Jeremiah29
New Living Translation
1Jeremiah wrote a letter from Jerusalem to the elders, priests, prophets, and all the people who had been exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar.
2This was after King Jehoiachin, the queen mother, the court officials, the other officials of Judah, and all the craftsmen and artisans had been deported from Jerusalem.
3He sent the letter with Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah when they went to Babylon as King Zedekiah’s ambassadors to Nebuchadnezzar. This is what Jeremiah’s letter said:
4This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem:
5“Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce.
6Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away!
7And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”
8This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let your prophets and fortune-tellers who are with you in the land of Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams,
9because they are telling you lies in my name. I have not sent them,” says the Lord.
10This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again.
11For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
12In those days when you pray, I will listen.
13If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.
14I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”
15You claim that the Lord has raised up prophets for you in Babylon.
16But this is what the Lord says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all those still living here in Jerusalem—your relatives who were not exiled to Babylon.
17This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “I will send war, famine, and disease upon them and make them like bad figs, too rotten to eat.
18Yes, I will pursue them with war, famine, and disease, and I will scatter them around the world. In every nation where I send them, I will make them an object of damnation, horror, contempt, and mockery.
19For they refuse to listen to me, though I have spoken to them repeatedly through the prophets I sent. And you who are in exile have not listened either,” says the Lord.
20Therefore, listen to this message from the Lord, all you captives there in Babylon.
21This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says about your prophets—Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah—who are telling you lies in my name: “I will turn them over to Nebuchadnezzar for execution before your eyes.
22Their terrible fate will become proverbial, so that the Judean exiles will curse someone by saying, ‘May the Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned alive!’
23For these men have done terrible things among my people. They have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and have lied in my name, saying things I did not command. I am a witness to this. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
24The Lord sent this message to Shemaiah the Nehelamite in Babylon:
25“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: You wrote a letter on your own authority to Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, the priest, and you sent copies to the other priests and people in Jerusalem. You wrote to Zephaniah,
26“The Lord has appointed you to replace Jehoiada as the priest in charge of the house of the Lord. You are responsible to put into stocks and neck irons any crazy man who claims to be a prophet.
27So why have you done nothing to stop Jeremiah from Anathoth, who pretends to be a prophet among you?
28Jeremiah sent a letter here to Babylon, predicting that our captivity will be a long one. He said, ‘Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce.’”
29But when Zephaniah the priest received Shemaiah’s letter, he took it to Jeremiah and read it to him.
30Then the Lord gave this message to Jeremiah:
31“Send an open letter to all the exiles in Babylon. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Since he has prophesied to you when I did not send him and has tricked you into believing his lies,
32I will punish him and his family. None of his descendants will see the good things I will do for my people, for he has incited you to rebel against me. I, the Lord, have spoken!’”
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