Jeremiah 29

15–19 Some of the exiles were saying that because there was a king (Zedekiah) still sitting on Judah’s throne (verse 16), the Lord wasn’t planning to destroy Jerusalem. But they were wrong: those who were still in Jerusalem were destined for destruction (verse 17)—just like the poor figs of Jeremiah’s vision (see Jeremiah 24:8–10).

20–23 Then Jeremiah singled out two false prophets living among the exiles—Ahab and Zedekiah (not the king)—and delivered the Lord’s word to them: they would be put to death. Their fate would be similar to that of the false prophet Hananiah, who had died several years earlier, according to the Lord’s word (Jeremiah 28:15–17).

Message to Shemaiah (29:24–32)

24–28 Shemaiah was another false prophet among the Jews in Babylon who was predicting a rapid end to the Exile. He wrote to a priest in Jerusalem, Zephaniah, and urged him to reprimand Jeremiah (verse 27). It was Jeremiah’s recent letter to the exiles that had angered Shemaiah; Jeremiah had contradicted Shemaiah’s false prophecies.

29–32 Zephaniah, however, sided with Jeremiah, and read to him Shemaiah’s letter. Therefore, the Lord sent word to the exiles (through Jeremiah) that Shemaiah was indeed a false prophet and would be punished in due time for rebelling against Him (verse 32).