God’s Word Translation
Jeremiah 29:7
7Work for the good of the city where I’ve taken you as captives, and pray to the Lord for that city. When it prospers, you will also prosper.
Jeremiah 29:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace.
Context of Jeremiah 29:7
5Build houses, and live in them. Plant gardens, and eat what they produce. 6Get married, and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons, and let your daughters get married so that they can have sons and daughters. Grow in number there; don’t decrease. Work for the good of the city where I’ve taken you as captives, and pray to the Lord for that city. When it prospers, you will also prosper. 8This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Don’t let the prophets or the mediums who are among you trick you. Don’t even listen to your own dreams. 9These people are prophesying lies to you in my name. I didn’t send them, declares the Lord.
Read all of Jeremiah 29Jeremiah 29:7 word by word
וְדִרְשׁ֞וּ אֶת־שְׁל֣וֹם הָעִ֗יר אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִגְלֵ֤יתִי אֶתְכֶם֙ שָׁ֔מָּה וְהִתְפַּֽלְל֥וּ בַעֲדָ֖הּ אֶל־יְהוָ֑ה כִּ֣י בִשְׁלוֹמָ֔הּ יִהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם שָׁלֽוֹם׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Jeremiah 29:7
- Daniel 4:27“That is why, Your Majesty, my best advice is that you stop sinning, and do what is right. Stop committing the same errors, and have pity on the poor. Maybe you can prolong your prosperity.”
- Daniel 6:4So the other officials and satraps tried to find something to accuse Daniel of in his duties for the kingdom. But they couldn’t find anything wrong because he was trustworthy. No error or fault could be found.
- Romans 13:1Every person should obey the government in power. No government would exist if it hadn’t been established by God. The governments which exist have been put in place by God.
- 1 Peter 2:13Place yourselves under the authority of human governments to please the Lord. Obey the emperor. He holds the highest position of authority.
- Ezra 6:10Then they can offer sacrifices that please the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.
- Ezra 7:23Whatever the God of heaven has commanded must be carried out in detail for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should God become angry with the king’s empire and his sons?
- Daniel 4:19Then Daniel (who had been renamed Belteshazzar) was momentarily stunned. What he was thinking frightened him. I told him, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream and its meaning frighten you.” Belteshazzar answered, “Sir, I wish that the dream were about those who hate you and its meaning were about your enemies.
- 1 Timothy 2:1First of all, I encourage you to make petitions, prayers, intercessions, and prayers of thanks for all people,
Commentaries on Jeremiah 29:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Seek the peace of the city - Endeavor to promote, as far as you can, the prosperity of the places in which ye sojourn. Let no disaffection appear in word or act. Nothing can be more reasonable than this. Wherever a man lives and has his nourishment and support, that is his country as long as he resides in it. If things go well with that country, his interest is promoted by the general prosperity, he lives at comparative ease, and has the necessaries of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4-7Verses 4-7 As the exile was God‘s doing for their good, they were to make the best of their position, and acquire wealth and influence; whereas if they were always restlessly looking out for the opportunity of returning home, they would rapidly fall into poverty and dwindle away. Jeremiah 29:7 Seek the peace of the city - Not only because their welfare for seventy years was bound up with that of Babylon, but because it would have degraded their whole…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-7Jeremiah encouraged the exiled people to prepare for a long stay in Babylon. God wanted them to become productive citizens, caring for and praying to the Lord for the well-being of the Babylonian communities where they lived. This would help their population grow. They should not listen to false prophecies like Hananiah's, which promised a quick return home.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. (Ezr 6:10; Ro 13:1; 1Ti 2:2). Not only bear the Babylonian yoke patiently, but pray for your masters, that is, while the captivity lasts. God's good time was to come when they were to pray for Babylon's downfall (Jr 51:35; Psa 137:8). They were not to forestall that time. True religion teaches patient submission, not sedition, even though the prince be an unbeliever. In all states of life let us not throw away the comfort we may have, because we have…Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 29:7
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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