Jeremiah 1:1-3
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While we might assume "words" just means messages, the Hebrew actually carries a broader sense, hinting at Jeremiah's entire prophetic ministry and the record of events he conveyed, not just spoken prophecies. This isn't just a name and lineage; it’s the preface to a prophetic lifetime being laid out.
The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This opening verse introduces Jeremiah, a priest from the town of Anathoth, establishing his lineage and priestly background. It functions as a title for the prophecies that follow, framing them as divine messages delivered through him during a tumultuous period for Judah, beginning in the days of King Josiah and extending into the final years of the kingdom.
Why does this verse start with such detailed information about Jeremiah? It's not just a name and lineage; it's setting the stage for something profound.
The Weight of "Words"
When the Bible says "The words of Jeremiah," it's not just a label for a book. It's signaling that these are divine messages, inspired by God himself. While other prophetic books might say "The word of the Lord," Jeremiah's opening emphasizes that these are his words, but in the sense that he is the vessel God is using to speak.
A Priest's Unique Calling
Jeremiah wasn't just any guy; he was a priest from Anathoth. This meant he came from a lineage set apart for God's service. Being a priest meant he understood the Law and the rituals. Yet, God chose him for a different, more direct role: to be a prophet, speaking God's words directly to the people, not just through sacrifice and ceremony, but through powerful, often challenging, pronouncements.
Jeremiah's hometown might seem insignificant, but its location and its priests tell us something crucial about God's choice and message.
A Place of Priests, Not Prophets?
Anathoth was a Levitical city, designated for priests. This might seem like a natural place for a priest like Jeremiah to come from. However, it was a relatively small, out-of-the-way village, about three miles north of Jerusalem.
God's Unexpected Choices
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Jeremiah's identity as a priest from Anathoth might have initially made him feel less qualified for the immense task of prophecy, especially compared to prophets who came from more prominent backgrounds or royal lines. Yet, God often chooses the humble and overlooked to carry out His most significant plans. Anathoth, being so close to Jerusalem, also meant Jeremiah could easily observe and speak to the heart of the nation's spiritual and political life, while still being somewhat removed from its direct influence.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The term referring to the supreme Being of Israel, who entered into covenant relationship with His people. It is the personal, proper name of God in the Hebrew Bible, revealing His eternal, self-existent nature.
dābār · Hebrew Noun
A formal, historical declaration of an oracle or divine message received by a prophet from God. It carries the authority of the speaker, who is the Creator Himself.
gālût · Hebrew Noun
A state of forced relocation or exile. Biblically, it is often seen as a consequence of divine judgment for covenant unfaithfulness, yet it maintains the hope of future restoration.
Jeremiah's identity as a priest from Anathoth grounds his prophetic message. His ministry unfolded during Judah's final, turbulent decades, a time of religious reform followed by devastating decline and exile.
Late 8th century BC
Isaiah prophesies against Anathoth
The prophet Isaiah foretells the destruction of Anathoth, Jeremiah's hometown, as part of a wider judgment against the people. This may have been a significant event remembered in Jeremiah's family and community.
c. 627 BC
Josiah's religious reforms begin
King Josiah initiates a major religious reformation throughout Judah, seeking to restore pure worship and obedience to the Law. Jeremiah would have been a young man during this period.
c. 626 BC— this verse
Jeremiah's prophetic call
Jeremiah receives his divine call to be a prophet. This marks the beginning of his ministry, which would span decades of turmoil.
609 BC
Death of King Josiah
Josiah is killed in battle at Megiddo, a devastating loss for Judah that plunges the nation back into political and spiritual instability.
605 BC
First deportation to Babylon
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports a first group of Judean captives, including members of the royal family and educated elite, to Babylon.
597 BC
Second deportation to Babylon
Jerusalem falls to Nebuchadnezzar, and King Jehoiachin and another large group of Judeans are exiled to Babylon. Jeremiah continues to preach.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, ending Judah as an independent kingdom and exiling most of the remaining population.
Like Jeremiah, Ezekiel's prophetic call begins with the 'words' or 'message' of God being delivered to him directly, signifying a divine commission.
Isaiah 6:1-8This passage describes Isaiah's powerful encounter with God in the temple, which, much like Jeremiah's call, involved a divine commission and a sense of unworthiness, leading to his prophetic service.
Exodus 3:1-6Moses, also a priest by lineage (though not functioning as one at that moment), was called by God from a place of humility (the burning bush) to deliver His people, paralleling Jeremiah's priestly background and divine calling.
1 Samuel 3:1-10The young Samuel, who served in the temple, also received a direct word from the Lord, highlighting how God can call individuals from within religious service to convey His messages.
clarkeJeremiah 1:1: "The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:"
The words of Jeremiah - These three verses are the title of the Book; and were probably added by Ezra when he collected and arranged the sacred books, and put them in that order in which they are found in Hebrew Bibles in general. For particulars relative to this prophet, the times of his prophesying, and the arrangement of his discourses, see the introduction. Eleventh year o…
ellicottJeremiah 1:1: "The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:"
I. (1-3) The first three verses contain the title prefixed to the collection of prophecies by some later editor. This title would seem, from its unusual fulness, to have received one or more additions—Jeremiah 1:1 giving the general title, Jeremiah 1:2 the commencement of Jeremiah’s prophetic work, Jeremiah 1:3 the period of his chief activity and its conclusion. Strictly spea…
While we might assume "words" just means messages, the Hebrew actually carries a broader sense, hinting at Jeremiah's entire prophetic ministry and the record of events he conveyed, not just spoken prophecies. This isn't just a name and lineage; it’s the preface to a prophetic lifetime being laid out.
This opening verse introduces Jeremiah, a priest from the town of Anathoth, establishing his lineage and priestly background. It functions as a title for the prophecies that follow, framing them as divine messages delivered through him during a tumultuous period for Judah, beginning in the days of King Josiah and extending into the final years of the kingdom.
This opening verse introduces Jeremiah, a priest from the town of Anathoth, establishing his lineage and priestly background. It functions as a title for the prophecies that follow, framing them as divine messages delivered through him during a tumultuous period for Judah, beginning in the days of King Josiah and extending into the final years of the kingdom.
"The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. It cam…" — While we might assume "words" just means messages, the Hebrew actually carries a broader sense, hinting at Jeremiah's entire prophetic ministry and the record of events he conveyed, not just spoken p…
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Last reviewed October 2026
