Jeremiah 29

1ThisH428 is the textH1697 of the letterH5612 thatH834 JeremiahH3414 the prophetH5030 sentH7971 from JerusalemH3389 toH413 the survivingH3499 eldersH2205 among the exilesH1473 and toH413 the priestsH3548H413, the prophetsH5030H413, and allH3605 the othersH5971 NebuchadnezzarH5019 had carried into exileH1540 from JerusalemH3389 to BabylonH894. 2(This was afterH310 KingH4428 JeconiahH3204,1 the queen motherH1377, the court officialsH5631, the officialsH8269 of JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389, the craftsmenH2796, and the metalsmithsH4525 had been exiledH3318 from JerusalemH3389.) 3The letter was entrusted toH3027 ElasahH501 sonH1121 of ShaphanH8227 and GemariahH1587 sonH1121 of HilkiahH2518, whomH834 ZedekiahH6667 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 sentH7971 toH413 KingH4428 NebuchadnezzarH5019 in BabylonH894. It statedH559:

4This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 of HostsH6635, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, saysH559 to allH3605 the exilesH1473 who were carried awayH1540 from JerusalemH3389 to BabylonH894: 5“BuildH1129 housesH1004 and settle downH3427. PlantH5193 gardensH1593 and eatH398 their produceH6529. 6TakeH3947 wivesH802 and haveH3205 sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323. TakeH3947 wivesH802 for your sonsH1121 and giveH5414 your daughtersH1323 in marriageH582, so that they too may haveH3205 sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323. MultiplyH7235 thereH8033; do notH408 decreaseH4591. 7SeekH1875 the prosperityH7965 of the cityH5892 to whichH834 I have sent you as exilesH1540. PrayH6419 toH413 the LORDH3068 on its behalfH1157, forH3588 if it prospersH7965H1961, you too will prosperH7965.”

8ForH3588 this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 of HostsH6635, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, saysH559: “Do notH408 be deceivedH5377 by the prophetsH5030 and divinersH7080 among youH7130, and do notH408 listenH8085 toH413 the dreamsH2472 you elicit from themH859H2492. 9ForH3588 theyH1992 are falsely prophesyingH5012H8267 to you in My nameH8034; I have notH3808 sent themH7971, declaresH5002 the LORDH3068.”2

10ForH3588 this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: “WhenH3588H6310 Babylon’sH894 seventyH7657 yearsH8141 are completeH4390, I will attend toH6485 youH853 and confirmH6965 My promiseH1697H2896 to restoreH7725 youH853 toH413 thisH2088 placeH4725. 11ForH3588 IH595 knowH3045 the plansH4284 IH595 haveH2803 for youH5921, declaresH5002 the LORDH3068, plansH4284 to prosper youH7965 and notH3808 to harm youH7451, to giveH5414 you a futureH319 and a hopeH8615. 12Then you will callH7121 upon MeH853 and comeH1980 and prayH6419 to MeH413, and I will listenH8085 to youH413. 13You will seekH1245 MeH853 and find MeH4672 whenH3588 you search for MeH1875 with allH3605 your heartH3824. 14I will be foundH4672 by you, declaresH5002 the LORDH3068, and I will restore youH7725 from captivityH76223 and gatherH6908 youH853 from allH3605 the nationsH1471H3605 and placesH4725 to whichH834 I have banished youH5080, declaresH5002 the LORDH3068. I will restoreH7725 you toH413 the placeH4725 from whichH834 I sentH1540 youH853 into exileH8033.”

15BecauseH3588 you may sayH559, “The LORDH3068 has raised upH6965 for us prophetsH5030 in BabylonH894,” 16this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559 aboutH413 the kingH4428 who sitsH3427 onH413 David’sH1732 throneH3678 andH413 allH3605 the peopleH5971 who remainH3427 in thisH2063 cityH5892, your brothersH251 whoH834 did notH3808 goH3318 with youH854 into exileH1473— 17this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 of HostsH6635H2005 saysH559:

“I will sendH7971 against them swordH2719 and famineH7458 and plagueH1698, and I will makeH5414 themH853 like rottenH8182 figsH8384, so badH7455 they cannotH3808 be eatenH398. 18I will pursueH7291 themH310 with swordH2719 and famineH7458 and plagueH1698. I will make themH5414 a horrorH2113 to allH3605 the kingdomsH4467 of the earthH776—a curseH423, a desolationH8047, and an object of scornH8322 and reproachH2781 among allH3605 the nationsH1471 to whichH834 I banish themH5080H8033. 19I will do this becauseH8478 they have notH3808 listenedH8085 toH413 My wordsH1697, declaresH5002 the LORDH3068, whichH834 I sentH7971 toH413 themH853 again and againH7925H79714 through My servantsH5650 the prophetsH5030. And neither have youH3808 exiles listenedH8085, declaresH5002 the LORDH3068.”

20

So hearH8085 the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068, allH3605 you exilesH1473 I have sent awayH7971 from JerusalemH3389 to BabylonH894. 21This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 of HostsH6635, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, saysH559 aboutH413 AhabH256 sonH1121 of KolaiahH6964 andH413 ZedekiahH6667 sonH1121 of MaaseiahH4641, who are prophesyingH5012 to you liesH8267H2005 in My nameH8034: “I will deliverH5414 themH853 toH3027 NebuchadnezzarH5019 kingH4428 of BabylonH894, and he will kill themH5221 before your very eyesH5869. 22BecauseH3947 of them, allH3605 the exilesH1546 of JudahH3063 whoH834 are in BabylonH894 will use this curseH7045H559: ‘May the LORDH3068 makeH7760 you like ZedekiahH6667 and AhabH256, whomH834 the kingH4428 of BabylonH894 roastedH7033 in the fireH784!’ 23ForH3282 they have committedH6213 an outrageH5039 in IsraelH3478 by committing adulteryH5003 withH853 the wivesH802 of their neighborsH7453 and speakingH1696H1697 liesH8267 in My nameH8034, whichH834 I did notH3808 command themH6680 to do. IH595 am He who knowsH1931, and I am a witnessH5707, declaresH5002 the LORDH3068.”

The Message to Shemaiah

24You are to tellH559 ShemaiahH8098 the NehelamiteH5161 thatH559 25this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 of HostsH6635, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, saysH559: “In your own nameH8034 youH859 have sent outH7971 lettersH5612 toH413 allH3605 the peopleH5971 of JerusalemH3389, toH413 the priestH3548 ZephaniahH6846 sonH1121 of MaaseiahH4641, and toH413 allH3605 the priestsH3548. You saidH559 to Zephaniah:5

26‘The LORDH3068 has appointedH5414 you priestH3548 in place ofH8478 JehoiadaH3077, to beH1961 the chief officerH6496 in the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068, responsible for anyH3605 madmanH376H7696 who acts like a prophetH5012—you must putH5414 himH853 inH413 stocksH4115H413 and neck ironsH6729. 27So nowH6258, whyH4100 have you notH3808 rebukedH1605 JeremiahH3414 of AnathothH6069, who poses as a prophetH5012 among you? 28ForH3588H5921H3651 he has sentH7971 to usH413 in BabylonH894, claimingH559: Since the exileH1931 will be lengthyH752, buildH1129 housesH1004 and settle downH3427; plantH5193 gardensH1593 and eatH398 their produceH6529.’”

29(ZephaniahH6846 the priestH3548, however, had readH7121 thisH2088 letterH5612 to JeremiahH3414 the prophetH5030.)

30Then the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 toH413 JeremiahH3414H559: 31“SendH7971 a messageH5921 tellingH559 allH3605 the exilesH1473 whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559 concerningH413 ShemaiahH8098 the NehelamiteH5161. BecauseH3282 ShemaiahH8098 has prophesiedH5012 to you—though IH589 did notH3808 send himH7971—and has made you trustH982 inH5921 a lieH8267, 32this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: ‘I will surely punishH2005H6485 ShemaiahH8098 the NehelamiteH5161H5921 and his descendantsH2233. He will haveH1961 noH3808 oneH376 leftH3427 amongH8432 thisH2088 peopleH5971, norH3808 will he seeH7200 the goodH2896 thatH834 IH589 will bringH6213 to My peopleH5971, declaresH5002 the LORDH3068, forH3588 he has preachedH1696 rebellionH5627 againstH5921 the LORDH3068.’”