Jeremiah 29

1 Now these are the words of the letter that Yirmeyahu the prophet sent from Yerushalayim to the residue of the Zakenim of the captivity, and to the Kohanim, and to the prophets, and to all the people, whom Nevukhadnetztzar had carried away captive from Yerushalayim to Bavel,

2 (after that Yekhonyah the king, and the queen-mother, and the eunuchs, [and] the princes of Yehudah and Yerushalayim, and the craftsmen, and the smiths, were departed from Yerushalayim,)

3 by the hand of El`asah the son of Shafan, and Gemaryah the son of Hilkiyah, (whom Tzidkiyahu king of Yehudah sent to Bavel to Nevukhadnetztzar king of Bavel,) saying,

4 Thus says the LORD of Hosts, the God of Yisra'el, to all the captivity, whom I have caused to be carried away captive from Yerushalayim to Bavel:

5 Build you houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.

6 Take wives, and father sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply you there, and don't be diminished.

7 Seek the shalom of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in the shalom of it shall you have shalom.

8 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Yisra'el: Don't let your prophets who are in the midst of you, and your diviners, deceive you; neither listen you to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed.

9 For they prophesy falsely to you in my name: I have not sent them, says the LORD.

10 For thus says the LORD, After seventy years are accomplished for Bavel, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of shalom, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end.

12 You shall call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

13 You shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart.

14 I will be found of you, says the LORD, and I will turn again your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places wither I have driven you, says the LORD; and I will bring you again to the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

15 Because you have said, the LORD has raised us up prophets in Bavel;

16 thus says the LORD concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your brothers who haven't gone forth with you into captivity;

17 thus says the LORD of Hosts; Behold, I will send on them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that can't be eaten, they are so bad.

18 I will pursue after them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the eretz, to be an object of horror, and an astonishment, and a hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations where I have driven them;

19 because they have not listened to my words, says the LORD, with which I sent to them my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but you would not hear, says the LORD.

20 Hear you therefore the word of the LORD, all you of the captivity, whom I have sent away from Yerushalayim to Bavel.

21 Thus says the LORD of Hosts, the God of Yisra'el, concerning Ach'av the son of Kolayah, and concerning Tzidkiyahu the son of Ma`aseyah, who prophesy a lie to you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nevukhadretztzar king of Bavel; and he shall kill them before your eyes;

22 and of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captives of Yehudah who are in Bavel, saying, the LORD make you like Tzidkiyahu and like Ach'av, whom the king of Bavel roasted in the fire;

23 because they have worked folly in Yisra'el, and have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives, and have spoken words in my name falsely, which I didn't command them; and I am he who knows, and am witness, says the LORD.

24 Concerning Shemayah the Nechelami you shall speak, saying,

25 Thus speaks the LORD of Hosts, the God of Yisra'el, saying, Because you have sent letters in your own name to all the people who are at Yerushalayim, and to Tzefanyah the son of Ma`aseyah, the Kohen, and to all the Kohanim, saying,

26 The LORD has made you Kohen in the place of Yehoiada the Kohen, that there may be officers in the house of the LORD, for every man who is mad, and makes himself a prophet, that you should put him in the stocks and in shackles.

27 Now therefore, why have you not rebuked Yirmeyahu of `Anatot, who makes himself a prophet to you,

28 because he has sent to us in Bavel, saying, [The captivity] is long: build you houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them?

29 Tzefanyah the Kohen read this letter in the ears of Yirmeyahu the prophet.

30 Then came the word of the LORD to Yirmeyahu, saying,

31 Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus says the LORD concerning Shemayah the Nechelami: Because Shemayah has prophesied to you, and I didn't send him, and he has caused you to trust in a lie;

32 therefore thus says the LORD, Behold, I will punish Shemayah the Nechelami, and his seed; he shall not have a man to dwell among this people, neither shall he see the good that I will do to my people, says the LORD, because he has spoken rebellion against the LORD.

