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During which king’s reign did Jeremiah begin prophesying?

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Painting by Rembrandt van Rijn showing Jeremiah sitting in a dimly lit cave, head resting on his hand in sorrow, with Jerusalem burning in the background. — Jeremiah *Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem*, oil on panel by Rembrandt, 1630: in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

According to the Book of Jeremiah, the prophet Jeremiah began his career in 627/626 BCE, which was the 13th year of the reign of King Josiah.1

While this is the traditional account, some scholars question the accuracy of these dates and suggest that Jeremiah may have begun his prophetic work toward the end of Josiah’s reign or at the beginning of the reign of King Jehoiakim.1