Book of Jeremiah facts for kids

The Book of Jeremiah is an important part of the Hebrew Bible. It is also found in Judaism's Tanakh and Christianity's Old Testament. This book tells the story and messages of a prophet named Jeremiah.

Jeremiah Chapter 1, verses 1 to 3, says the book contains "the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah." Jeremiah was a real person. He worked with his scribe Baruch to share God's messages. These messages were often difficult news for the people.

Jeremiah's Main Message

The Book of Jeremiah shares a message with the Jewish people living in exile in Babylon. It explains that their difficult situation was a result of their actions. Jeremiah said the people were like an unfaithful wife or disobedient children. They had turned away from God to worship other gods.

Because of this, God allowed them to be punished. However, Jeremiah also brought a message of hope. He said that God would welcome them back if they changed their ways and returned to Him.

Jeremiah's Time and Events

Jeremiah started his work around 627 BC, during the thirteenth year of King Josiah's rule. He continued until 586 BC, when Jerusalem was taken over.

During this time, many big changes happened:

• King Josiah tried to reform the people's religion.
• The powerful empire of Assyria was destroyed by Babylon.
• Egypt briefly controlled Judah.
• Then, Babylon defeated Egypt and took control of Judah in 605 BC.

Judah rebelled against Babylon several times. After the last rebellion, Babylon completely destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple. They also took away the king and many important leaders in 586 BC. This event is known as the exile.

Jeremiah's Unusual Actions

Besides his spoken and written warnings, Jeremiah did some strange things. He wanted to get people's attention for his messages:

• Jeremiah 13:1–11: He wore a linen waistband, buried it, and later dug it up again. This showed how Judah's pride would be ruined.
• Jeremiah 16:1–9: He did not get married or go to funerals or happy events. This showed the sadness and lack of joy that would come.
• Jeremiah 19:1–13: He bought a clay jug and then broke it in front of Jerusalem's religious leaders. This symbolized how Jerusalem would be shattered.
• Jeremiah 27–28: He wore an ox yoke around his neck. This showed that Judah should surrender to Babylon.
• Jeremiah 32:6–15: He bought a field for seventeen silver coins. This showed that land would be bought again in the future, meaning hope for return.
• Jeremiah 35:1–19: He offered wine to the Rechabites, a tribe who lived in tents and did not drink wine. They refused, showing their obedience, which contrasted with Judah's disobedience.

Jeremiah's Legacy

Jeremiah's name is also found in the Books of Chronicles and the Book of Ezra. These books were written after the exile. Jeremiah had predicted that the exile would last 70 years. This prediction was later mentioned in the Book of Daniel.

Many Christians believe that Jesus was a suffering prophet. They see similarities between Jesus' experiences and what happened to Jeremiah in chapters 37–44. They also compare it to the suffering servant described in the book of Isaiah Chapter 53.

Images for kids

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  Rembrandt van Rijn, "Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem", c. 1630

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  A high-resolution scan of the Aleppo Codex containing the Book of Jeremiah (the sixth book in Nevi'im)

See also

In Spanish: Libro de Jeremías para niños