Jeremiah 29:6

6 Take wives and have sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may have sons and daughters; and be increased in number there and do not become less.

Jeremiah 29:6 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 29:6

Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters
That is, such as had no wives, who were either bachelors or widowers; not that they were to take wives of the Chaldeans, but of those of their own nation; for intermarriages with Heathens were forbidden them; and this they were to do, in order to propagate their posterity, and keep up a succession: and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands;
or "men" ^F19; preserving and establishing the right of parents to give their children in marriage, and pointing to them their duty to provide suitable yoke fellows for them; and hereby is signified, that not only they, but their children after them, should continue in this state of captivity: that they may bear sons and daughters, that ye may be increased there;
and not diminished;
like their ancestors in Egypt, who grew very numerous amidst all their afflictions and bondage.

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 (Myvnal) "viris", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Schmidt.

Jeremiah 29:6 In-Context

4 This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel, has said to all those whom I have taken away prisoners from Jerusalem to Babylon:

5 Go on building houses and living in them, and planting gardens and using the fruit of them;

6 Take wives and have sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may have sons and daughters; and be increased in number there and do not become less.

7 And be working for the peace of the land to which I have had you taken away prisoners, and make prayer to the Lord for it: for in its peace you will have peace.

8 For this is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel, has said: Do not let yourselves be tricked by the prophets who are among you, and the readers of signs, and give no attention to their dreams which they may have;