- Author: Jeremiah (1:1)
- Written over the period from 13th year of Josiah (628 BC, 1:2) until after the destruction of Jerusalem (~ 585 BC, 41:1)
- History (generally prose) and prophecy (generally poetry) interspersed
- Prophesied that Israel would serve Babylon 70 years (25:11-12, 29:10)
- Seventy years recalled in Daniel 9:2, 2 Chronicles 26:21-22, Ezra 1:1.
Chapter Outline
1 Jeremiah called as a youth
2 – 4:2 Call to repentance, threat of invasion from the north, promise of return
4:3 – 6 Promise of a return and that all the nations would gather to it; desolation is certain but not complete or permanent
7 – 10 Calls to repentance and promises of relenting
11 – 12 The broken covenant
13 Israel will rot in Babylon
14 – 17 Description of types of punishment
18 – 21 God is in charge
22 – 24 Against the leaders of Israel
25 Babylon will conquer
26 – 29 Persecution of Jeremiah
30 – 33 Consolation: a return is promised
34 – 36 Examples of obedience and disobedience
37 – 39 Last days of Jerusalem
40 – 44 More trouble after the fall; flight to Egypt despite warning
45 Comfort for Baruch
46 Against Egypt
47 Against Philistia
48 Against Moab
49 Against Ammon, Edom, Syria, Kedar, Hazor, and Elam
50 – 51 Against Babylon
52 Historical account of the last days of Jerusalem
New Testament citations of Jeremiah
- Jeremiah 6:16 (Matthew 11:29) Jesus applied the image of “the ancient paths” to Himself.
- Jeremiah 7:11 (Matthew 21:13, Mark 11:17, Luke 19:46) This is the other half of Jesus’ statement concerning the cleansing of the Temple.
- Jeremiah 9:23 – 24 (1 Corinthians 1:31, 2 Corinthians 10:17) Paul uses Jeremiah’s concept of boasting.
- Jeremiah 31:15 (Matthew 2:18) Jeremiah 40:1 records that the Israelites were collected by the Babylonians at Ramah for deportation. The slaughter in Bethlehem is likened to the deaths of many innocent parties in the fall of Jerusalem.
- Jeremiah 31:31 – 34 (Hebrews 8:8 – 12) The author of Hebrews used this passage to remind Jewish people that a new covenant implies the end of an old one, based on better promises. Hebrews 10:16 – 17 carries the passage further to imply one perfect sacrifice.