4The book of Jeremiah is the longest book in the Bible (in terms of words and verses) and is certainly one of the most complex. Yet for all of its difficulty, the book's depth of reflection on divine action and human response, as well as the range and rigor of its rhetoric, has kept the book very much alive in the religious communities that recognize its canonical stature. Indeed, its language of "new covenant" has left its mark on the very name of the larger biblical collection to which it belongs. Jeremiah is a commentary on a prophetic book that presents many difficult literary, historical, and theological issues for the reader. After a lengthy introduction, this commentary works with sections as a whole, rather than proceeding verse by verse. The commentary focuses on literary and theological issues with the added intention of providing thoughtful reflections for those who would preach and teach these texts.