The Book of Jeremiah is one of the major prophetic books in the Bible, written by the prophet Jeremiah in the 7th and 6th centuries BC. These Jeremiah chapter summaries provide a concise and comprehensive overview of each of the 52 chapters, highlighting the main themes and events.
When you are done reading here, you may also want to check out our complete list of Bible Chapter Summaries for every Book of the Bible.
Book of Jeremiah Summary By Chapter
Chapter 1: The Call of Jeremiah
Jeremiah receives a call from God to be a prophet. God tells him that he was chosen before he was born and he must speak God’s word. Jeremiah is reluctant at first, fearing that he is too young, but God reassures him and gives him visions.
Chapter 2: Israel’s Unfaithfulness
God tells Jeremiah to pass His message to Jerusalem. God recalls how Israel was once faithful and dedicated to Him but laments over their turning away. The chapter highlights God’s grief over Israel’s unfaithfulness by following idols and forsaking Him.
Chapter 3: A Call to Repentance
God speaks to Jeremiah about the sins of Israel and Judah. Despite their unfaithfulness, God urges them to repent and return to Him. The chapter emphasizes God’s willingness to forgive and restore His people if they turn back to Him.
Chapter 4: Impending Disaster
Jeremiah conveys God’s warning of an impending disaster due to the sins of the people. The chapter describes the anguish and destruction that will come upon them, with Jeremiah imploring Judah to circumcise their hearts and avoid the coming calamity.
Chapter 5: The Judgment of Jerusalem
God instructs Jeremiah to walk through Jerusalem and find anyone who seeks truth and justice. Jeremiah is unable to find anyone, and God reveals that this is why He will bring judgment upon the city. The chapter portrays a bleak picture of a city lost in corruption.
Chapter 6: Siege against Jerusalem
Jeremiah warns of a siege against Jerusalem and calls the people to seek peace. However, they are unresponsive. The chapter depicts a city under siege due to its refusal to heed the warnings and the impending doom it faces.
Chapter 7: The Temple Sermon
Jeremiah stands at the gate of the Lord’s house and delivers God’s message. He warns the people not to trust in deceptive words and challenges them to amend their ways. This chapter reveals God’s displeasure with sacrifices when they are not coupled with righteous living.
Chapter 8: No Healing for Jerusalem
God expresses through Jeremiah that there is no healing for Jerusalem. The people continue in their sinful ways and do not heed God’s words. The chapter describes a sorrowful prophet, and God’s heartache over a city that has lost its way.
Chapter 9: The Lament over Jerusalem
Jeremiah laments over the destruction of Jerusalem and the wickedness of its people. He wishes he could leave them and find a place of rest. He also denounces their false boasting and calls them to know and glory in God.
Chapter 10: The Sovereignty of God
Jeremiah contrasts the sovereignty of God, who is the Creator and Ruler of all, with the vanity of idols, which are made by human hands and have no power. He also prays to God for mercy and protection from the enemy.
Chapter 11: The Broken Covenant
Jeremiah reminds the people of the covenant that God made with their ancestors and the blessings and curses that come with it. He also reveals that God has heard a conspiracy against him by the people of Anathoth, his hometown. God tells him not to pray for them, for He will not listen.
Chapter 12: Jeremiah’s Complaint and God’s Answer
Jeremiah complains to God about the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous. He asks God to judge them and vindicate him. God answers him by saying that he will see greater things and that He will uproot and destroy the evil nations, but also have mercy on them if they repent.
Chapter 13: The Linen Belt and the Wineskins
God instructs Jeremiah to perform two symbolic acts: to bury a linen belt and to fill wineskins with wine. The belt represents how God bound Israel and Judah to Himself, but they became corrupt and useless. The wineskins represent how God will fill the people with drunkenness and wrath.
Chapter 14: The Drought and the False Prophets
Jeremiah describes the drought that has afflicted the land and the people. He confesses the sins of the people and pleads for God’s mercy. God tells him not to pray for them, for He will not relent. He also denounces the false prophets who deceive the people with lies of peace.
