Portal:Bible/Featured article/September, 2007

Jeremiah (Hebrew:יִרְמְיָהוּ "the Lord will raise") was one of the 'greater prophets' of the Old Testament. He was the son of Hilkiah, a priest of Anathoth. His writings are collected in the Book of Jeremiah and, according to tradition, the Book of Lamentations. Jeremiah is also famous as "the broken-hearted prophet" (who wrote a "broken book", which has been difficult to put into chronological order), whose heart-rending life, and true prophecies of dire warning went largely unheeded by the people of Judah. In his various exhortations, Jeremiah made extensive use of props to illustrate points and engage the public. He walked around wearing a wooden yoke about his neck. He served wine to a family with a vow of temperance.

Jeremiah was called to the prophetical office when still young; in the thirteenth year of Josiah. He left Anathoth, and went to reside in Jerusalem, assisting Josiah in his furious assault upon idolatry. In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, the enmity of the people against the prophet was expressed with persecution; and Jeremiah was apparently imprisoned. Jeremiah warned the king that "God would roll him up into a little ball, and would throw him out of Judah". He was still in confinement when the city was taken. The Babylonians released him, and showed him great kindness, allowing Jeremiah to choose the place of his residence. Jeremiah went to Mizpah in Benjamin with Gedaliah, who had been made governor of Judea. Johanan succeeded Gedaliah, who had been assassinated by an Israelite prince in the pay of Ammon "for working with the Babylonians". Refusing to listen to Jeremiah's counsels, Johanan fled to Egypt, taking Jeremiah with him. There, the prophet probably spent the remainder of his life, still seeking in vain to turn the people to the Lord, from whom they had so long revolted. Some believe he was murdered in Egypt by those angered by his prophecies. It is known that he lived into the reign of Evil-merodach, son of Nebuchadnezzar, and may have been about ninety years of age at his death. We have no authentic record of his death. He may have died at Tahpanes, or, according to a tradition, may have gone to Babylon with the army of Nebuchadnezzar.

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