God’s Word Translation
Jeremiah 29:3
3He sent the letter with Shaphan’s son Elasah and Hilkiah’s son Gemariah, whom King Zedekiah of Judah had sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. The letter said:
Jeremiah 29:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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,
- New International Version (NIV)He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It said:
- English Standard Version (ESV)The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. It said:
- New King James Version (NKJV)The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying,
Context of Jeremiah 29:3
1The prophet Jeremiah sent a letter from Jerusalem to the rest of the leaders among the captives. He also sent it to the priests, the prophets, and all the people that Nebuchadnezzar took away as captives from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2(This was after King Jehoiakin and his mother, the court officials, the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and metal workers left Jerusalem.) He sent the letter with Shaphan’s son Elasah and Hilkiah’s son Gemariah, whom King Zedekiah of Judah had sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. The letter said: 4This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says to all those who were taken captive from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5Build houses, and live in them. Plant gardens, and eat what they produce.
Read all of Jeremiah 29Jeremiah 29:3 word by word
בְּיַד֙ אֶלְעָשָׂ֣ה בֶן־שָׁפָ֔ן וּגְמַרְיָ֖ה בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר שָׁלַ֜ח צִדְקִיָּ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֗ה אֶל־נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּ֛ר מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶ֖ל בָּבֶ֥לָה לֵאמֹֽר׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- By the handיָדyâd · handH3027
- of Elasahאֶלְעָשָׂה'el‛âώâh · ElasahH501
- the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Shaphanשָׁפָןshâphân · ShaphanH8227
- and Gemariahגְּמַרְיָ֫הוּgemaryâh gemaryâhû · GemariahH1587
- of Hilkiahחִלְקִיָּהוּchilqîyâh chilqîyâhû · HilkiahH2518
- whom Zedekiahצִדְקִיָּ֫הוּtsidqîyâh tsidqîyâhû · ZedekiahH6667
- kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
- sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- unto Babylonבָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶלbâbel · BabylonH894
- to Nebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר, נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּרנבוּכדרא צּור נבוּכדראצּר · NebuchadnezzarH5019
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
Cross-references for Jeremiah 29:3
- Jeremiah 26:24Ahikam, son of Shaphan, supported Jeremiah. So Jeremiah was not handed over to the people to be put to death.
- Jeremiah 39:14They took Jeremiah out of the courtyard of the prison and handed him over to Gedaliah, son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, to take him home. So he lived among the people.
- 2 Kings 22:8The chief priest Hilkiah told the scribe Shaphan, “I have found the Book of Moses’ Teachings in the Lord’s temple.” Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, who then read it.
- Ezekiel 8:11In front of these drawings stood 70 of Israel’s leaders. Jaazaniah, son of Shaphan, was standing with the leaders. Each of them was holding an incense burner in his hand, and a cloud of incense went up.
- Jeremiah 36:25Even when Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he refused to listen to them.
- 2 Kings 22:12Then the king gave an order to the priest Hilkiah, to Ahikam (son of Shaphan), Achbor (son of Micaiah), the scribe Shaphan, and the royal official Asaiah. He said,
- 2 Chronicles 34:20Then the king gave an order to Hilkiah, Ahikam (son of Shaphan), Abdon (son of Micah), the scribe Shaphan, and the royal official Asaiah. He said,
Commentaries on Jeremiah 29:3
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Elasah - Probably brother of Ahikam Jeremiah 26:24, and therefore an acceptable person at the Chaldaean court. As Zedekiah had to go in person to Babylon in his fourth year Jeremiah 51:59, this embassy was probably sent two or three years earlier. Its date, however, was subsequent to the vision in Jeremiah 24:1-10. It is appended therefore to Jeremiah 28, not as later in point of time, but because of the similarity of subject.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-23Jeremiah sent a letter to the Hebrew exiles in Babylon. People read his letter many times in different settlements to reach all the scattered Israelites.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Zedekiah ... sent unto Babylon--In Jr 51:59, Zedekiah himself goes to Babylon; here he sends ambassadors. Whatever was the object of the embassy, it shows that Zedekiah only reigned at the pleasure of the king of Babylon, who might have restored Jeconiah, had he pleased. Hence, Zedekiah permitted Jeremiah's letter to be sent, not only as being led by Hananiah's death to attach greater credit to the prophet's words, but also as the letter accorded with…Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 29:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 29
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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