Editing Book of Jeremiah (section)

=== Overview ===
The book can be conveniently divided into biographical, prose and poetic strands, each of which can be summarised separately. 
The biographical material is to be found in [[Jeremiah 26|chapters 26]][[Jeremiah 29|–29]], [[Jeremiah 32|32]], and [[Jeremiah 34|34]][[Jeremiah 44|–44]], and focuses on the events leading up to and surrounding the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 587 BCE; it provides precise dates for the prophet's activities beginning in 609 BCE. The non-biographical prose passages, such as the Temple sermon in [[Jeremiah 7|chapter 7]] and the covenant passage in {{bibleverse-nb|Jeremiah|11:1–17|KJV}}, are scattered throughout the book; they show clear affinities with the [[Deuteronomist]]s, the school of writers and editors who shaped the series of history books from [[Book of Judges|Judges]] to [[Books of Kings|Kings]], and while it is unlikely they come directly from Jeremiah,{{Citation needed|date=June 2018}} they may well have their roots in traditions about what he said and did.{{sfn|Davidson|1993|pp=345–46}}

The poetic material is found largely in [[Jeremiah 1|chapters 1]][[Jeremiah 25|–25]] and consists of oracles in which the prophet speaks as God's messenger. These passages, dealing with Israel's unfaithfulness to God, the call to repentance, and attacks on the religious and political establishment, are mostly undated and have no clear context, but it is widely accepted that they represent the teachings of Jeremiah and are the earliest stage of the book. Allied to them, and also probably a reflection of the authentic Jeremiah, are further poetic passages of a more personal nature, which have been called Jeremiah's confessions or spiritual diary. In these poems the prophet agonises over the apparent failure of his mission, is consumed by bitterness at those who oppose or ignore him, and accuses God of betraying him.{{sfn|Davidson|1993|pp=345–46}}