bible you hold. These lessons follow the book through history.

  1. 4Destruction and ExileBabylon destroyed the Temple and carried Judah into exile, but the Scriptures went with them and became the center of their faith.
  2. 6The SeptuagintJews in Egypt translated their Scriptures into Greek, beginning with the Torah in the 3rd century BC; these Greek Scriptures became the Bible of the early church and of the New Testament writers.
  3. 7The Dead Sea ScrollsBeginning in 1947, the Dead Sea Scrolls revealed Hebrew biblical manuscripts roughly a thousand years older than the medieval copies previously available for most books, showing both careful preservation and textual variation.
  4. 13Scribes, Jerome, and the MasoretesJerome gave the West its Latin Bible; Jewish scholars called the Masoretes guarded the Hebrew text letter by letter.

Journey of a Passage