Yirmeyah 29:28

28 For therefore he sent unto us in Bavel, saying, This captivity is long; build ye batim (houses), and dwell in them; and plant gannot (gardens), and eat the fruit of them.

Yirmeyah 29:28 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 29:28

For therefore he sent unto us [in] Babylon, saying
That is, Jeremiah the prophet; and this was the reason, because his mouth was not stopped, and he restrained from prophesying; so that Shemaiah lays all the blame on Zephaniah, and his brethren the priests; who, had they done their duty, would have prevented Jeremiah's letter to the captives, as he suggests; the purport of which was, this [captivity] is long;
so Kimchi, Abarbinel, and Ben Melech, supply it; or, "it [is] long" ^F13; it will be a long time before the captives shall return to their own land; and therefore they should not think of it, or provide for it; but, on the contrary, for their continuance in Babylon; giving the following advice: build ye houses, and dwell [in them]; and plant gardens, and eat the
fruit of them;
referring to Jeremiah's letter; (See Gill on Jeremiah 29:5).

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 (ayh hkra) "longum est", Pagninus, Cocceius, Schmidt.

Yirmeyah 29:28 In-Context

26 Hashem hath made thee kohen in the place of Yehoyada the kohen, that there should be pekidim (officers) in the Beis Hashem, over every ish that is meshuggah (mad, insane), and maketh himself a navi, that thou shouldest put him in the stocks, and in the neck iron.

27 Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Yirmeyah of Anatot, which maketh himself a navi to you?

28 For therefore he sent unto us in Bavel, saying, This captivity is long; build ye batim (houses), and dwell in them; and plant gannot (gardens), and eat the fruit of them.

29 And Tzephanyah the kohen read this sefer in the oznayim of Yirmeyah HaNavi.

30 Then came the Devar Hashem unto Yirmeyah, saying,