Jeremiah
Seven other persons bearing the same name as the prophet are mentioned in the Old Testament:—
•Jeremiah of Libnah, father of Hamutal wife of Josiah. (2 Kings 23:31) (B.C. before 632.) 2,3,4.
Three warriors—two of the tribe of Gad— in David’s army. (1 Chronicles 12:4,10,13) (B.C.
1061-53.)
•One of the “mighty men of valor” of the transjordanic half-tribe of Manasseh. (1 Chronicles 5:24)
(B.C. 782.)
•A priest of high rank, head of the second or third of the twenty-one courses which are apparently
enumerated in (Nehemiah 10:2-8; 12:1,12) (B.C. 446-410).
•The father of Jazaniah the Rechabite. (Jeremiah 35:3) (B.C. before 606.)
(whom Jehovah has appointed) was “the son of Hilkiah of the priests that were in Anathoth.”
(Jeremiah 1:1)
•History.—He was called very young (B.C. 626) to the prophetic office, and prophesied forty-two
years; but we have hardly any mention of him during the eighteen years between his call and
Josiah’s death, or during the short reign of Jehoahaz. During the reigns of Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin,
B.C. 607-598, he opposed the Egyptian party, then dominant in Jerusalem, and maintained that
they only way of safety lay in accepting the supremacy of the Chaldeans. He was accordingly
accused of treachery, and men claiming to be prophets had the “word of Jehovah” to set against
his. (Jeremiah 14:13; 23:7) As the danger from the Chaldeans became more threatening, the
persecution against Jeremiah grew hotter. ch. 18. The people sought his life; then follows the scene
in (Jeremiah 19:10-13) he was set, however, “as a fenced brazen wall,” ch. (Jeremiah 15:20) and
went on with his work, reproving king and nobles and people. The danger which Jeremiah had so
long foretold at last came near. First Jehoiakim, and afterwards his successor Jehoiachin, were
carried into exile, 2Kin 24; but Zedekiah, B.C. 597-586, who was appointed by Nebuchadnezzar,
was more friendly to the prophet, though powerless to help him. The approach of an Egyptian
army, and the consequent departure of the Chaldeans, made the position of Jeremiah full of danger,
and he sought to effect his escape from the city; but he was seized and finally thrown into a
prison-pit to die, but was rescued. On the return of the Chaldean army he showed his faith in God’s
promises, and sought to encourage the people by purchasing the field at Anathoth which his
kinsman Hanameel wished to get rid of. (Jeremiah 32:6-9) At last the blow came. The city was
taken, the temple burnt. The king and his princes shared the fate of Jehoiachin. The prophet gave
utterance to his sorrow in the Lamentations. After the capture of Jerusalem, B.C. 586, by the
Chaldeans, we find Jeremiah receiving better treatment; but after the death of Gedaliah, the people,
disregarding his warnings, took refuge in Egypt, carrying the prophet with them. In captivity his
words were sharper and stronger than ever. He did not shrink, even there, from speaking of the
Chaldean king once more as “the servant of Jehovah.” (Jeremiah 43:10) After this all is uncertain,
but he probably died in Egypt.
•Character.—Canon Cook says of Jeremiah, “His character is most interesting. We find him sensitive
to a most painful degree, timid, shy, hopeless, desponding, constantly complaining and dissatisfied
with the course of events, but never flinching from duty...Timid in resolve, he was unflinching in
execution; as fearless when he had to face the whole world as he was dispirited and prone to
murmuring when alone with God. Judged by his own estimate of himself, he was feeble, and his
mission a failure; really, in the hour of action and when duty called him, he was in very truth ’a
defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole land.’ ch. (Jeremiah 1:18) he
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