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Profile:
Name: Book of Jeremiah
Author: the Prophet Jeremiah
Dating: finished by the early 6th century BCE
Book of Jeremiah:
The book of Jeremiah was probably written during the late 7th and early 6th century
BCE, during the reign of Josiah and around the time of the fall of Jerusalem to the
armies of Babylon. During this time period of the power of the Assyrian empire was
waning and the fervor or religious nationalism among the Jews and centered on the
Temple in Jerusalem was growing. As a matter of fact, many believed that the presence
of God in the Temple was a guarantee that Jerusalem could never be conquered.
The story of Jeremiah is that of a prophet who consistently protested the political and religious policies of Judah, complaining that their continuation would ultimately mean the end of Judah. In fact, God ordered Jeremiah not to marry and have children, the norm for Jewish males, because they would only end up dying in the coming disasters.
It seems likely that Jeremiah took part in the religious reforms instituted by Josiah, but after his death in 609 BCE Jeremiah's anti-establishment message no longer found much favor among the religious and political authorities, causing him at various times to be placed under house arrest and even thrown into a cistern which served as a dungeon. According to Jeremiah, the destruction of Jerusalem will be inevitable - not because of the power of Babylon, but because of the displeasure of God with his chosen people.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
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