BIBLE BOOK GUIDE
Jeremiah
52 chapters
Jeremiah is the word of the Lord spoken through the prophet before and after Judah's fall, proclaiming judgment for unfaithfulness and mercy through a coming new covenant and ultimate restoration.
Jeremiah
Choose a chapter
Pick a chapter and it opens in the Current chapter tab. Come back here whenever you want to choose another one.
Why this book was written
Written during the final decades of Judah (c. 627–586 BC) and addressed to Judeans before and after the exile, Jeremiah warns that persistent covenant unfaithfulness and idolatry will bring Babylonian judgment. Through laments and personal confession he expresses God's broken heart, while pointing forward to forgiveness, restoration, the New Covenant, the Messianic reign, and the nations' future—all to call hopeless hearers to trust in the Lord's faithfulness.
Structure
- 1–20The Lord Calls Through Jeremiah and Pronounces Judgment
- 21–29Kings, False Prophets, and the People's Rebellion
- 30–33Restoration, the New Covenant, and the Coming Messiah
- 34–45Faithfulness and Struggle in the Final Years
- 46–51Oracles Against the Nations
- 52Appendix: The Fall of Jerusalem and Lasting Hope
Major themes
Judgment and Justice
Jeremiah proclaims that Judah will face Babylonian judgment for covenant unfaithfulness, idolatry, and injustice (Jer 4:5-31; 21:1-14). God's righteousness demands that sin be punished.
New Covenant and Renewal
Amid judgment, God promises a new covenant, writing His law on hearts and forgiving iniquity (Jer 31:31-34). This new covenant points to a more complete redemption and inner renewal.
Prophetic Mission and Suffering
Jeremiah is called to be a prophet to the nations (Jer 1:5) yet endures rejection, persecution, and inner anguish (Jer 11:18-23; 20:7-18), revealing the cost of faithfulness to God's word.
Repentance and Return
God repeatedly calls His people to repent and return, saying 'Return, thou backsliding Israel' (Jer 3:12-14; 25:5-6), revealing His merciful desire that they turn back to Him.
God's Faithfulness and Sovereignty
Despite Israel's unfaithfulness, God remains faithful to His covenants with Abraham and David (Jer 33:14-26) and sovereign over history, even using Babylon as an instrument of judgment (Jer 25:9-11).
Hope and Restoration
In the shadow of exile, God promises to redeem a remnant from the north, restore them to their land, and raise up a righteous Branch (Jer 23:5-6; 30:10-11; 32:36-44).
How it points to Christ
Jeremiah points to Christ in several ways: (1) The 'Righteous Branch' of Jer 23:5-6, a Davidic King who reigns in righteousness, applied in the New Testament to Jesus (Luke 1:68-79); (2) The 'New Covenant' of Jer 31:31-34 is applied in Hebrews 8-10 to Christ, who establishes it by His own blood and secures full forgiveness of sins; (3) Jeremiah as the 'weeping prophet' prefigures Christ's grief and rejection (Luke 19:41-44); (4) Jeremiah's being cast into the cistern and delivered (Jer 38) foreshadows Christ's death and resurrection. The whole book anticipates the Messiah who fulfills redemption and brings the new covenant to fruition.
Key verses
- 1:5The Lord appointed Jeremiah as a prophet to the nations before birth, grounding the book's prophetic mission.
- 9:23–24True boasting is not in wisdom, power, or wealth, but in knowing the Lord and practicing justice and righteousness.
- 23:5–6The messianic promise of 'the Lord Our Righteous Savior' anchors the book's hope.
- 29:11–13God's plans for peace and a future call the exiles to seek Him in prayer while they wait.
- 31:31–34The New Covenant promise—law written on hearts, forgiveness of sin, intimate knowledge of God—is a key OT text for NT theology.
- 33:2The Lord pledges by His own name to fulfill His word of salvation and restoration.
- 45:5God promises to preserve the faithful scribe Baruch, encouraging all who follow Him through crisis.
- 52:31–34The book closes with Jehoiachin's elevation, echoing the promise of restored Davidic rule and leaving a spark of hope.
Films & series on Jeremiah
Each has a guide: scripture sources, where it departs from the Bible, discussion questions, and where to watch
Reflections on Jeremiah
People in this book
Questions for reflection
- ·Jeremiah in Jer 20:7-9 laments being mocked yet unable to stop speaking God's word. How does this challenge me to choose between faithfulness to truth and being well-liked in my own walk of faith?
- ·God promises in Jer 31:31-34 to write His law on hearts, not on tablets of stone. What does this teach me about the gospel as inward renewal rather than mere external compliance?
- ·Israel repeatedly ignored God's call to repent through the prophets (Jer 25:3-7). Do I likewise harden my heart when God prompts me through Scripture, the Spirit, or fellow believers?
- ·God declares, 'I know the thoughts that I think toward you, thoughts of peace, and not of evil' (Jer 29:11). In difficulty or disappointment, how can I more faithfully hold on to this promise of the God of peace?