Chapter 15: God’s Anger and Jeremiah’s Lament
God tells Jeremiah that even if Moses and Samuel interceded for the people, He would not spare them. He lists four kinds of judgments that He will bring upon them: sword, famine, plague, and captivity. Jeremiah laments his situation and asks God to remember and rescue him.
Chapter 16: The Sign of Jeremiah’s Celibacy
God tells Jeremiah not to marry or have children, for they will die of terrible diseases. He also tells him not to mourn or feast with the people, for He will take away His peace and joy from them. He foretells the exile and the return of the people, and the conversion of the nations.
Chapter 17: The Sin and the Blessing
Jeremiah contrasts the sin and the blessing of the people. The sin is engraved on their hearts and will bring God’s curse. The blessing is to trust in the Lord and to keep the Sabbath holy. He will bring them prosperity and life.
Chapter 18: The Potter and the Clay
God sends Jeremiah to the potter’s house, where he sees the potter reshape the clay as he pleases. God compares Himself to the potter and the people to the clay. He says that He can change His plans of good or evil depending on the people’s response. He warns them to repent or face destruction.
Chapter 19: The Broken Jar
God tells Jeremiah to buy a clay jar and smash it in front of the elders and priests. The jar represents how God will break the people and the city for their evil deeds. He says that He will make the place like Topheth, where the people burned their children as offerings to idols.
Chapter 20: The Persecution of Jeremiah
Jeremiah is beaten and put in stocks by Pashhur, the priest who heard his prophecy. Jeremiah pronounces God’s judgment on him and his family. He also expresses his frustration and pain, cursing the day he was born. He feels betrayed by God, but also compelled to speak His word.
Chapter 21: The Message to Zedekiah
Jeremiah delivers God’s message to King Zedekiah, who asks him to pray for the city against the Babylonian attack. God says that He will fight against the city and hand it over to the enemy. He also tells the people to choose between life and death, by surrendering or resisting.
Chapter 22: The Judgment on the Kings
Jeremiah pronounces God’s judgment on the kings of Judah, who have failed to do justice and righteousness. He singles out Shallum, Jehoiakim, and Coniah, and predicts their downfall and exile. He also laments the fate of Jerusalem, which will be deserted and destroyed.
Chapter 23: The Righteous Branch
Jeremiah denounces the false prophets and the wicked shepherds, who have misled and scattered God’s flock. He announces the coming of the righteous branch, a descendant of David, who will reign as king and save the remnant of Israel and Judah. He also exposes the lies and dreams of the false prophets, who speak in God’s name but not by His authority.
Chapter 24: The Two Baskets of Figs
Jeremiah sees a vision of two baskets of figs, one good and one bad. God explains that the good figs represent the exiles, whom He will bring back and bless. The bad figs represent Zedekiah and the remaining people, whom He will reject and curse.
Chapter 25: The Seventy Years of Captivity
Jeremiah summarizes his 23 years of prophetic ministry, during which the people have not listened to God’s words. He declares that God will send Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, to conquer and enslave them for 70 years. He also prophesies that Babylon itself will be punished after the 70 years are over.
Chapter 26: The Trial of Jeremiah
Jeremiah preaches in the temple, warning the people to repent or face the destruction of the city. The priests and the prophets accuse him of treason and demand his death. The officials and the elders acquit him, with the help of some elders and Ahikam. Another prophet, Uriah, who spoke against the city, is killed by the king.
Chapter 27: The Yoke of Babylon
Jeremiah makes a yoke and puts it on his neck, symbolizing the submission to Babylon. He sends messages to the neighboring kings, telling them to serve Nebuchadnezzar or perish. He also confronts a false prophet, Hananiah, who breaks the yoke and predicts a quick end to the captivity. Jeremiah says that Hananiah will die within a year for his lies.
Chapter 28: The Death of Hananiah
Jeremiah challenges Hananiah, who claims that God will break the yoke of Babylon and restore the exiles and the temple vessels within two years. Jeremiah says that only the fulfillment of his words will prove him to be a true prophet. He also says that Hananiah has made the people trust in a lie and that he will die for it. Hananiah dies in the seventh month of that year.
