Jeremiah 1

Jeremiah 1
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Book of Jeremiah in Hebrew Bible, MS Sassoon 1053, images 283-315.
Book	Book of Jeremiah
Category	Nevi'im
Christian Bible part	Old Testament
Order in the Christian part	24

Jeremiah 1 is the first chapter of the Book of Jeremiah in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.^[1][2] This book contains the prophecies spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, and is a part of the Book of the Prophets.^[3][4] This chapter contains the pedigree, time, and calling of Jeremiah; confirmed against his excuses, Jeremiah 1:1-10. His visions of an almond rod and a seething pot, Jeremiah 1:11-14. His heavy message against Judah, Jeremiah 1:15,16. God promiseth him his assistance, Jeremiah 1:17-19.^[5]

• The original text is written in Hebrew language.
• This chapter is divided into 19 verses.

Some most ancient manuscripts containing this chapter in Hebrew language:

• Masoretic Text (10th century)
• Dead Sea Scrolls: (2nd century BC)^[6][7]

Ancient translations in Koine Greek:

• Septuagint (3rd century BC)
• Theodotion version (~AD 180)

This chapter can be grouped into:

• Jeremiah 1:1–3 = Title
• Jeremiah 1:4–19 = The Prophet Is Called

The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah,

of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:^[8]

• "The words of Jeremiah"; This introductory formula only occurs here and in Amos 1:1. The editor of Jeremiah and of Amos deserts the usual phrase ("burden" or , "utterance," "vision," "the word of the LORD which came," etc.) in order to give fuller information concerning the origin of the prophetic writers (but see on verse 2).^[9]
• "The son of Hilkiah": The Arabic version calls him Selkiah. This was not Hilkiah the high priest, who in the days of Josiah found the book of the law, 2 Kings 22:8 as Kimchi's father and Abarbinel think, and so Clemens of Alexandria (n); since he is not said to be a high priest, or of the high priests, but "of the priests that were in Anathoth, in the land of Benjamin"; though the Targum paraphrases the words to the other sense, "of the heads of the ward of priests, of the amarcalin, or governors which were in Jerusalem, a man that took his inheritance in Anathoth, in the land of the tribe of Benjamin."^[10]
• "Hilkiah": one of the ordinary priests, dwelling in Anathoth of Benjamin, not the Hilkiah the high priest who discovered the book of the law (2 Kings 22:8); had he been the same, the designation would have been "the priest", or "the high priest". Besides, his residence at Anathoth shows that he belonged to the line of Abiathar, who was deposed from the high priesthood by Solomon (1 Kings 2:26–35Template:Bibleverse with invalid book), after which the office remained in Zadok's line. Mention occurs of Jeremiah in 2 Chronicles 35:25; 36:12, 21.^[5]
• "That were": or, "who was", i. e., "dwelt". The meaning is, that Jeremiah was a priest who dwelt at Anathoth.^[11]
• "That were in Anathoth": So Vulgate; Septuagint, however (followed by Payne Smith), makes the relative refer to Jeremiah (ὅς κατῴκει). But in this case would not the phrase have been "Jeremiah the priest," etc. (compare Ezekiel 1:1)? Anathoth was one of the priestly cities (Joshua 21:18); it lay on or near the great northern road (Isaiah 10:30), and has been identified by Dr. Robinson (so also by Lieutenant Conder) with 'Anata, situated on a ridge, an hour and a quarter north-northeast from Jerusalem.^[9]

To whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah,

in the thirteenth year of his reign.^[12]

Cross reference: Jeremiah 25:3

• "In the thirteenth year of his reign": in the twenty first of Josiah's age, for he began to reign when he was eight years old, and he reigned eighteen years after, for he reigned in all thirty one years; and it was five years after this that the book of the law was found by Hilkiah the high priest, 2 Kings 22:3.^[10]

It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah,

unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah,

unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.^[13]

• "Jehoiakim...Zedekiah": Josiah had three sons as kings of Judah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah, under all whom Jeremiah prophesied.^[10]
• "Unto the end of the eleventh year": The limit is accurate with regard to Jeremiah 1-39. The later prophecies have a superscription of their own (see Jeremiah 40:1).^[9]
• "In the fifth month": The capture of Jerusalem took place in the fourth month, but its destruction was in the fifth month, the ninth day of which was subsequently kept as a fast-day Zechariah 7:3,^[11] compare Jeremiah 52:12, 27).^[9]

The whole period contained in the verse 2-3 is no less than 40 years and 6 months,^[11] namely, 18 years under Josiah (2 Kings 22:11), three months under Jehoahaz, 2 Kings 23:31 eleven years under Jehoiakim, 2 Kings 23:36, three months under Jeconiah, 2 Kings 24:8, and eleven years under Zedekiah, when the city was besieged and taken, 2 Kings 25:2.^[10]

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee;

and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee,

and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.^[14]

• "I knew thee": that is, "approved of thee as My chosen instrument" (Exodus 33:12, 17; compare Isaiah 49:1, 5; Romans 8:29).^[5]

Then said I,

Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.^[15]

• "child": the same word is translated, "young man" (2 Samuel 18:5). The reluctance often shown by inspired ministers of God (Exodus 4:10; 6:12, 30; Jonah 1:3) to accept the call, shows that they did not assume the office under the impulse of self-deceiving fanaticism, as false prophets often did.^[5]

• Related Bible parts: Jeremiah 25, Amos 1

• Jeremiah 1 Original Hebrew with Parallel English
• Jeremiah 1 Hebrew with Rashi's Commentary

• Jeremiah 1 English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate