Yēlìmǐshū 29

1 Xiānzhī Yēlìmǐ cóng Yēlùsǎlĕng jì xìn yǔ beìlǔ de jìsī , xiānzhī , hé zhòng mín , bìng shēng cún de zhǎnglǎo , jiù shì Níbùjiǎnísǎ cóng Yēlùsǎlĕng lǔ dào Bābǐlún qù de .

2 ( zhè zaì Yēgēníyǎ wáng hé taì hòu , taì jiān , bìng Yóudà , Yēlùsǎlĕng de shǒulǐng , yǐjí gōng jiàng , tiĕ jiàng dōu lí le Yēlùsǎlĕng yǐhòu . )

3 Tā jiè shā pān de érzi Yǐlìyà sà hé Xīlēijiā de érzi jī mǎ lì de shǒu jì qù . tāmen èr rén shì Yóudà wáng xī dǐ jia dǎfa wǎng Bābǐlún qù jiàn Níbùjiǎnísǎ wáng de .

4 Xìn shang shuō , wàn jūn zhī Yēhéhuá Yǐsèliè de shén , duì yīqiè beìlǔ qù de , jiù shì wǒ shǐ tāmen cóng Yēlùsǎlĕng beìlǔ dào Bābǐlún de rén , rúcǐ shuō ,

5 Nǐmen yào gaìzào fángwū , zhù zaì qízhōng . zāizhòng tián yuán , chī qízhōng suǒ chǎn de .

6 Qǔ qī shēng érnǚ , wèi nǐmen de érzi qǔ qī , shǐ nǐmen de nǚér jià rén , shēng ér yǎng nǚ . zaì nàli shēng yǎng zhòngduō , bù zhì jiǎnshǎo .

7 Wǒ suǒ shǐ nǐmen beìlǔ dào de nà chéng , nǐmen yào wèi nà chéng qiú píngān , wèi nà chéng dǎogào Yēhéhuá . yīnwei nà chéng dé píngān , nǐmen yĕ suí zhe dé píngān .

8 Wàn jūn zhī Yēhéhuá Yǐsèliè de shén rúcǐ shuō , búyào beì nǐmen zhōngjiān de xiānzhī hé zhān bo de yòuhuò , yĕ búyào tīng xìn zìjǐ suǒ zuò de mèng .

9 Yīnwei tāmen tuō wǒde míng duì nǐmen shuō jiǎ yùyán , wǒ bìng méiyǒu chāiqiǎn tāmen . zhè shì Yēhéhuá shuō de .

10 Yēhéhuá rúcǐ shuō , wèi Bābǐlún suǒ déng de qī shí nián mǎn le yǐhòu , wǒ yào juàngù nǐmen , xiàng nǐmen chéngjiù wǒde ēn yán , shǐ nǐmen réng huí cǐ dì .

11 Yēhéhuá shuō , wǒ zhīdào wǒ xiàng nǐmen suǒ huái de yìniàn shì cì píngān de yìniàn , bú shì jiàng zāihuò de yìniàn , yào jiào nǐmen mòhòu yǒu zhǐwang .

12 Nǐmen yào hū qiú wǒ , dǎogào wǒ , wǒ jiù yīngyún nǐmen .

13 Nǐmen xúnqiú wǒ , ruò zhuān xīn xúnqiú wǒ , jiù bì xún jiàn .

14 Yēhéhuá shuō , wǒ bì beì nǐmen xún jiàn , wǒ yĕ bì shǐ nǐmen beìlǔ de rén guī huí , jiāng nǐmen cóng gè guó zhōng hé wǒ suǒ gǎn nǐmen dào de gè chù zhāo jù le lái , yòu jiāng nǐmen daì huí wǒ shǐ nǐmen beìlǔ lüè líkāi de dìfang . zhè shì Yēhéhuá shuō de .

15 Nǐmen shuō , Yēhéhuá zaì Bābǐlún wèi wǒmen xīngqǐ xiānzhī .

16 Suǒyǐ Yēhéhuá lún dào zuò Dàwèi bǎozuò de wáng hé zhù zaì zhè chéng lǐ de yīqiè bǎixìng , jiù shì wèicéng yǔ nǐmen yītóng beìlǔ de dìxiōng ,

17 Wàn jūn zhī Yēhéhuá rúcǐ shuō , kàn nǎ , wǒ bì shǐ dāo jiàn , jīhuāng , wēnyì líndào tāmen , shǐ tāmen xiàng jí huaì de wúhuāguǒ , huaì dé bùkĕ chī .

18 Wǒ bì yòng dāo jiàn , jīhuāng , wēnyì zhuīgǎn tāmen , shǐ tāmen zaì tiān xià wàn guó pāo lái pāo qù , zaì wǒ suǒ gǎn tāmen dào de gè guó zhōng , líng rén zhòuzǔ , jīnghaì , chīxiào , xiūrǔ .

19 Yēhéhuá shuō , zhè shì yīnwei tāmen méiyǒu tīng cóng wǒde huà , jiù shì wǒ cóng zǎo qǐlai chāiqiǎn wǒ púrén zhòng xiānzhī qù shuō de , wúnaì tāmen bú tīng . zhè shì Yēhéhuá shuō de .

