As Jeremiah 1:1 and Jeremiah 29:27 state, Jeremiah was born in the city of Anathoth.
But how much do you know about that place? Let’s consider a few facts about Anathoth that might just surprise you.
Anathoth’s Location
Anathoth was a city in the territory of Benjamin.
Anathoth’s Ownership
Anathoth was a city originally given over to the Levites by Joshua as is recorded in the book bearing his name (Joshua 21:17-18). The record of that transaction is also attested to in 1 Chronicles 6:60.
The Origin of Anathoth’s Name
Like many cities in Israel, this one was named after a person. Anathoth was actually the son of a man named Becher (1 Chronicles 7:6,8). And Becher was the son of Benjamin.
So the family tree goes…
- Benjamin
- Becher
- Anathoth
Anathoth’s Notable Residents
Abiathar
Abiathar the priest in King David’s time also lived in Anathoth (1 Kings 2:26).
Abiezer
Abiezer the Anathothite was one of David’s thirty mighty men (2 Samuel 23:27 and 1 Chronicles 11:28). He was not a priest, but was a Benjamite commander of the army under David (1 Chronicles 27:1,12).
Jehu
Jehu, who was from Anathoth, joined David’s army in Ziklag when David was being pursued by Saul (1 Chronicles 12:3).
Anathoth in the Book of Jeremiah
God promises judgement on the men of this city in Jeremiah’s time because they were threatening Jeremiah’s life (Jeremiah 11:21,23).
God later commanded Jeremiah to buy a field in Anathoth about one year before he exiled Judah by means of the nation of Babylon (Jeremiah 32:7-9). By this act of purchasing a field there, the Lord was indicating that he would restore Judah to their land in the future (Jeremiah 32:15).
Anathoth’s Restoration
After the seventy years of Judah’s exile in Babylon, 128 men from Judah returned to Anathoth (Ezra 2:23; Nehemiah 7:27; Nehemiah 11:31-32).
Explaining The Book 