Chapter 29: The Letter to the Exiles
Jeremiah writes a letter to the exiles in Babylon, telling them to settle down and seek the welfare of the city. He also tells them that God has plans to prosper them and to bring them back after 70 years. He warns them not to listen to the false prophets who deceive them with false hopes. He also predicts the doom of two such false prophets, Ahab and Zedekiah.
Chapter 30: The Promise of Restoration
Jeremiah receives a word from God, telling him to write in a book all the words that He has spoken to him. God promises to restore Israel and Judah from their captivity and to heal their wounds. He also promises to raise up a new leader from David’s line, who will rule over them with justice. He also promises to punish their oppressors and to make a new covenant with them.
Chapter 31: The New Covenant
Jeremiah proclaims God’s love and grace for His people, who will return from exile and rejoice in His presence. He also announces a new covenant, which will be written on their hearts and not on tablets of stone. He says that God will forgive their sins and remember them no more.
Chapter 32: The Purchase of the Field
Jeremiah is imprisoned by Zedekiah for prophesying the fall of Jerusalem. God tells him to buy a field from his cousin Hanamel as a sign of hope and restoration. Jeremiah obeys and gives the deed to Baruch for safekeeping. He prays to God and praises His power and faithfulness.
Chapter 33: The Promise of Restoration
God speaks to Jeremiah again and tells him to call to Him and He will answer. He promises to restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel and to heal their wounds. He also promises to raise up a righteous branch of David, who will execute justice and righteousness. He also promises to restore the Levitical priesthood and the sacrificial system.
Chapter 34: The Freedom of the Slaves
Jeremiah warns Zedekiah that he will be captured by Nebuchadnezzar and die in peace. He also rebukes the people for breaking the covenant of freeing their Hebrew slaves, whom they had enslaved again. He says that God will free them from His protection and deliver them to their enemies.
Chapter 35: The Obedience of the Rechabites
Jeremiah brings the Rechabites, a nomadic clan, to the temple and offers them wine. They refuse to drink, saying that their ancestor Jonadab had commanded them not to drink wine or build houses. Jeremiah commends them for their obedience and contrasts them with the disobedient people of Judah. He says that God will bless the Rechabites and preserve them.
Chapter 36: The Burning of the Scroll
God tells Jeremiah to write all His words in a scroll and read it to the people. Jeremiah dictates to Baruch, who reads the scroll in the temple. The officials hear the scroll and report it to the king, who burns it in anger. God tells Jeremiah to write another scroll and adds more words to it.
Chapter 37: The Siege of Jerusalem
Zedekiah sends Jehucal and Zephaniah to Jeremiah to pray for the city, which is besieged by the Babylonians. Jeremiah tells them that the siege will resume and the city will fall. He also tries to leave the city, but is arrested and accused of defecting. He is put in prison and later transferred to the court of the guard.
Chapter 38: The Rescue of Jeremiah
Jeremiah is thrown into a cistern by the officials, who want to kill him. He is rescued by Ebed-Melech, an Ethiopian eunuch, who appeals to the king. Zedekiah secretly consults Jeremiah and asks him for a word from the Lord. Jeremiah tells him to surrender to the Babylonians and live, or resist and die.
Chapter 39: The Fall of Jerusalem
Jerusalem is captured by the Babylonians, who break through the wall and enter the city. Zedekiah and his sons are captured and taken to Riblah, where his sons are killed and his eyes are put out. Nebuchadnezzar appoints Gedaliah as governor and instructs him to take care of Jeremiah. Jeremiah is released and given a choice to go to Babylon or stay with Gedaliah.
Chapter 40: The Assassination of Gedaliah
Jeremiah decides to stay with Gedaliah, who is in charge of the remnant of the people in Judah. He is joined by Ishmael, Johanan, and other leaders of the army. Johanan warns Gedaliah that Ishmael plans to kill him, but Gedaliah does not believe him. Ishmael assassinates Gedaliah and slaughters many others.
