34:1–39:18 Review · Case Studies in the Failure of Leadership: Incidents from the reigns of two kings, Jehoiakim and Zedekiah, are told in chapters 34–39. The actors include Jeremiah, princes, and the Rekabite family. The stories, not chronological, are prelude to the fall of Jerusalem (chap. 39). “Fire” and “burning” are key words. The stories are a forceful commentary on ungodly leadership and on spiritual rebellion. Here is the account of the total rejection of the word of God, whether received via a scroll or from a prophet. Both ungodly leadership and spiritual rebellion are reasons for the burning destruction of chapter 39.

34:1–21 · Chapters 34 and 35, when taken together, display a similar pattern:

Prophetic revelation formula – 34:8 – 35:1

Report of incident – 34:8b-11 – 35:2-…