He remained in Jerusalem, uttering from time to time his words of warning,
but without effect. He was there when Nebuchadnezzar besieged the city
(Jeremiah 37:4, 5), B.C. 589. The rumour of the approach of the Egyptians
to aid the Jews in this crisis induced the Chaldeans to withdraw and return
to their own land. This, however, was only for a time. The prophet, in
answer to his prayer, received a message from God announcing that the
Chaldeans would come again and take the city, and burn it with fire (37:7,
8). The princes, in their anger at such a message by Jeremiah, cast him into
prison (37:15-38:13). He was still in confinement when the city was taken
(B.C. 588). The Chaldeans released him, and showed him great kindness,
allowing him to choose the place of his residence. He accordingly went to
Mizpah with Gedaliah, who had been made governor of Judea. Johanan
succeeded Gedaliah, and refusing to listen to Jeremiah’s counsels, went
down into Egypt, taking Jeremiah and Baruch with him (Jeremiah 43:6).
There probably the prophet spent the remainder of his life, in vain seeking
still to turn the people to the Lord, from whom they had so long revolted
(44). He lived till the reign of Evil-Merodach, son of Nebuchadnezzar, and
must have been about ninety years of age at his death. We have no
authentic record of his death. He may have died at Tahpanhes, or,
according to a tradition, may have gone to Babylon with the army of
Nebuchadnezzar; but of this there is nothing certain.
- JEREMIAH, BOOK OF consists of twenty-three separate and
independent sections, arranged in five books. I. The introduction, ch. 1. II.
Reproofs of the sins of the Jews, consisting of seven sections, (1.) ch. 2;
(2.) ch. 3-6; (3.) ch. 7-10; (4.) ch. 11-13; (5.) ch. 14-17:18; (6.) ch.
17:19-ch. 20; (7.) ch. 21-24. III. A general review of all nations, in two
sections, (1.) ch. 46-49; (2.) ch. 25; with an historical appendix of three
sections, (1.) ch. 26; (2.) ch. 27; (3.) ch. 28, 29. IV. Two sections picturing
the hopes of better times, (1.) ch. 30, 31; (2.) ch. 32,33; to which is added
an historical appendix in three sections, (1.) ch. 34:1-7; (2.) ch. 34:8-22;
(3.) ch. 35. V. The conclusion, in two sections, (1.) ch. 36; (2.) ch. 45.
In Egypt, after an interval, Jeremiah is supposed to have added three
sections, viz., ch. 37-39; 40-43; and 44.
The principal Messianic prophecies are found in 23:1-8; 31:31-40; and
33:14-26.