Jeremiah29
New International Version
1This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.
2(This was after King Jehoiachin and the queen mother, the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the skilled workers and the artisans had gone into exile from Jerusalem.)
3He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It said:
4This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:
5“Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.
6Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease.
7Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
8Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have.
9They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord.
10This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.
11For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
12Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
13You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
14I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
15You may say, “The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,”
16but this is what the Lord says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all the people who remain in this city, your fellow citizens who did not go with you into exile—
17yes, this is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will send the sword, famine and plague against them and I will make them like figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten.
18I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse and an object of horror, of scorn and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them.
19For they have not listened to my words,” declares the Lord, “words that I sent to them again and again by my servants the prophets. And you exiles have not listened either,” declares the Lord.
20Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, all you exiles whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.
21This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying lies to you in my name: “I will deliver them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will put them to death before your very eyes.
22Because of them, all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: ‘May the Lord treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned in the fire.’
23For they have done outrageous things in Israel; they have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and in my name they have uttered lies—which I did not authorize. I know it and am a witness to it,” declares the Lord.
24Tell Shemaiah the Nehelamite,
25“This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You sent letters in your own name to all the people in Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, and to all the other priests. You said to Zephaniah,
26‘The Lord has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada to be in charge of the house of the Lord; you should put any maniac who acts like a prophet into the stocks and neck-irons.
27So why have you not reprimanded Jeremiah from Anathoth, who poses as a prophet among you?
28He has sent this message to us in Babylon: It will be a long time. Therefore build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.’”
29Zephaniah the priest, however, read the letter to Jeremiah the prophet.
30Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:
31“Send this message to all the exiles: ‘This is what the Lord says about Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, even though I did not send him, and has persuaded you to trust in lies,
32this is what the Lord says: I will surely punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants. He will have no one left among this people, nor will he see the good things I will do for my people, declares the Lord, because he has preached rebellion against me.’”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Jeremiah 29.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Two letters to the captives in Babylon; In the first, they are recommended to be patient and composed. (1-19). In the second, judgments are denounced against the false prophets who deceived them. (20-32).
vv1-7
The written word of God is as truly given by inspiration of God as his spoken word. The zealous servant of the Lord will use every means to profit those who are far off, as well as those who are near him. The art of writing is very profitable for this end; and by the art of printing it is rendered most beneficial for circulating the knowledge of the word of God. God's sending to the captives by this letter would show that he had not forsaken them, though he was displeased, and corrected them. If they live in the fear of God, they may live comfortably in Babylon. In all conditions of life, it is our wisdom and duty not to throw away the comfort of what we may have, because we have not all we would have. They are directed to seek the good of the country where they were captives. While the king of Babylon protected them, they must live quiet and peaceable lives under him, in all godliness and honesty; patiently leaving it to God to work deliverance for them in due time.
vv8-19
Let men beware how they call those prophets whom they choose after their own fancies, and how they consider their fancies and dreams to be revelations from God. False prophets flatter people in their sins, because they love to be flattered; and they speak smoothly to their prophets, that their prophets may speak smoothly to them. God promises that they should return after seventy years were accomplished. By this it appears, that the seventy years of the captivity are not to be reckoned from the last captivity, but the first. It will be the bringing to pass of God's good word to them. This shall form God's purposes. We often do not know our own minds, but the Lord is never at an uncertainty. We are sometimes ready to fear that God's designs are all against us; but as to his own people, even that which seems evil, is for good. He will give them, not the expectations of their fears, or the expectations of their fancies, but the expectations of their faith; the end he has promised, which will be the best for them. When the Lord pours out an especial spirit of prayer, it is a good sign that he is coming toward us in mercy. Promises are given to quicken and encourage prayer. He never said, Seek ye me in vain. Those who remained at Jerusalem would be utterly destroyed, notwithstanding what the false prophets said to the contrary. The reason has often been given, and it justifies the eternal ruin of impenitent sinners; Because they have not hearkened to my words; I called, but they refused.
vv20-32
Jeremiah foretells judgments upon the false prophets, who deceived the Jews in Babylon. Lying was bad; lying to the people of the Lord, to delude them into a false hope, was worse; but pretending to rest their own lies upon the God of truth, was worst of all. They flattered others in their sins, because they could not reprove them without condemning themselves. The most secret sins are known to God; and there is a day coming when he will bring to light all the hidden works of darkness. Shemaiah urges the priests to persecute Jeremiah. Their hearts are wretchedly hardened who justify doing mischief by having power to do it. They were in a miserable thraldom for mocking the messengers of the Lord, and misusing his prophets; yet in their distress they trespass still more against the Lord. Afflictions will not of themselves cure men of their sins, unless the grace of God works with them. Those who slight the blessings, deserve to lose the benefit of God's word, like Shemaiah. The accusations against many active Christians in all ages, amount to no more than this, that they earnestly counsel men to attend to their true interest and duties, and to wait for the performance of God's promises in his appointed way.
Key Words
אֵלֶּה: these or those
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
סֵפֶר: properly, writing (the art or a document); by implication, a book
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
יִרְמְיָה: Jirmejah, the name of eight or nine Israelites
נָבִיא: a prophet or (generally) inspired man
שָׁלַח: to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)
מִן: properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם: Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine
יֶתֶר: properly, an overhanging, i.e. (by implication) an excess, superiority, remainder; also a small rope (as hanging free)
Cross References
Jeremiah 29Explicit seventy-year timeline for Babylon's hegemony first established in Jeremiah's earlier prophecy.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Daniel calculates the end of the desolations based specifically on Jeremiah's seventy-year letter.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Practical fulfillment of praying and offering sacrifices for the peace of pagan governing rulers.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
New Testament command to pray for civil authorities to live a quiet and peaceable life.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Pentateuchal pattern of exile, repentance with all the heart, and God remembering His covenant.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Daniel's intense prayer directly responds to God's promise that they would call upon Him.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The vision of the good and bad/vile figs representing the captives versus those remaining.
Supported by John Calvin
Illustrates the historical reality of the king of Babylon using roasting in fire as capital punishment.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Historical account of Jeconiah, the queen mother, and princes being carried away into Babylon.
Supported by Matthew Poole
NT theological grounding for submitting to and seeking the peace of ruling pagan authorities.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Moses' ancient promise that seeking God with all the heart in exile leads to finding Him.
Supported by John Calvin
Background on the false prophets in Jerusalem who falsely promised a quick return from exile.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Pashur's prior arrest of Jeremiah in the stocks, establishing the precedent Shemaiah urges Zephaniah to follow.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Connects the false prophets' spiritual deception with their literal acts of adultery and villainy.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallels Hananiah's judgment for making the people trust in a lie with Shemaiah's sentence.
Supported by Matthew Poole