3. One of the Benjaniite bowmen and slingers wlio repaired to David while at Ziidag (1 Chron. xii, 4). B. C. 1053.
4. A chief of the tribe of INIanasseh east, apparently about the time of the deportation by the Assvrians (1 Chron. V, 24). B.C. 782.
5. A native of Libnah, the father of Ilamutal, wife of Josiah, and mother of Jchoahaz and Zedekiah (2 Kings xxiii, 81 ; xxiv, 18). B.C. ante (532.
6. Son of Habaziniah, and father of Jaazaniah, which last was one of the Rechabites whom the jjrophet tested with the offer of wine (Jer. xxxv, 3). B.C. ante (500.
7. The second of the " greater prophets" of the (). T., a son of Ililkiah, a priest of Anathnth, in the tribe of Benjamin (1, 1 ; comp. xxxii, G). The following brief account of the prophet's career, which is fully detailed in his own book, is chiefly from Kitto's Ci/dopa'dia.
\. Relatives of Jeremiiih. — Many (among ancient writers, Clement. Alex., Jerome ; among moderns, Eich- horn, Calovius, Maldonatus, Yon Bohlen, etc.) have sup- posed that his father was the high-priest of the same name (2 Kings xxii, 8), who found the book of the law in the eighteenth year of Josiah (Umbreit, Praliischer Commentar iiber den Jeremia, p. x). This, however, seems improbable on several grounds (see Carjizov, In- trod. iii, 130 ; also Keil, Ewald, etc.) : first, there is noth- ing in the writings of Jeremiah to lead us to think that his father was more than an ordinary- priest (" Hilkiah [one] of the priests," .Jer. i, 1); again, the name Hil- kiah was common among the Jews (see 2 Kings xviii, 13; 1 Ciiron. vi,45; xxvi, 11 ; Neh.viii, 4 ; Jer. xxix, 3) ; and, lastly, his residence at Anathoth is evidence that he belonged to the line of Abiathar (1 Kings ii, 26-35), who was deposed from the high-priest's office by Solo- mon: after which time the office appears to have re- mained in the line of Zadok.
2. Ilistort/. — Jeremiah was verj' young when the word of the Lord first came to him (i, 6). This event took place in the thirteenth year of Josiah (B.C. 628), wliila the youthful prophet still lived at Anathoth. It would seem that he remained in his native city several years; but at length, in order to escape the persecution of his fellow-townsmen (xi, 21), and even of his own family (xii, 6), as well as to have a wider field for his exertions, he left Anathoth and took up his residence at Jerusalem. The finding of the book of tlie Law, five years after the commencement of his predictions, must have produced a powerful influence on the mind of Jere- mkih, and king Josiah no doubt found him an important ally in carr3'ing into effect the reformation of religious worship (2 Kings xxiii, 1-25). B.C. 623. During the reign of this monarch, we may readily believe that Jer- emiah would be in no waj' molested in his work ; and that from the time of his quitting Anathoth to the eighteenth year of his ministry, he probably uttered his warnings without interruption, though with little suc- cess (see ch. xi). Indeed, the reformation itself was nothing more than the forcible repression of idolatrous and heathen rites, and the re-establishment of the ex- ternal service of God, by the command of the king. No sooner, therefore, was the influence of the court on be- half of the true religion withdrawn, than it was evident that no real improvement had taken place in the minds of the people. Jeremiah, who hitherto was at least protected by the influence of the pious king Josiah, soon became the object of attack, as he must doubtless have long been the object of dislike to those whose interests were identified with the corruptions of religion. The death of this prince was bewailed by the prophet as the precursor of the divine judgments for the national sins (2 Chron. xxxv, 25). B.C. 600. See Lamkntations.
We hear nothing of the prophet during the three
months which constituted the short reign of Jehoahaz; but " in the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim" (B.C. (■)07) the prophet was interrupted in his ministry by " the priests and the prophets," who, with the populace, brouglit him before the civil authorities, urging that cajiital punishment should be inflicted on him for his threatenings of evil on the city unless the people amend- ed their ways (ch. xxvi). The princes seem to have been in some degree aware of the results which the gen- eral corruption was bringing on the state, and if they did not themselves yield to the exhortations of the prophet, they acknowledged that he spoke in the name of the Lord, and were quite averse from so openly re- nouncing his authority as to pijt his messenger to death. It appears, however, that it was rather owing to the personal influence of one or two, especially Ahikam, than to any general feeling favorable to Jeremiah, that his life was ])reserved ; and it would seem that he was then either [jlaced inider restraint, or else was in so much danger from the animosity of his adversaries as to make it prudent for him not to appear in public. In the fourth year of Jehoiakim (B.C. 605) he was com- manded to write the predictions which had been given through him, and to read them to the people. From the cause, probably, which we have intimated above, he was, as he says, "shut up," and coukl not himself go into the house of the Lord (xxxvi, 5). He therefore deputed Baruch to write the predictions after him, and to read them publicly on the fast-day. These threat- enings being thus anew made public, Baruch was sum- moned before the princes to give an account of the man- ner in which the roll containing them had come into his possession. The princes, who, without strength of principle to oppose the wickedness of the king, had suf- ficient respect for religion, as well as sagacity enough to discern the importance of listening to the voice of God's prophet, advised both Baruch and Jeremiah to conceal themselves, while they endeavored to influence the mind of the king by reading the roll to him. The re- sult showed that their precautions were not needless. In his bold self-will and reckless daring the monarch refused to listen to any advice, even though coming with the professed sanction of the IMost High. Having read three or four leaves, " he cut the roll with the pen- knife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed," and gave immediate orders for the ajiprehension of Jeremiah and Baruch, who, however, were both preserved from the vindictive monarch. At the command of (iod the prophet pro- cured another roll, in which he wrote all that was in the roll destroyed by the king, "and added besides unto them many like words" (xxxvi, 32). See Baruch.