- ·Jeremiah weeps and intercedes for his people (Jer 9:1; 14:7-9). How does this stir me to intercede with tears for those who do not yet know God—my family, neighbors, and others?
Where Jeremiah fits in the Bible's storyline
This book appears in the 12-stop storyline at:
Where to start reading the Bible? See the full 12-stop storyline
Want to read Jeremiah start to finish? Open the reader for parallel Chinese/English text and ask anything as you go.
Start reading JeremiahJeremiah
Chapter 48
1Of Moab. Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Woe unto Nebo! for it is laid waste; Kiriathaim is put to shame, it is taken; Misgab is put to shame and broken down.
2The praise of Moab is no more; in Heshbon they have devised evil against her: Come, and let us cut her off from being a nation. Thou also, O Madmen, shalt be brought to silence: the sword shall pursue thee.
3The sound of a cry from Horonaim, desolation and great destruction!
4Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
5For by the ascent of Luhith with continual weeping shall they go up; for at the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distress of the cry of destruction.
6Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness.
7For, because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou also shalt be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity, his priests and his princes together.
8And the destroyer shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape; the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed; as Jehovah hath spoken.
9Give wings unto Moab, that she may fly and get her away: and her cities shall become a desolation, without any to dwell therein.
10Cursed be he that doeth the work of Jehovah negligently; and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.
11Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remaineth in him, and his scent is not changed.
12Therefore, behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will send unto him them that pour off, and they shall pour him off; and they shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles in pieces.
13And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Beth-el their confidence.
14How say ye, We are mighty men, and valiant men for the war?
15Moab is laid waste, and they are gone up into his cities, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, saith the King, whose name is Jehovah of hosts.
16The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hasteth fast.
17All ye that are round about him, bemoan him, and all ye that know his name; say, How is the strong staff broken, the beautiful rod!
18O thou daughter that dwellest in Dibon, come down from thy glory, and sit in thirst; for the destroyer of Moab is come up against thee, he hath destroyed thy strongholds.
19O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and watch: ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth; say, What hath been done?
20Moab is put to shame; for it is broken down: wail and cry; tell ye it by the Arnon, that Moab is laid waste.
21And judgment is come upon the plain country, upon Holon, and upon Jahzah, and upon Mephaath,
22and upon Dibon, and upon Nebo, and upon Beth-diblathaim,
23and upon Kiriathaim, and upon Beth-gamul, and upon Beth-meon,
24and upon Kerioth, and upon Bozrah, and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near.
25The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith Jehovah.
26Make ye him drunken; for he magnified himself against Jehovah: and Moab shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision.
27For was not Israel a derision unto thee? was he found among thieves? for as often as thou speakest of him, thou waggest the head.
28O ye inhabitants of Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock; and be like the dove that maketh her nest over the mouth of the abyss.
29We have heard of the pride of Moab, that he is very proud; his loftiness, and his pride, and his arrogancy, and the haughtiness of his heart.
30I know his wrath, saith Jehovah, that it is nought; his boastings have wrought nothing.
31Therefore will I wail for Moab; yea, I will cry out for all Moab: for the men of Kir-heres shall they mourn.
32With more than the weeping of Jazer will I weep for thee, O vine of Sibmah: thy branches passed over the sea, they reached even to the sea of Jazer: upon thy summer fruits and upon thy vintage the destroyer is fallen.
33And gladness and joy is taken away from the fruitful field and from the land of Moab; and I have caused wine to cease from the winepresses: none shall tread with shouting; the shouting shall be no shouting.
34From the cry of Heshbon even unto Elealeh, even unto Jahaz have they uttered their voice, from Zoar even unto Horonaim, to Eglath - shelishiyah: for the waters of Nimrim also shall become desolate.
35Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, saith Jehovah, him that offereth in the high place, and him that burneth incense to his gods.
36Therefore my heart soundeth for Moab like pipes, and my heart soundeth like pipes for the men of Kir-heres: therefore the abundance that he hath gotten is perished.
37For every head is bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands are cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth.
38On all the housetops of Moab and in the streets thereof there is lamentation every where; for I have broken Moab like a vessel wherein none delighteth, saith Jehovah.
39How is it broken down! how do they wail! how hath Moab turned the back with shame! so shall Moab become a derision and a terror to all that are round about him.
40For thus saith Jehovah: Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread out his wings against Moab.
41Kerioth is taken, and the strongholds are seized, and the heart of the mighty men of Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.
42And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he hath magnified himself against Jehovah.
43Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith Jehovah.
44He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon him, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith Jehovah.
45They that fled stand without strength under the shadow of Heshbon; for a fire is gone forth out of Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, and hath devoured the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones.
46Woe unto thee, O Moab! the people of Chemosh is undone; for thy sons are taken away captive, and thy daughters into captivity.
47Yet will I bring back the captivity of Moab in the latter days, saith Jehovah. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.

