Jeremiah 29:6

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.

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 Thus says Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel, to all the captivity, whom I have caused to be carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon:

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 peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to Yahweh for it; for in the peace of it shall you have peace.

8 For thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel: 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.