Jeremiah was a prophet of the seventh century BCE who came from Anathoth, a town a short distance from Jerusalem. Most of his prophetic career was spent in the vicinity of Jerusalem. Jeremiah began to prophesy in the reign of King Josiah of Judah. Jeremiah was called to be a prophet while he was still a youth. As a sign that there would be no cause for celebration in Judah, God commanded him not to marry. Jeremiah spoke against those who thought that Temple worship protected them from the consequences of sin. He was repeatedly arrested and King Jehoiakim had his prophecies burned, but Jeremiah’s scribe Baruch produced a new copy. Jeremiah remained near Jerusalem while the Babylonians captured the city, but later his friends took him to Egypt where he spent the remainder of his life.