Chapter 41: The Murder of Gedaliah and the Kidnapping of the Remnant
Ishmael, a member of the royal family, murders Gedaliah, the governor appointed by Babylon, and many others. He also kidnaps the remnant of the people, including the daughters of King Zedekiah, and tries to flee to the Ammonites. Johanan and his men pursue him and rescue the captives, but Ishmael escapes.
Chapter 42: The Request for Guidance and the Answer from God
Johanan and the people ask Jeremiah to pray to God for guidance, whether they should stay in Judah or go to Egypt. Jeremiah agrees and tells them to wait for God’s answer. After ten days, God tells Jeremiah to tell the people to stay in Judah and trust in His protection, or else they will face disaster in Egypt.
Chapter 43: The Journey to Egypt and the Prophecy against It
The people accuse Jeremiah of lying and decide to go to Egypt, taking him and Baruch with them. They settle in Tahpanhes, where God tells Jeremiah to bury some stones in front of the palace and prophesy that Nebuchadnezzar will conquer Egypt and set his throne there.
Chapter 44: The Word to the Jews in Egypt
Jeremiah rebukes the Jews in Egypt for worshipping the queen of heaven and other idols, and reminds them of the destruction that came upon Jerusalem because of their sins. He warns them that God will punish them with sword, famine, and plague if they do not repent. The people refuse to listen and defy God’s word.
Chapter 45: The Message to Baruch
God gives a message to Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe, who had written down God’s words in a scroll. God tells him not to seek great things for himself, for He is about to bring disaster on the whole land. He also promises to give him his life as a reward.
Chapter 46: The Prophecy against Egypt
Jeremiah prophesies against Egypt, which will be defeated by Babylon at the battle of Carchemish. He describes the terror and the futility of the Egyptians, who rely on their chariots and horses. He also encourages Judah, who will be restored by God.
Chapter 47: The Prophecy against the Philistines
Jeremiah prophesies against the Philistines, who will be attacked by Babylon from the north. He depicts the anguish and the devastation of the Philistines, who will be overwhelmed by the flood of invaders. He says that no one can stop the Lord’s sword, which is drawn for judgment.
Chapter 48: The Prophecy against Moab
Jeremiah prophesies against Moab, which will be destroyed by Babylon. He lists the cities and towns of Moab that will fall and mourn. He also mocks the pride and the idolatry of Moab, which will be brought low. He says that Moab will be like a jar of wine that has not been poured out, but will be smashed.
Chapter 49: The Prophecies against Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, and Elam
Jeremiah prophesies against various nations that will be judged by God. He says that Ammon will be dispossessed of their land, which will be restored to Israel. He says that Edom will be turned into a desolate wasteland, where no one can escape. He says that Damascus will be burned and its people will flee. He says that Kedar and Hazor will be raided by Nebuchadnezzar and their flocks will be taken. He says that Elam will be shattered and scattered, but also restored in the future.
Chapter 50: The Prophecy against Babylon
Jeremiah prophesies against Babylon, which will be conquered by a coalition of nations from the north. He says that Babylon will be repaid for what it did to Israel and Judah, who will return to their land and seek their God. He also exposes the idols of Babylon, which will be shattered and shamed.
Chapter 51: The Destruction of Babylon
Jeremiah continues to prophesy against Babylon, which will be destroyed by God’s wrath. He says that God will use the Medes and other nations to attack Babylon, which will be like a threshing floor or a hammer that has broken the nations. He also calls the exiles to flee from Babylon and to remember Jerusalem. He instructs Seraiah, a staff officer, to read the scroll and throw it into the Euphrates, as a sign of Babylon’s sinking.
Chapter 52: The Fall of Jerusalem and the Fate of the People
The chapter recounts the fall of Jerusalem and the fate of the people, which are also recorded in 2 Kings 24-25. It mentions the siege, the famine, the breach, the capture, the plunder, the burning, the exile, and the execution of the king and the officials. It also mentions the numbers of the people and the vessels that were carried away. It ends with the release of Jehoiachin, the last king of Judah, from prison by Evil-Merodach, the king of Babylon, who treats him kindly.
Biblevise is an online ministry that’s focused on getting people excited about reading the Bible and connecting the Scriptures to their daily lives.
