At a glance
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Authorship | Jeremiah; Baruch as scribe (Jeremiah 36) |
| Date | Ministry ~626-586 BC and into exile |
| Audience | Judah before and during and after fall to Babylon |
| Genre | Prophecy and biographical narrative and lament |
| Purpose | Calls Judah to repentance; announces judgment; promises New Covenant |
| Chapters | 52 |
Outline
| Section | Chapters | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Call and early prophecies | 1-25 | Repeated warnings; symbolic actions |
| Conflicts with kings and prophets | 26-29 | False prophets; Jeremiah's persecution |
| Book of Consolation | 30-33 | Restoration and New Covenant promise |
| Final years and fall | 34-45 | Jerusalem's fall; Jeremiah to Egypt |
| Oracles against nations | 46-51 | Judgment on foreign nations |
| Historical appendix | 52 | Fall of Jerusalem recap |
Main themes
| Theme | Description |
|---|---|
| Faithful prophet under suffering | Jeremiah's tears and persecution |
| Sin and judgment | Idolatry and injustice, covenant breaking |
| New Covenant | Jeremiah 31:31-34, foundational text |
| Restoration after exile | 70-year exile then return (Jeremiah 29:10) |
| Heart problem | Jeremiah 17:9, "the heart is deceitful" |
| God's sovereign use of pagan empires | Babylon as God's instrument |
Key passages
- Jeremiah 1, Jeremiah's call
- Jeremiah 2-3, Israel's apostasy
- Jeremiah 17:9, heart deceit
- Jeremiah 29:4-14, exile counsel and "plans for you"
- Jeremiah 31:31-34, New Covenant (foundational text)
- Jeremiah 33:14-26, Davidic line preserved
NT use
- Hebrews 8:8-12, Jeremiah 31's New Covenant text cited as fulfilled in Christ
- Matthew 2:18, Rachel weeping for children (Jeremiah 31:15)
- 1 Corinthians 1:31; 2 Corinthians 10:17, "Let him who boasts boast in the LORD" (Jeremiah 9:24)