Jeremiah

Jeremiah was a prophet to Judah from 627 BCE[1], about a century after Isaiah, giving the same warnings that disobedience to God and alliance with foreign powers and religions would lead to defeat and exile. He prophesied so to a series of kings, who saw him as a traitor and treated him badly. In the end he saw Jerusalem besieged, its fall, and the exile of the principal people.

Jeremiah bravely analyzed the fall of his culture in terms of the covenant in Sinai (see chapter 25), showing the same concerns as Deuteronomy (Breuggeman[2] p4). He records how he suffered on account of bringing a message from God that people did not want to hear; as such he is an example to us when evangelism is difficult. But there is another important theme, God's mercy (Breuggeman[2] p5 "God's pathos"). This tension creates the interest of the book and presents God as a much more complex character than Deuteronomy does. And this is presented in the context of the popular assumption (Breuggeman[2] p.6 "royal-temple ideology of Jerusalem") that since the temple had been made [not long previously, by Josiah] the focus of God's relationship with humanity, the temple could not be destroyed, but must be immune to the covenant sanctions (see Jeremiah 7:4). Neither the Deuteronomic theology nor the temple ideology could understand the fall of Jerusalem in 587 BCE.

Breuggeman[2] p15–18 says that the book is skilfully crafted literature that uses the reader's imagination to convey its message. Thus the descriptions in the text are not intended to report the present, nor to predict the future, but as a basis for critiquing various points of view. It "assaults every 'structure of domination' "as effectively today as it did when it was written, "including our own military, technological, consumer-led establishment". "If such a subversive reading of reality appears too unreal, too dangerous, and too costly, we must recognize that for most in the 7th and 6th centuries it was rejected for exactly the same reasons. Indeed, everything depends on our reading and hearing this text. If we fail to hear this text, we may succumb to the fraudulent discernment of our situation."

Jeremiah exists in two forms, from the Masoretic and Septuagint Hebrew Bibles, indicating that they have been transmitted independently[3] [4]. The Septuagint version is shorter and believed to be older. Copies based on both versions were found at Qumran. It has been suggested that Baruch, who acted as Jeremiah's scribe on several occasions, may have collected the material, and probably added to it (see Jer. 36:32). Both versions present Jeremiah as a "new Moses" who promoted a covenant with YHWH, and was rejected, persecuted, and died outside the Promised Land. Jeremiah's background in banishment (see 1:1) made it hard to get his message accepted[3 p.87].

Ancient tradition says that the prophet Jeremiah wrote 1 and 2 Kings. Koppers[5] p.341 says scholars agree that Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings show a striking unity of language, style and content, and are attributed to a hypothetical "Deuteronomistic Historian".

721 BCE: The Northern Kingdom "Israel" was utterly defeated by Assyria and never recovered.

1 Sam 1–3: Jeremiah's family served as priests in Shiloh but were banished ...

1 Ki 2:25–27: ...to Anathoth (a priestly village, probably modern 'Anata, a few miles NE of Jerusalem[4]) when Solomon chose Zadok over Abiathar, and Jerusalem over Shiloh. Jeremiah's background in banishment made it hard to get his message accepted.[3]

Isaiah 36:1–6:Assyria attacked Judah in 701 BCE; King Hezekiah hoped in vain that Egypt would help.

Jeremiah 1:11–12: Jeremiah was heavily into puns. Unfortunately these are lost in translation.

Jeremiah 1:11, 13: cf. 1 Samuel 2:14; signs of Jeremiah's priestly background at Shiloh.

Jeremiah 18:7–10: Biblical prophecy should not be interpreted as tomorrow's newspaper, but as a warning. If we carry on as we are, the described events will take place; if we repent, they will not.

BACKGROUND TO THE PROPHECIES

2 Ki 22:1: Josiah was 8 years old on accession. Judah had been a vassal of Assyria for decades.

2 Ki 22:3–23:25, 2 Chr 34:3–35:19: In 621 BCE[1] Josiah led the people of Judah away from idols back to God. Josiah abolished the rural shrines, but the priests from them refused to go to Jerusalem. Babylon attacked Assyria, which pleased the Jews who were under Assyrian control.

2 Ki 23:29, 2 Chr 35:23–25: In 609 BCE the Egyptian pharaoh Neco marched through Judah to help his ally Assyria. Josiah wanted Assyria to fall, and attacked the Egyptians, but was killed.

2 Ki 23:30: Babylon ("the Chaldeans") defeated the super-powers Assyria and Egypt, creating instability. The defeated Egyptian army retreated through Judah and found Jehoahaz reigning in his father Josiah's place. They mistrusted him so...

2 Ki 23:34–36: Pharaoh deposed Jehoahaz in favour of Eliakim (who was renamed Jehoiakim) aged 25.

2 Chr 36:4: Jehoahaz was taken by force to Egypt.

605 BC: Nebuchadnezzar invaded Syria, crossed the Jordan, and besieged Jerusalem. Jehoiakim paid him off by giving him the temple vessels. Jeremiah uttered an oracle against Egypt.

Jeremiah 36:1–4: In 605 BCE Baruch wrote down some of Jeremiah's prophecies, but apparently not the earliest ones, in that no comment from Jeremiah on Josiah's reforms can be identified.

Jeremiah 1:1–4 v:1–3 speak of him in the third person and look editorial, while :4 is in the first person.

2 Ki 24:1–6: In 597 BCE Jehoiakim rebelled and refused to pay tribute. While Nebuchadnezzar mobilised his army Jehoiakim disappeared and was succeeded by Jehoiakin.

