JEREMIAH (the Prophecy of), a canonical book of the Old Testament. This divine writer was of the race of the priests, the son of Hilkiah of Anathoth, of the tribe of Benjamin. He was called to the prophetic office when very young, about the thirteenth year of Josiah, and continued in the discharge of it for about forty years. He was not carried captive to Babylon with the other Jews, but remained in Judea to lament the desolation of his country. He was afterwards a prisoner in Egypt, with his disciple Baruch, where it is supposed he died at a very advanced age. Some of the Christian fathers tell us he was stoned to death by the Jews for preaching against their idolatry; and others say he was put to death by Pharaoh Hophrah, because of his prophecy against him. Part of the prophecy of Jeremiah relates to the time after the captivity of Israel and before that of Judah, and part of it was written in the time of the latter captivity. The prophet lays open the sins of Judah with great freedom and boldness, and reminds them of the severe judgments which had befallen the ten tribes for the same offences. He warmly laments their misfortune, and recommends to them a speedy reformation. Afterwards he predicts the grievous calamities which were approaching, particularly the seventy years captivity in Chaldaea. He also foretells their deliverance and happy return, and the recompense which Babylon, Moab, and other enemies of the Jews, should in due time meet with. There are likewise several intimations in this prophecy concerning the kingdom of the Messiah, and several remarkable visions, and types, and historical passages, relating to those times. St Jerome has observed respecting this prophet, that his style is more easy than that of Isaiah and Hosea; that he retains something of the rusticity of the place where he was born; but that he is very learned and majestic, and equal to those two prophets in the sense of his prophecy.