Editing Book of Jeremiah (section)

=== Historical background ===
The background to Jeremiah is briefly described in the superscription to the book: Jeremiah began his prophetic mission in the thirteenth year of king [[Josiah]] (about 627 BC) and continued after the eleventh year of king Zedekiah (586 BC), "when Jerusalem went into exile in the sixth month". During this period, Josiah instituted religious reforms, Babylon destroyed Assyria, Egypt briefly imposed vassal status on [[Kingdom of Judah|Judah]], Babylon defeated Egypt and made Judah a [[Yehud (Babylonian province)|Babylonian vassal]] (605 BC), Judah revolted but was subjugated again by Babylon (597 BC), and Judah revolted once more.{{sfn|Brettler|2010|p=173}}

This revolt was the final one: Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple and exiled its king and many of the leading citizens in 586 BC, ending Judah's existence as an independent or quasi-independent kingdom and inaugurating the [[Babylonian exile]].{{sfn|Brettler|2010|p=173}}