Jeremiah meets the prophet Hananiah (Jer 28:1-28:1)

“In that same year,

At the beginning

Of the reign

Of King Zedekiah

Of Judah,

In the fifth month

Of the fourth year,

Hananiah,

The son of Azzur,

From Gibeon,

Spoke to me

In the house of Yahweh,

In the presence

Of the priests

With all the people.”

Once again we have an exact time frame for this confrontation with Hananiah. This meeting of Jeremiah and Hananiah took place at the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah or King Mattaniah (598-587 BCE), the son of King Josiah (640-609 BCE) who was installed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (605-562 BCE) at the age of 21. Hananiah was a prophet from Gibeon, north of Jerusalem in the Benjamin territory, whose father was Azzur. Thus this meeting between Jeremiah and Hananiah in the Temple of Yahweh took place around 594 BCE, during the 4th year of the reign of King Zedekiah in the presence of the priests and all the people, as much as that was possible. Like the preceding chapter, this is a different numbered chapter in the Greek translation of the Septuagint, chapter 35, not 28 as here.

King Zedekiah (Jer 27:1-27:1)

“In the beginning

Of the reign

Of King Zedekiah,

The son of King Josiah,

Of Judah,

This word came

To Jeremiah

From Yahweh.”

Once again we have an exact time frame for this oracle of Yahweh to Jeremiah. This oracle took place at the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah or King Mattaniah (598-587 BCE). He was the son of King Josiah (640-609 BCE), but he was installed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (605-562 BCE) at the age of 21. His nephew King Jehoiachin or King Coniah (598 BCE) had preceded him for a couple of months. Thus this oracle took place around 598 BCE. Like the preceding chapter, this is a different numbered chapter in the Greek translation of the Septuagint, chapter 34, not 27.

King Jehoiakim (Jer 26:1-26:1)

“In the beginning

Of the reign

Of King Jehoiakim

The son of King Josiah

Of Judah,

This word came

From Yahweh

To Jeremiah.”

Once again we have an exact time frame for this communication of Yahweh to Jeremiah. This oracle took place at the beginning of the reign of King Jehoiakim or King Eliakim (609-598 BCE). He was the son of King Josiah (640-609 BCE). His brother King Jehoahaz or King Shallum (609 BCE) had preceded him for a couple of months. Then King Necho of Egypt appointed King Jehoiakim as the king and then brought his deposed brother King Jehoahaz to Egypt. Thus this oracle took place in 609 or 608 BCE. Like the preceding chapter, there are different numbers in the Greek translation of the Septuagint. This section is from chapter 33 of the Septuagint, and not chapter 26 as here.

Pre-exilic times (Jer 25:1-25:1)

“This is the word

That came to Jeremiah

Concerning all the people of Judah,

In the fourth year of King Jehoiakim,

The son of King Josiah,

Of Judah.

This was the first year

Of King Nebuchadnezzar

Of Babylon.”

This oracle of Yahweh to Jeremiah about Judah is set in a very specific time frame. This was the 4th year of the rule of King Jehoiakim or King Eliakim, around 605 BCE. This was also the first year of the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, after his victory of Pharaoh Neco of Egypt during the same year, 605 BCE. Thus, this preceded any of the exiles from Judah.

The call of Jeremiah to the men of Judah (Jer 7:1-7:2)

“The word came to Jeremiah

From Yahweh.

‘Stand in the gate

Of Yahweh’s house!

Proclaim there this word!

Say!

Hear the word of Yahweh!

All you men of Judah!

All who enter these gates

To worship Yahweh!’”

Yahweh calls Jeremiah to stand at the entrance to his house. There he was to proclaim the word of Yahweh to the men of Judah, not just the Israelites in general. He was to talk to all the men of Judah who entered the Temple to worship. This might have been at the beginning of the reign of King Jehoiakim around 609 BCE.

David wants Yahweh to establish the righteous (Ps 7:9-7:11)

“O let the evil of the wicked come to an end!

Establish the righteous!

You who test the minds and hearts!

O righteous God!

My shield is with God.

God saves the upright in heart.

God is a righteous judge.

God has indignation every day.”

David wanted the reign of the evil wicked ones to come to an end. David wanted God to establish the righteous one. He knows how to test the minds and hearts of people. David had his shield with his righteous God. God would save the upright in heart because he was righteous despite his daily indignation.