2 Ki 24:7–15: Jehoiakin was 18 years old on accession. Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem. Jehoiakin surrendered the chief people and temple treasures, and was taken prisoner.

2 Ki 24:17–18: Nebuchadnezzar appointed Mattaniah (who he renamed Zedekiah) puppet king aged 21.

2 Chr 36:11–12, 2 Ki 24:20: Zedekiah was a weak, vacillating king, unsure whether to look to Egypt for rescue from the demands of Nebuchadnezzar, and he eventually rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar.

2 Ki 25:1–7: Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem for over a year. Zedekiah tried to flee with his army but was caught, leading to the end of the kingdom. Zedekiah was taken to Babylon in chains along with the leaders of the people.

Jeremiah 39:3: The British Museum has a clay tablet that refers to the official Sarsechim "chief eunuch of Nebuchadnezzar", confirming the historicity of this account[4].

2 Ki 25:8–21: Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem in 587 BCE. All but the poorest of the people were taken captive, and some were killed. All of the temple utensils were removed, and the metal items that were too big to carry were broken up for scrap (cf. Jeremiah 27:19f).

2 Chr 36:21: This disaster fulfilled Jeremiah's prophecy.

2 Ki 25:22–26: Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah governor, but he was assassinated. The remaining people fled to Egypt, fearing Nebuchadnezzar's wrath, and turned to other gods.

2 Ki 25:27: In 562 BCE the Babylonians released Jehoiakin from prison to be nominal King of Judah, but living in Babylon.

Structure

The first 20 chapters are undated and not in chronological order.

Jeremiah 1: Editorial introduction. The encounter with God validates the following prophecy.

Jeremiah 1:9: cf. Isaiah 6:7; Jeremiah was a prophet of the same order as his predecessor Isaiah.

Jeremiah 3:6–19:13: Prophecy of doom (but possible repentance) for Israel and Judah, due to turning to Baals. Familiar phrase "Is there no balm in Gilead?"

Jeremiah 7: The famous "Temple Sermon" against misplaced faith.

Jeremiah 18:1–11: The potter and clay image also appears in Isaiah 29:16, 41:25, 45:9, 64:8, and Rom 9:21.

Jeremiah 19:5: Child sacrifice was practised.

Jeremiah 19:9: Siege foretold.

Jeremiah 19:14–20:2: Reaction to the prophecy: imprisoned overnight in stocks.

Jeremiah 20:3–6: Exile foretold.

Jeremiah 22:11–17

Jeremiah 25: pivotal: vv 1–14 summarise the preceding chapters, vv 15–38 turn to judge the nations.

Jeremiah 26: Another "Temple Sermon"; reaction to unwelcome message: Jeremiah's life threatened.

Jeremiah 35: Prophecy in action. Jeremiah confronted conservative traditionalists.

Jeremiah 36: Jeremiah was under house arrest. Baruch recorded Jeremiah's prophecy (ch 2–24?) on a scroll and read it. The King burned the scroll, and Jeremiah and Baruch went into hiding.

Jeremiah 45: 605 BCE prophecies...

Jeremiah 46–49: ... including some against Egypt.

Jeremiah 50–51: Prophecy about Babylon. Dan 1:1–3 shows tribute to Nebuchadnezzar then.

Jeremiah 22:18f: Ezekiel (Ezek 1:2), Daniel, Shadrach and Abednego were among those taken into exile.

Jeremiah 23:1: Woe to the shepherds; a righteous branch will be raised up.

Jeremiah 23:9–52: Woe to lying prophets.

Jeremiah 23:23–24: God is God of everywhere.

Jeremiah 29: Letter to those not exiled.

"The Lord our Righteousness" combines YHWH with Zedek from the king's name, pointing to the true righteous one.

Jeremiah 21: 588–586 BC.

Jeremiah 24: Good figs and bad figs, possibly to encourage the remnant in the land.

Jeremiah 27f: Most "prophets" were saying the opposite of Jeremiah. 27:19f fulfilled in 2 Ki 25:8–21.

Jeremiah 30–33: "The Book of Salvation"

Jeremiah 31: God would fulfil the broken covenant by introducing a new one (much quoted in Hebrews). Familiar phrase in Jeremiah 31:15 "Weeping in Ramah".

Jeremiah 32: Under siege.

Jeremiah 33:1: Jeremiah imprisoned.

Jeremiah 34: Jeremiah (seeking comfort) and Zedekiah (seeking prayer) had private conversations.

Jeremiah 37: Prophet in prison; Egypt's defeat by Babylon foretold.

Jeremiah 38: Jeremiah in cistern, because his prophecy sounded like enemy propaganda. cf. Ps 69.

Jeremiah 39: Jerusalem fell; the fate of the King, prophet and people. Compare 39:11–14 & 40:1–6.

Jeremiah 39:4: King and army fled.

Jeremiah 40: Jeremiah freed by Babylonians.

Jeremiah 41: Puppet governor assassinated; people flee to Egypt.

Jeremiah 42: Prophecy to the remnant: trust Babylon, not Egypt.

Jeremiah 43: Prophecy ignored; Jeremiah prophesied to them in Egypt.

Jeremiah 44:16f: Prophecy rejected, and the people turned to other gods.

Jeremiah 46–51: Prophecy to the surrounding nations.

Jeremiah 52: Editorial conclusion, cf. 2 Ki 24:18–25:30.

© David Billin 2002–2024