Jeremiah 29 Commentary

Chapter 29

Two letters to the captives in Babylon; In the first, they are recommended to be patient and composed. (1-19) In the second, judgments are denounced against the false prophets who deceived them. (20-32)

Verses 1-7 The written word of God is as truly given by inspiration of God as his spoken word. The zealous servant of the Lord will use every means to profit those who are far off, as well as those who are near him. The art of writing is very profitable for this end; and by the art of printing it is rendered most beneficial for circulating the knowledge of the word of God. God's sending to the captives by this letter would show that he had not forsaken them, though he was displeased, and corrected them. If they live in the fear of God, they may live comfortably in Babylon. In all conditions of life, it is our wisdom and duty not to throw away the comfort of what we may have, because we have not all we would have. They are directed to seek the good of the country where they were captives. While the king of Babylon protected them, they must live quiet and peaceable lives under him, in all godliness and honesty; patiently leaving it to God to work deliverance for them in due time.

Verses 8-19 Let men beware how they call those prophets whom they choose after their own fancies, and how they consider their fancies and dreams to be revelations from God. False prophets flatter people in their sins, because they love to be flattered; and they speak smoothly to their prophets, that their prophets may speak smoothly to them. God promises that they should return after seventy years were accomplished. By this it appears, that the seventy years of the captivity are not to be reckoned from the last captivity, but the first. It will be the bringing to pass of God's good word to them. This shall form God's purposes. We often do not know our own minds, but the Lord is never at an uncertainty. We are sometimes ready to fear that God's designs are all against us; but as to his own people, even that which seems evil, is for good. He will give them, not the expectations of their fears, or the expectations of their fancies, but the expectations of their faith; the end he has promised, which will be the best for them. When the Lord pours out an especial spirit of prayer, it is a good sign that he is coming toward us in mercy. Promises are given to quicken and encourage prayer. He never said, Seek ye me in vain. Those who remained at Jerusalem would be utterly destroyed, notwithstanding what the false prophets said to the contrary. The reason has often been given, and it justifies the eternal ruin of impenitent sinners; Because they have not hearkened to my words; I called, but they refused.

Verses 20-32 Jeremiah foretells judgments upon the false prophets, who deceived the Jews in Babylon. Lying was bad; lying to the people of the Lord, to delude them into a false hope, was worse; but pretending to rest their own lies upon the God of truth, was worst of all. They flattered others in their sins, because they could not reprove them without condemning themselves. The most secret sins are known to God; and there is a day coming when he will bring to light all the hidden works of darkness. Shemaiah urges the priests to persecute Jeremiah. Their hearts are wretchedly hardened who justify doing mischief by having power to do it. They were in a miserable thraldom for mocking the messengers of the Lord, and misusing his prophets; yet in their distress they trespass still more against the Lord. Afflictions will not of themselves cure men of their sins, unless the grace of God works with them. Those who slight the blessings, deserve to lose the benefit of God's word, like Shemaiah. The accusations against many active Christians in all ages, amount to no more than this, that they earnestly counsel men to attend to their true interest and duties, and to wait for the performance of God's promises in his appointed way.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 29

Thus chapter contains a letter of Jeremiah to the captives in Babylon; and gives an account of another sent from thence by Shemaiah to the people at Jerusalem; and is closed with threatening him with punishment for so doing. Jeremiah's letter concerns both the captives at Babylon, and the people left at Jerusalem, The persons to whom and by whom it was sent, and the time of writing and sending it, are mentioned in Jer 29:1-3; and though the prophet was the amanuensis, God was the author of it, as well as of their captivity, Jer 29:4; the contents of, it, respecting the captives, are advices to them to provide for their comfortable settlement in Babylon, and not think of returning quickly, by building houses, planting gardens, marrying, and giving in marriage, Jer 29:5,6; and to seek and pray for the prosperity of the place where they were; in which their own was concerned, Jer 29:7; to give no heed to their false prophets and diviners, Jer 29:8,9; and to expect a return to Jerusalem at the end of seventy years; which they might be assured of, since God had resolved upon it in his own mind, Jer 29:10,11; and especially if they called upon him, prayed to him, and sought him heartily, Jer 29:12-14; the other part of the letter respects the Jews in Jerusalem; concerning whom the captives are directed to observe, that both the king and people should suffer much by sword, famine, pestilence, and captivity, with the reason of it, Jer 29:15-19; particularly it is foretold, that Ahab and Zedekiah, two lying prophets, should be made an example of vengeance; and a proverbial curse should be taken of them, because of their villany, lewdness, and lies, Jer 29:20-23; next follows some account of Shemaiah's letter from Babylon, to the people and priests at Jerusalem, stirring them up against Jeremiah the prophet; which came to be known, by the priests reading it to him, Jer 29:24-29; upon which Shemaiah is threatened with punishment, and his seed after him, Jer 29:30-32.