Jeremiah 29:28

28 For on this thing he sent to us into Babylon, and said, It is long; build ye houses, and inhabit, and plant ye orchards, and eat ye the fruit of them. (For about this thing he sent to us in Babylon, and said, Ye shall be there a long time; so build ye houses, and inhabit them, and plant ye orchards, and eat ye their fruit.)

Jeremiah 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.

Jeremiah 29:28 In-Context

26 The Lord gave thee priest for Jehoiada, the priest, that thou be duke in the house of the Lord on each man that is travailed of the fiend, and prophesying, that thou send him into stocks, and into prison. (The Lord made thee to be priest in place of the priest Jehoiada, so that thou be the leader, or the chief official, in the House of the Lord, over each person who is troubled by a fiend, and prophesying falsely, and that thou send such people into the stocks, and into prison.)

27 And now why blamest thou not Jeremy of Anathoth, that prophesieth to you? (And so now why hast thou not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth, who prophesieth to you?)

28 For on this thing he sent to us into Babylon, and said, It is long; build ye houses, and inhabit, and plant ye orchards, and eat ye the fruit of them. (For about this thing he sent to us in Babylon, and said, Ye shall be there a long time; so build ye houses, and inhabit them, and plant ye orchards, and eat ye their fruit.)

29 Therefore Zephaniah, the priest, read this book in the ears of Jeremy, the prophet. (And so Zephaniah, the priest, read this letter to the prophet Jeremiah.)

30 And the word of the Lord was made to Jeremy, and said,