1 NOW these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;
2 (After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;)
3 By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,
4 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;
5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;
6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.
7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.
8 For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.
9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the Lord.
10 For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon 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, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
14 And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
15 Because ye have said, The Lord hath raised us up prophets in Babylon;
16 Know that thus saith the Lord of the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth in this city, and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;
17 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.
18 And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them:
19 Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the Lord, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith the Lord.
20 Hear ye therefore the word of the Lord, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon:
21 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy a lie unto you in my name; Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes;
22 And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon, saying, The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;
23 Because they have committed villany in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbours’ wives, and have spoken lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witness, saith the Lord.
24 Thus shalt thou also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying,
25 Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,
26 The Lord hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the Lord, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks.
27 Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which maketh himself a prophet to you?
28 For therefore he sent unto us in Babylon, saying, This captivity is long: build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
29 And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.
30 Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,
31 Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the Lord concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite; Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie:
32 Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the Lord; because he hath taught rebellion against the Lord.

1Now these are the words of the letter, that Ieremiah the prophet sent from Ierusalem vnto the residue of the elders which were caried away captiues, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchad-nezzar had caried away captiue from Ierusalem to Babylon,

2(After that Ieconiah the king, and the queene, and the eunuches, the princes of Iudah and Ierusalem, and the carpenters and the smithes were departed from Ierusalem)

3By the hand of Elasah the sonne of Shaphan, and Gemariah the sonne of Hilkiah, whome Zedekiah king of Iudah sent vnto Babylon to Nebuchad-nezzar king of Babylon, saying,

4Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel vnto all that are caried away captiues, whom I haue caused to be caried away from Ierusalem vnto Babylon:

5Build ye houses and dwell in them, and plant gardens, and eate the fruit of them.

6Take ye wiues, and beget sonnes and daughters, and take wiues for your sonnes, and giue your daughters to husbands, that they may beare sonnes and daughters, that ye may bee increased there, and not diminished.

7And seeke the peace of the citie, whither I haue caused you to be caried away captiues, & pray vnto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall yee haue peace.

8 For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Let not your prophets and your diuiners, that bee in the midst of you, deceiue you, neither hearken to your dreames which yee cause to be dreamed.

9For they prophecie falsly vnto you in my name: I haue not sent them, saith the Lord.

10 For thus saith the Lord, That after seuentie yeeres be accomplished at Babylon, I will visite you, and performe my good word towards you, in causing you to returne to this place.

11For I knowe the thoughts that I thinke towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of euill, to giue you an expected end.

12Then shall ye call vpon me, and ye shall goe and pray vnto mee, and I will hearken vnto you.

13And ye shall seeke me, and finde me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

14And I will be found of you, saith the Lord, and I will turne away your captiuitie, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I haue driuen you, saith the Lord, and I will bring you againe into the place whence I caused you to be caried away captiue.

15 Because yee haue said, The Lord hath raised vs vp prophets in Babylon:

16Know that thus saith the Lord, of the king that sitteth vpon the throne of Dauid, and of all the people that dwelleth in this citie, and of your brethren that are not gone foorth with you into captiuitie.

17Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Beholde, I will send vpon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figges, that cannot be eaten, they are so euill.

18And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliuer them to be remooued to all the kingdomes of the earth, to be a curse and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproch among all the nations, whither I haue driuen them.

19Because they haue not hearkened to my words, saith the Lord, which I sent vnto them by my seruants the Prophets, rising vp early, and sending them, but ye would not heare, saith the Lord.

20 Heare yee therefore the word of the Lord, all ye of the captiuitie, whom I haue sent from Ierusalem to Babylon.

21Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel, of Ahab the sonne of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the sonne of Maaseiah, which prophecie a lye vnto you in my Name, Behold, I will deliuer them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and hee shall slay them before your eyes.

22And of them shall bee taken vp a eurse by all the captiuitie of Iudah which are in Babylon, saying, The Lord make thee like Zedekiah, and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon rosted in the fire.

23Because they haue committed villanie in Israel, and haue committed adulterie with their neighbors wiues, and haue spoken lying wordes in my Name, which I haue not commanded them, euen I know, and am a witnesse, saith the Lord.

