Jeremiah 29:24

24 [The LORD says,] "Say to Shemaiah from Nehelam,

Jeremiah 29:24 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 29:24

[Thus] shalt thou speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite
Or, "the dreamer" F8; because he pretended to have dreams from the Lord; or because what he delivered as prophecies were mere dreams; as that the captives should quickly return to their own land; so Kimchi: but Jarchi takes it to be the name of a place, from whence he was so called; perhaps the place of his birth, or habitation formerly; so the Targum, paraphrasing

``who was of Halem;''
he was, another of the false prophets in Babylon. This latter part of the chapter is of a later date than the former; and refers to what was done after the above letter of Jeremiah came to the captives in Babylon; and after, the return of the messengers from thence, who brought, account how it was received, and what umbrage it gave to the false prophets: saying;
as follows:
FOOTNOTES:

F8 (ymlxnh) "quasi" (Mlwx) "somniator somniorum", Kimchi and Ben Melech.

Jeremiah 29:24 In-Context

22 Because of them, all the captives from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: May the LORD curse you as he cursed Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned to death.
23 They have done shameful things in Israel. They committed adultery with their neighbors' wives and spoke lies in my name. I didn't command them to do this. I know what they have done. I'm a witness, declares the LORD.
24 [The LORD says,] "Say to Shemaiah from Nehelam,
25 'This is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: You sent letters in your own name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah, son of Maaseiah, and to all the priests. These letters said:
26 The LORD made you priest instead of Jehoiada so that there would be officials for the LORD's temple. You should put any lunatic who acts like a prophet in prison and in shackles.
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