20 Suǒyǐ nǐmen yīqiè beìlǔ qù de , jiù shì wǒ cóng Yēlùsǎlĕng dǎfa dào Bābǐlún qù de , dāng tīng Yēhéhuá de huà .

21 Wàn jūn zhī Yēhéhuá Yǐsèliè de shén lún dào gē laì yǎ de érzi yà hā , bìng Mǎxīyǎ de érzi Xīdǐjiā , rúcǐ shuō , tāmen shì tuō wǒ míng xiàng nǐmen shuō jiǎ yùyán de , wǒ bìjiāng tāmen jiāo zaì Bābǐlún wáng Níbùjiǎnísǎ de shǒu zhōng . tā yào zaì nǐmen yǎnqián shā

22 Zhù Bābǐlún yīqiè beìlǔ de Yóudà rén bì jiè zhè èr rén dǔ zhòu shuō , yuàn Yēhéhuá shǐ nǐ xiàng Bābǐlún wáng zaì huǒ zhōng shāo de Xīdǐjiā hé yà hā yíyàng .

23 Zhè èr rén shì zaì Yǐsèliè zhōng xíng le chǒu shì , yǔ línshè de qī xíng yín , yòu jiǎ tuō wǒ míng shuō wǒ wèicéng fēnfu tāmende huà . zhīdào de shì wǒ , zuò jiànzhèng de yĕ shì wǒ . zhè shì Yēhéhuá shuō de .

24 Lún dào ní Xīlán rén Shìmǎyǎ , nǐ dāng shuō ,

25 Wàn jūn zhī Yēhéhuá Yǐsèliè de shén rúcǐ shuō , nǐ céng yòng zìjǐ de míng jì xìn gĕi Yēlùsǎlĕng de zhòng mín hé jìsī Mǎxīyǎ de érzi xī fān yǎ , bìng zhòng jìsī , shuō ,

26 Yēhéhuá yǐjing lì nǐ xī fān yǎ wèi jìsī , daìtì jìsī Yéhéyédà , shǐ Yēhéhuá diàn zhōng yǒu guān zhǎng , hǎo jiāng yīqiè kuáng wàng zìchēng wèi xiānzhī de rén yòng jiā jiā zhù , yòng suǒ suǒ zhù .

27 Xiànzaì Yànátū rén Yēlìmǐ xiàng nǐmen zìchēng wèi xiānzhī , nǐmen wèihé méiyǒu zébeì tā ne .

28 Yīnwei tā jì xìn gĕi wǒmen zaì Bābǐlún de rén shuō , beìlǔ de shì bì chángjiǔ . nǐmen yào gaìzào fángwū , zhù zaì qízhōng . zāizhòng tián yuán , chī qízhōng suǒ chǎn de .

29 Jìsī xī fān yǎ jiù bǎ zhè xìn niàn gĕi xiānzhī Yēlìmǐ tīng .

30 Yúshì Yēhéhuá de huà líndào Yēlìmǐ shuō ,

31 Nǐ dāng jì xìn gĕi yīqiè beìlǔ de rén shuō , Yēhéhuá lún dào ní Xīlán rén Shìmǎyǎ shuō , yīnwei Shìmǎyǎ xiàng nǐmen shuō yùyán , wǒ bìng méiyǒu chāiqiǎn tā , tā shǐ nǐmen yǐkào huǎng yán .

32 Suǒyǐ Yēhéhuá rúcǐ shuō , wǒ bì xíngfá ní Xīlán rén Shìmǎyǎ hé tāde hòuyì , tā bì wú yī rén cún liú zhù zaì zhè mín zhōng , yĕ bùdé jiàn wǒ suǒ yào cì yǔ wǒ bǎixìng de fú lè , yīnwei tā xiàng Yēhéhuá shuō le pàn nì de huà . zhè shì Yēhéhuá shuō de .

Yēlìmǐshū 29 Commentary

Chapter 29

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)

Verses 1-7 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.

Verses 8-19 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.

Verses 20-32 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.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 29

Thus chapter contains a letter of Jeremiah to the captives in Babylon; and gives an account of another sent from thence by Shemaiah to the people at Jerusalem; and is closed with threatening him with punishment for so doing. Jeremiah's letter concerns both the captives at Babylon, and the people left at Jerusalem, The persons to whom and by whom it was sent, and the time of writing and sending it, are mentioned in Jer 29:1-3; and though the prophet was the amanuensis, God was the author of it, as well as of their captivity, Jer 29:4; the contents of, it, respecting the captives, are advices to them to provide for their comfortable settlement in Babylon, and not think of returning quickly, by building houses, planting gardens, marrying, and giving in marriage, Jer 29:5,6; and to seek and pray for the prosperity of the place where they were; in which their own was concerned, Jer 29:7; to give no heed to their false prophets and diviners, Jer 29:8,9; and to expect a return to Jerusalem at the end of seventy years; which they might be assured of, since God had resolved upon it in his own mind, Jer 29:10,11; and especially if they called upon him, prayed to him, and sought him heartily, Jer 29:12-14; the other part of the letter respects the Jews in Jerusalem; concerning whom the captives are directed to observe, that both the king and people should suffer much by sword, famine, pestilence, and captivity, with the reason of it, Jer 29:15-19; particularly it is foretold, that Ahab and Zedekiah, two lying prophets, should be made an example of vengeance; and a proverbial curse should be taken of them, because of their villany, lewdness, and lies, Jer 29:20-23; next follows some account of Shemaiah's letter from Babylon, to the people and priests at Jerusalem, stirring them up against Jeremiah the prophet; which came to be known, by the priests reading it to him, Jer 29:24-29; upon which Shemaiah is threatened with punishment, and his seed after him, Jer 29:30-32.