Jeremiah: Raised up or appointed by Jehovah.1. A Gadite who joined David in the wilderness
(1 Chronicles 12:10)
2. A Gadite warrior
(1 Chronicles 12:13)
3. A Benjamite slinger who joined David at Ziklag
(1 Chronicles 12:4)
4. One of the chiefs of the tribe of Manasseh on the east of Jordan
(1 Chronicles 5:24)
5. The father of Hamutal
(2 Kings 23:31) the wife of Josiah.
6. One of the "greater prophets" of the Old Testament, son of
Hilkiah (q.v.), a priest of Anathoth
(Jeremiah 1:1; 32:6) He was called
to the prophetical office when still young
(Jeremiah 1:6) in the
thirteenth year of Josiah (B.C. 628) He left his native place,
and went to reside in Jerusalem, where he greatly assisted
Josiah in his work of reformation
(2 Kings 23:1-25) The death of this
pious king was bewailed by the prophet as a national calamity
(2 Chronicles 35:25) During the three years of the reign of Jehoahaz we
find no reference to Jeremiah, but in the beginning of the reign
of Jehoiakim the enmity of the people against him broke out in
bitter persecution, and he was placed apparently under restraint
(Jeremiah 36:5) In the fourth year of Jehoiakim he was commanded to
write the predictions given to him, and to read them to the
people on the fast-day. This was done by Baruch his servant in
his stead, and produced much public excitement. The roll was
read to the king. In his recklessness he seized the roll, and
cut it to pieces, and cast it into the fire, and ordered both
Baruch and Jeremiah to be apprehended. Jeremiah procured another
roll, and wrote in it the words of the roll the king had
destroyed, and "many like words" besides
(Jeremiah 36:32) 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
(Jeremiah 37:7,8) The
princes, in their anger at such a message by Jeremiah, cast him
into prison
(Jeremiah 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
(Jeremiah 44:1-30). 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.