Jeremiah 29

Jeremiah's Letter to the Exiles

1 These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to ¹the surviving elders of the exiles, and to ²the priests, ³the prophets, and ⁴all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.

2 This was after ⁵King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the eunuchs, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metal workers had departed from Jerusalem.

3 The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of ⁶Shaphan and Gemariah the son of ⁷Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. It said:

4 "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:

5 ⁸Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce.

6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.

7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and ⁹pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

8 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ¹⁰Do not let your prophets and ¹¹your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream,^[a]

9 for ¹²it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; ¹³I did not send them, declares the LORD.

10 "For thus says the LORD: ¹⁴When seventy years are completed for Babylon, ¹⁵I will visit you, ¹⁶and I will fulfill to you my promise ¹⁷and bring you back to this place.

11 ¹⁸For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare^[b] and not for evil, ¹⁹to give you a future and a hope.

12 ²⁰Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, ²¹and I will hear you.

13 ²²You will seek me and find me, when you seek me ²³with all your heart.

14 I will be found by you, declares the LORD, ²⁴and I will restore your fortunes and ²⁵gather you from all the nations and all the places ²⁶where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

15 "Because you have said, 'The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,'

16 thus says the LORD concerning ²⁷the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your kinsmen who did not go out with you into exile:

17 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, behold, I am sending on them ²⁸sword, famine, and pestilence, and I will make them like ²⁹vile figs that are so rotten they cannot be eaten.

18 I will pursue them with ³⁰sword, famine, and pestilence, ³¹and will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, ³²to be a curse, a terror, a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations ³³where I have driven them,

19 because they did not pay attention to my words, declares the LORD, ³⁴that I persistently sent to you by my servants the prophets, but you would not listen, declares the LORD.'

20 Hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles ³⁵whom I sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon:

21 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, ³⁶who are prophesying a lie to you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall strike them down before your eyes.

22 ³⁷Because of them ³⁸this curse shall be used by all the exiles from Judah in Babylon: "The LORD make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, ³⁹whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire,"

23 because they have done an outrageous thing in Israel, ⁴⁰they have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives, and ⁴¹they have spoken in my name lying words that I did not command them. ⁴²I am the one who knows, ⁴³and I am witness, declares the LORD.'"

Shemaiah's False Prophecy

24 To ⁴⁴Shemaiah of Nehelam you shall say:

25 "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: You have sent letters in your name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to ⁴⁵Zephaniah the son of ⁴⁶Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,

26 'The LORD has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, to have ⁴⁷charge in the house of the LORD ⁴⁸over every madman who prophesies, to put him in ⁴⁹the stocks and neck irons.

27 Now why have you not rebuked Jeremiah ⁵⁰of Anathoth who is prophesying to you?

28 For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, "Your exile will be long; ⁵¹build houses and live in them, and plant gardens and eat their produce."'"

29 ⁵²Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet.

30 ⁵³Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:

31 "Send to all the exiles, saying, 'Thus says the LORD concerning ⁵⁴Shemaiah of Nehelam: Because ⁵⁵Shemaiah had prophesied to you ⁵⁶when I did not send him, and has made you trust in a lie,

32 therefore thus says the LORD: Behold, I will punish ⁵⁷Shemaiah of Nehelam and his descendants. He shall not have anyone living among this people, ⁵⁸and he shall not see the good that I will do to my people, declares the LORD, ⁵⁹for he has spoken rebellion against the LORD.'"

Jeremiah 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.

Cross References

• 1. Ezekiel 8:1
• 2. [Jeremiah 23:33]
• 3. [Jeremiah 23:33]
• 4. [Jeremiah 23:33]
• 5. Jeremiah 24:1; 2 Kings 24:12, 14
• 6. 2 Chronicles 34:8
• 7. 1 Chronicles 6:13
• 8. ver. 28
• 9. [Ezra 6:10; 1 Timothy 2:1, 2]
• 10. [Jeremiah 5:31; Jeremiah 6:14]
• 11. Jeremiah 27:9, 15
• 12. See Jeremiah 5:31
• 13. ver. 31
• 14. See Jeremiah 25:12
• 15. Jeremiah 27:22
• 16. Jeremiah 33:14; [Jeremiah 24:6]
• 17. Jeremiah 33:14; [Jeremiah 24:6]
• 18. [Isaiah 55:8, 9]
• 19. Jeremiah 31:17
• 20. Jeremiah 33:3; Daniel 9:3
• 21. Jeremiah 33:3; Daniel 9:3
• 22. 2 Chronicles 15:2; Psalms 32:6; Psalms 78:34; Proverbs 8:17; Isaiah 55:6; Hosea 3:5; See Leviticus 26:39-42; Deuteronomy 30:1-3
• 23. Jeremiah 24:7; Deuteronomy 4:29
• 24. Jeremiah 30:3
• 25. See Jeremiah 23:3
• 26. See Jeremiah 8:3
• 27. See Jeremiah 22:2
• 28. See Jeremiah 24:10
• 29. Jeremiah 24:8
• 30. [See ver. 17 above]
• 31. See Jeremiah 15:4
• 32. Jeremiah 18:16; Jeremiah 42:18; See Jeremiah 24:9
• 33. [See ver. 14 above]
• 34. See Jeremiah 25:4
• 35. Jeremiah 24:5
• 36. ver. 9; See Jeremiah 14:14
• 37. See Isaiah 65:15
• 38. See Jeremiah 24:9
• 39. [Daniel 3:6]
• 40. Jeremiah 23:14
• 41. Jeremiah 23:14
• 42. Malachi 3:5
• 43. Malachi 3:5
• 44. ver. 31, 32
• 45. Jeremiah 21:1; 2 Kings 25:18
• 46. Jeremiah 35:4
• 47. [Jeremiah 20:1]
• 48. [2 Kings 9:11; Acts 26:24]
• 49. Jeremiah 20:2
• 50. Jeremiah 1:1; Jeremiah 32:7
• 51. ver. 5
• 52. [See ver. 25 above]
• 53. ver. 1, 20
• 54. ver. 24
• 55. ver. 24
• 56. ver. 9; See Jeremiah 5:31
• 57. [See ver. 31 above]
• 58. See Jeremiah 17:6
• 59. Jeremiah 28:16

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew your dreams, which you cause to dream
• [b]. Or peace

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.