24 Thus shalt thou also speake to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying:

25Thus speaketh the Lord of hostes the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name vnto all the people that are at Ierusalem, and to Zephaniah the sonne of Maaseiah the Priest, and to all the priests, saying;

26The Lord hath made thee Priest in the stead of Iehoiada the Priest, that ye should be Officers in the house of the Lord, for euery man that is madde, and maketh himselfe a Prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stockes:

27Now therefore why hast thou not reproued Ieremiah of Anathoth, which maketh himselfe a Prophet to you?

28For therefore he sent vnto vs in Babylon, saying, This captiuitie is long, build ye houses and dwell in them, and plant gardens, and eate the fruit of them.

29And Zephaniah the Priest read this letter in the eares of Ieremiah the Prophet.

30 Then came the word of the Lord vnto Ieremiah, saying;

31Send to all them of the captiuitie, saying, Thus saith the Lord, concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite, Because that Shemaiah hath prophecied vnto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lye.

32Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his seed: he shall not haue a man to dwell among this people, neither shall hee behold the good that I will doe for my people, saith the Lord, because he hath taught rebellion against the Lord.

V == Jer 29:28

VII == Ezra 6:10 ; 1st Tim 2:2

VIII == Jer 14:14 ; 23:21 ; 27:14-15 ; Eph 5:6

IX == Jer 29:31

X == 2nd Chr 36:21-22 ; Ezra 1:1 ; Jer 25:12 ; 27:22 ; Dan 9:2

XII == Dan 9:3

XIII == Lev 26:39-40 ; Deut 30:1 ; Jer 24:7

XIV == Deut 4:7 ; Ps 32:6 ; 46:1 ; Isa 55:6 ; Jer 23:3 , 8 ; 30:3 ; 32:37

XVII == Jer 24:8 , 10

XVIII == Deut 28:25 ; 2nd Chr 15:4 ; 24:9 ; 29:8 ; 34:17 ; Jer 26:6 ; 42:18

XIX == Jer 25:4 ; 32:33

::

XXII == Gen 48:20 ; Isa 65:15 ; Dan 3:6

XXIII == Jer 23:14

XXV == 2nd Kings 25:18 ; Jer 21:1

XXVI == 2nd Kings 9:11 ; Jer 20:1-2 ; Acts 26:24

XXVIII == Jer 29:5

XXXI == Jer 28:15

XXXII == Jer 16:15 ; 28:16 ; 29:18 ; 32:44 ; Ezek 39:25 ; amos 9:14-15

1 This is the contents of the letter which the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, to the priests, the prophets, and all the people who were exiled by Nebuchadnezzar from Jerusalem to Babylon.

2 This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the courtiers, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the artisans and the skilled workmen had left Jerusalem.

3 Delivered in Babylon by Elasah, son of Shaphan, and by Gemariah, son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah, king of Judah, sent to the king of Babylon, the letter read:

4 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon:

5 Build houses to dwell in; plant gardens, and eat their fruits.

6 Take wives and beget sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters. There you must increase in number, not decrease.

7 Promote the welfare of the city to which I have exiled you; pray for it to the LORD, for upon its welfare depends your own.

10 Thus says the LORD: Only after seventy years have elapsed for Babylon will I visit you and fulfill for you my promise to bring you back to this place.

11 For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future full of hope.

12 When you call me, when you go to pray to me, I will listen to you.

13 When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart,

14 you will find me with you, says the LORD, and I will change your lot; I will gather you together from all the nations and all the places to which I have banished you, says the LORD, and bring you back to the place from which I have exiled you.

16 Thus says the LORD concerning the king who sits on David's throne, and all the people who remain in this city, your brethren who did not go with you into exile;

17 thus says the LORD of hosts: I am sending against them sword, famine and pestilence. I will make them like rotten figs, too bad to be eaten.

18 I will pursue them with sword, famine, and pestilence, and make them an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, of malediction, astonishment, ridicule, and reproach to all the nations among which I will banish them.

