Jeremiah 29:28

28 {Because} he has sent to us [in] Babylon, {saying}, 'It [will be] a long time, build houses and live [in them], and plant gardens and eat 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 "Yahweh made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, so that there are overseers [in] the house of Yahweh over any mad man [who] exhibits the behavior of a prophet, and you must put him into the stocks and into the neck iron,

27 and so then why have you not rebuked Jeremiah the Anathothite who exhibits the behavior of a prophet for you?

28 {Because} he has sent to us [in] Babylon, {saying}, 'It [will be] a long time, build houses and live [in them], and plant gardens and eat their fruit.'" '"

29 And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the {hearing} of Jeremiah the prophet.

30 And the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah, {saying},

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "Seeing that unto thus"
• [b] Literally "to say"
• [c] Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation