Yirmiyahu 45-46

The prophecy in perek 45 is dated to the fourth year of Yehoyakim. This year was a turning point in Yirmiyahu's prophecies. This was the year that Nevuchadnezzar rose to power, and the year in which Yirmiyahu was commanded to write down his prophecies in a book (see perakim 25 and 36). The prophecy in perek 45 is given during the reading of the prophecies to Baruch ben Neriah (this reading is described in perek 36). During the reading Yirmiyahu suddenly turns to Baruch the scribe and prophecies about him.

Perek 46 opens the section of the book which deals with Yirmiyahu's prophecies to the gentiles. Two prophecies of doom about Egypt in different eras are included in the perek: the first prophecy was given in the fourth year of Yehoyakim and foresees the fall of the Egyptian army to the Babylonian army at Karkhemish, near the Euphrates River (1-12). The second prophecy in the perek is not dated, although it takes place after the first prophecy, and describes the rise to power of Nevuchadnezzar over Egypt itself, the occupation of the country and the exile of a portion of the population (13-26). The perek ends with consolation for Israel - "But fear not, O Yaakov My servant, neither be dismayed, O Israel; for, lo, I will save you from afar, and your seed from the land of their captivity..." (27)