King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 1:3 Mean?

Jeremiah 1:3 in the King James Version says “It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the...” — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 1 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.”

Jeremiah 1:3 · KJV

Context

1

The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:

2

To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.

3

It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.

4

Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

5

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. ordained: Heb. gave

Read Jeremiah 1 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
This verse extends Jeremiah's ministry timeline through multiple kings: Josiah, Jehoiakim, and ending in Zedekiah's eleventh year when Jerusalem fell to Babylon (586 BC). The phrase 'unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah' marks the terminus of Jeremiah's prophetic career in Judah—forty-one years of largely rejected ministry witnessing national collapse. The expression 'unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month' refers to Nebuchadnezzar's destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, with the fifth month (Ab, July-August) being when fires consumed the city (2 Kings 25:8-10). This temporal framework reveals Jeremiah as a prophet of judgment who lived to see his warnings fulfilled—a tragic vindication. His longevity as a prophet (longer than most) meant enduring decades of opposition, persecution, and rejection, yet remaining faithful to his calling. The mention of multiple kings emphasizes that the problem wasn't one bad ruler but systemic covenant unfaithfulness.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Jeremiah witnessed five kings after Josiah: Jehoahaz (three months, 609 BC), Jehoiakim (609-598 BC), Jehoiachin (three months, 598/597 BC), and Zedekiah (597-586 BC). Each received prophetic warning; all failed to heed. Jehoiakim was particularly antagonistic, burning Jeremiah's scroll (Jeremiah 36) and murdering the prophet Uriah (Jeremiah 26:20-23). Zedekiah, though less hostile, lacked courage to follow Jeremiah's counsel. The Babylonian invasions came in waves: 605 BC (Daniel taken), 597 BC (Ezekiel and 10,000 exiled), and 586 BC (Jerusalem destroyed). Archaeological evidence from sites like Lachish (destruction layer, ostraca mentioning the crisis) and Jerusalem (burnt debris, arrowheads, Babylonian siege ramp remnants) confirms the devastation Jeremiah witnessed. After Jerusalem fell, Jeremiah was taken to Egypt by fleeing remnant (Jeremiah 43), where tradition says he was stoned to death.

Reflection Questions

  1. What does Jeremiah's forty-year ministry of rejected prophecy teach about faithfulness to God's calling regardless of visible results or response?
  2. How should knowing that Jeremiah witnessed the fulfillment of his warnings shape our understanding of God's patience and the certainty of His word?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 22 words
וַיְהִ֗י1 of 22
H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

בִּימֵ֨י2 of 22

“It came also in the days”

H3117

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

יְהוֹיָקִ֤ים3 of 22

“of Jehoiakim”

H3079

jehojakim, a jewish king

בֶן4 of 22

“the son”

H1121

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or

יֹאשִׁיָּ֖הוּ5 of 22

“of Josiah”

H2977

joshijah, the name of two israelites

מֶ֣לֶךְ6 of 22

“king”

H4428

a king

יְהוּדָ֑ה7 of 22

“of Judah”

H3063

jehudah (or judah), the name of five israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory

עַד8 of 22
H5704

as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)

תֹּם֙9 of 22

“unto the end”

H8552

to complete, in a good or a bad sense, literal, or figurative, transitive or intransitive

עַשְׁתֵּ֣י10 of 22

“of the eleventh”

H6249

eleven or (ordinal) eleventh

עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה11 of 22
H6240

ten (only in combination), i.e., -teen; also (ordinal) -teenth

שָׁנָ֔ה12 of 22

“year”

H8141

a year (as a revolution of time)

לְצִדְקִיָּ֥הוּ13 of 22

“of Zedekiah”

H6667

tsidkijah, the name of six israelites

בֶן14 of 22

“the son”

H1121

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or

יֹאשִׁיָּ֖הוּ15 of 22

“of Josiah”

H2977

joshijah, the name of two israelites

מֶ֣לֶךְ16 of 22

“king”

H4428

a king

יְהוּדָ֑ה17 of 22

“of Judah”

H3063

jehudah (or judah), the name of five israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory

עַד18 of 22
H5704

as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)

גְּל֥וֹת19 of 22

“captive”

H1540

to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם20 of 22

“of Jerusalem”

H3389

jerushalaim or jerushalem, the capital city of palestine

בַּחֹ֥דֶשׁ21 of 22

“month”

H2320

the new moon; by implication, a month

הַחֲמִישִֽׁי׃22 of 22

“in the fifth”

H2549

fifth; also a fifth

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Jeremiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Jeremiah 1:3 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Jeremiah 1:3 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Jeremiah 39:22 Chronicles 36:5-82 Kings 23:34Zechariah 7:51 Chronicles 3:15Zechariah 8:19

Places in This Verse

JerusalemSettlement · Modern: Jerusalem · 31.78°N, 35.23°E955 verses across 37 books
View all places in Jeremiah 1 →

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