Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Jeremias

[Hebrew Irmeyah; often in the paragogic form Irmeyahu, especially in the Book of Jeremias-meaning, possibly, "whom Jehovah appoints" (see Gesenius, "Lexicon", s.v.); Sept. Ieremias], the name of seven or eight men, besides the prophet, mentioned in the Old Testament:-

(1) (A.V. Libnah, II Kings, xxiii, 31), of the tribe of Juda. he was the father of Amital, or Hamutal, one of the wives of Josias and mother of Kings Joachaz (IV Kings, xxiii, 31) and Sedecias (IV Kings, xxiv, 18). Cf. Jer., lii, 1-Gr. text.

(2), [D.V., I Par., v, 24 (A.V. Jeremiah, Chron.); Sept. Ieremia], a chief of the half tribe of Manasses east of the Jordan, about the time of the Assyrian deportation under Thelgathphalnasar (A.V. Tiglath-pileser).

(3), one of the Benjamite bowmen and slingers who repaired to David's assistance at Siceleg (A.V. Ziklag) during the persecution by Saul (I Par., xii, 4).

(4) (A.V. and R.V. Jeremiah), a valiant warrior of the tribe of Gad, fifth in rank of those who went over to David when he had withdrawn into the desert of Juda to escape capture at the hands of Saul (I Par., xii, 10).

(5), the tenth in reputation of the Gadite braves who threw in their lot with David's small army when he lay hid in the wilderness (I Par., xii, 13).

(6), son of Habsanias (R.V. Habazziniah), and father of Jezonias (A.V. and R.V. Jaazaniah). The last-mentioned seems to have been the head of the Rechabites (Jer., xxxv, 3) in the time of th prophet.

(7), a priest who returned with Zorobabel and Josue to Jerusalem [II Esd. (A.V. Nehem.), xii, 1] after the Babylonian Captivity-about 536 B.C. . His name was given to one of the twenty-two courses [II Esd., xii, 1-7-Vig., op. cit. below, here reckons only twenty-one; cf. Gr. text (Neemias), where the name is written Ieremia. Hattus is omitted in v. 2, and a lacuna occurs after the Sechenias of v. 3 as far as v. 7], into which were divided the four families of priests (I Esd., ii, 36-9).

(8), head of one of the priestly families, who, together with the other leaders of the people, subscribed to the sacred covenant renewed in the time of Nehemias (about 444 B.C. ). A comparison of the priestly list given in II Esd., x, 2-8, with the enumeration of xii, 1 sq., will show the name of Jeremias (Ieremia) placed in close juxtaposition to that of Saraias (Saraia), and both are mentioned, in either case, amongst the first three. For these and similar reasons some have been led, despite the seeming difficulties, chiefly chronological, to identify that Jeremias who "went up with Zorobabel" and the homonymous priest who swore on behalf of his brethren that "they would walk in the law of God".

ERMONI in VIG., ''Dict. de la Bible, s.v. Jérémie; MOSS in HAST., Dict. of the Bible, s.v. Jeremiah.''

.