19 For they did not listen to my words, says the LORD, though I kept sending them my servants the prophets, only to have them go unheeded, says the LORD.

20 You, now, listen to the word of the LORD, all you exiles whom I sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.

15 As for your saying, "The LORD has raised up for us prophets here in Babylon" - 

8 thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let yourselves be deceived by the prophets and diviners who are among you; do not listen to those among you who dream dreams.

9 For they prophesy lies to you in my name; I did not send them, says the LORD.

21 This is what the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, has to say about those who prophesy lies to you in my name, Ahab, son of Kolaiah, and Zedekiah, son of Maaseiah: I am handing them over to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, who will slay them before your eyes.

22 All the exiles of Judah in Babylon will pattern a curse after them: "May the LORD make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the flames."

23 For they are criminals in Israel, committing adultery with their neighbors' wives, and alleging in my name things I did not command. I know, I am witness, says the LORD.

24 Say this to Shemaiah, the Nehelamite:

25 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you sent letters on your own authority to all the people of Jerusalem, to all the priests and to Zephaniah, the priest, son of Maaseiah, with this message:

26 "The LORD has appointed you priest in place of the priest Jehoiada, so that there may be police officers in the house of the LORD, to take action against all madmen and those who pose as prophets, by putting them into the stocks or the pillory.

27 Why, then, do you not rebuke Jeremiah of Anathoth who poses as a prophet among you?

28 For he sent us in Babylon this message: It will be a long time; build houses to live in; plant gardens and eat their fruits. . . ."

29 When the priest Zephaniah read this letter to the prophet,

30 the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:

31 Send the message to all the exiles: Thus says the LORD concerning Shemaiah, the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah prophesies to you without a mission from me, and raises false confidence,

32 says the LORD, I will therefore punish Shemaiah, the Nehelamite, and his offspring. None of them shall survive among this people to see the good I will do to this people, says the LORD, because he preached rebellion against the LORD.

v 1-3. This letter of Jeremiah was to King Jeconiah, and others after they had been carried captive to Babylon, in 597 BC. Complete captivity came 11 years later.

v 4-7. The Lord’s message to those in captivity was to settle in with gardens, homes and marriages so they would increase there. They were also to pray for their captors, because in their land they would have peace.

v 8-14. The people had caused Aaron to build the golden calf, and the people caused the false prophets to tell them what they wanted to hear. Captivity would not end soon, as they prophesied, but 70 years from the time Jeconiah was taken captive. God’s thought to them was good, not evil, and when they called sincerely to the Lord at that time, He would gather them from all places where they were scattered. His desire was to have them all turn to Him, but many chose to remain in Babylon.

v 15-19.  Apparently false prophets in Babylon had been giving the same words that were told Zedekiah in 28:2-4, that the captivity would soon end. Actually, the ones still at Jerusalem would suffer such persecution by sword, famine and pestilence that they would be like horribly rotten inedible figs. Exiles ignored the true prophets too.

v 20-23. God singled out the false prophets, who also committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives. Nebuchadnezzar would hear of their rebellious prophesies and cause them to be burned, a common punishment, Dan. 3 and the fiery furnace. Their example was taken up by the other exiles as a curse upon other similar men.

v 24-29. In summary, after Jeremiah wrote the above letter to those in captivity, Shemaiah sent a letter to the people at Jerusalem and Zephaniah, who was priest in charge of the temple and probably brother of false prophet Zedekiah in Babylon. In reference to Jeremiah, he instructed Zephaniah to put mad men posing as prophets in prison and stocks, for Jeremiah’s prophecy of 70 year captivity. Instead, he evidently believed Jeremiah and read the letter to him. He later consulted Jeremiah twice in behalf of King Zedekiah, 21:1; 37:3. Zephaniah was killed by Nebuchadnezzar after the fall of Jerusalem, 52:24-27.

v 30-32. Jeremiah sent a second letter to Babylon concerning Shemaiah being a false prophet and causing the people to trust in a lie. He had taught rebellion against the Lord, so he and his descendants would not live to see the good, God was going to do for the people. He loathed Jeremiah’s instruction to raise families, so he himself is to become without heirs