Jeremiah Biography

Jeremiah, also referred to as the "weeping prophet,” was a Hebrew prophet and reformer, considered one of the major prophets in the canonical collection of Hebrew scriptures called the ‘Hebrew Bible,’ which is the textual source for the Christian ‘Old Testament.’ According to Jewish tradition, Jeremiah, assisted by his scribe and disciple Baruch ben Neriah, wrote the ‘Book of Jeremiah.’ Jeremiah is regarded as the second of the latter prophets in the ‘Hebrew Bible’ and also the second of the prophets in the Christian ‘Old Testament.’ According to the superscription to the book, Jeremiah started his mission as a prophet during the 13th year of the 7th century BCE, when the king of Judah was Josiah (around 627 BC). He completed his mission during the 11th year of King Zedekiah’s rule, which ended in 586 BC, at a time when Jerusalem went into exile (in the 6th month). The actions taken by Jeremiah and also the issues he faced including his imprisonment are detailed in the book. Judaism considers him the second of their major prophets and the book as part of its canon. According to Jewish tradition, Jeremiah was also aided by Baruch ben Neriah in authoring the ‘Books of Kings’ and the ‘Book of Lamentations.’ The latter includes poetic laments and mourning for the destruction of Jerusalem. Jeremiah is also considered a prophet in the Abrahamic monotheistic religions of Christianity and Islam and finds a place in both the ‘New Testament’ and Islamic tradition.