The Book Of Jeremiah

Who is the Author?

The author of the book of Jeremiah is the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah. According to Jer. 36:1–26, Baruch (son of Neriah, who served as Jeremiah’s scribe and friend) had written a first version from Jeremiah’s dictation. The scroll was read first in public and then again for the state officials and for the king. King Jehoiakim burned it, piece by piece. Jeremiah therefore dictated to Baruch a second, enlarged, edition of the first book (Jer. 36:32).1 Jeremiah was a priest from Anathoth whose prophetic career began in the thirteenth year of Josiah (627–626 BCE) and continued until the final exile of Judah in 586. Chapters 39–44 indicate that Jeremiah continued to minister after the fall of Jerusalem and was forced to accompany a group of exiles to Egypt.2 Jeremiah’s father’s name was Hilkiah, also a priest from Anathoth. He was active under the kings Jehoahaz-Shallum, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin/Jeconiah/Coniah, and Zedekiah. Jeremiah is depicted as living in constant friction with the authorities—religious, political or all of them together, including Jewish leaders after the Babylonian invasion (42:1–43:13). Still, his preaching emphasized a high respect for prophets whose warning words could have saved the people if they had listened. Jeremiah constantly proclaimed God’s judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem, yet he was also a prophet of hope, proclaiming oracles of salvation, conditioned (3:22–4:2) or unconditioned (30–31;32:36–38; 33:6; 34:4). God forbade him to intercede for his people (7:16; 11:14; 14:11; cf. 15:1); yet he interceded (14:7–9, 19–22). God ordered him to live without marriage and family (16:2). He had to stay away from the company of merrymakers (15:17) and from houses of feasting (16:8). He complained to and argued with God (12:1–17), complaining about the misery of his office(20:7–18). But he also sang hymns of praise to God (20:13).3