The Book of Jeremiah

The New International Commentary on the Old Testament

by J.A. Thompson

The prophets of Israel played an important role in that nation’s history. Although there were many prophets who brought the message of God to his people, we have records of only a few. Of these, our knowledge of Jeremiah is probably the most complete. In this commentary, the fourth in the “New International Commentary on the Old Testament” series, John A. Thompson examines the book of Jeremiah with its message urging the people of Israel to be true to their covenant Lord and to live in conformity with his covenant. Thompson begins his study with a look at the role of the prophets in Israel, and Jeremiah’s place among them. He then discusses the historical setting of Jeremiah’s message. From this background, Thompson moves to an examination of the book of Jeremiah itself, focusing first of all on its structure and composition. He reviews the work of several scholars, in particular Sigmund Mowinckel and John Bright. Next, the author considers some important issues for exegesis, such as the date of Jeremiah’s call, the significance of the symbolic actions he used, and the relationship between Jeremiah and Hosea. The last part of the book is devoted to an examination of the text and poetic forms of the book.

Genres: Reference, Theology, Nonfiction, Old Testament, Christian

832 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

Reviews

[Ronnie Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great commentary on the book of Jeremiah. Scholarly yet a comfortable read for a layman. Biblical. Informative. One of the better commentaries you will find on the weeping prophet.

[Jared Saltz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thompson used to be the "old classic" in Jeremiah commentaries, but--frankly--I found it disappointing. Although it includes a fair number of notes on textual difference between the LXX/MT, it's light on analysis and almost completely lacking in meaningful analysis of the changes. Although it includes a little bit of history of the period, there's a significant failure to interact with the archival material and archaeological material that's extant for Jeremiah and the rest of the Babylonian empire and late Judahite kingdom. Over all, this volume is serviceable, but disappointing for my purposes.

I read this to help prepare to teach my 4000-level class on Jeremiah, but am glad I had other readings and personal study to supplement or I'd have been in even worse shape.

[B.G. Brainard · Rating 4 out of 5]

The biblical Book of Jeremiah can be daunting to read and difficult to understand without expert help in regard to the historical setting and theological nature of the book. Thompson is such a guide with regard to the book and person of Jeremiah, a prophet of Yahweh, with a a dire message for ancient Israelites. The author writes in a way that is accessable to the layperson and scholar alike, yet maintains the spiritual integrity of prophetic genre. He explains that the prophets were not merely religious individuals, but regarded themselves as God's messengers that brought a specific message to a specific people at a specific point in history. Thompson examines the text of the book along with the life, call, and message of the prophet Jeremiah with regard to the divine judgment on Judah and Jerusalem and hope of restoration for Jerusalem.

[Justin Hollabaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

Why 5 stars?

- This is considered the primary commentary on Jeremiah by most scholars. After reading Thompson's excellent work, I understand why.

- First, his understanding and development of the historical situation of Jeremiah is thorough. As Jeremiah is written in a catastrophic moment in history, Thompson writes expansively on the prophetic utterances delivered to Jerusalem and the nations.

- Secondly, Thompson bravely develops themes and organization to a book that is widely known as difficult. Jeremiah is a messy and challenging book to write a commentary on but Thompson did so valiantly.

-Thirdly, I was expecting more study with the Hebrew, but I understand that this commentary was not the place for it.

-Lastly, This is a book for the scholar, pastor, teacher, and even layman. It's challenging yet also understandable.

[Nat · Rating 2 out of 5]

It must be exhausting as a biblical high critic trying to determine who wrote what particular section of the text when, honestly, they really don’t know. Of course, this influences interpretation—and never for the better.