Jeremiah

(jèr-e-mi'ah,) one of the 4 great prophets of Israel, the author of the book in the Bible which bears his name, and of the Book of Lamentations. D. abt. 580 B. c. The writings of this prophet, dictated by him to Baruch, have been arranged with little regard to order, and the text is in a state of great confusion, notwithstanding that J. himself undertook two distinct redactions. They exhibit great tenderne and elegiac beauty of sentiment, but lack the sublime grandeur of Isaiah. He often borrows largely from his poetic predece ors. Several of the Psalms have been attributed to him, especially by modern critics. Hitzig numbers 34, which he believes to be the composition of J. There is no reason to doubt that the Lamentations are properly ascribed to him, while the apocryphal work of his, mentioned by Jerome (Matt. xxvii.), deserves little notice. [s. 502]