Jeremiah 29

Message to the Exiles

1Now theseH428 are the wordsH1697 of the 1letterH5612 whichH834 JeremiahH3414 the prophetH5030 sentH7971 from JerusalemH3389 to the restH3499 of the eldersH2205 of the exileH1540, the priestsH3548, the prophetsH5030 and allH3605 the peopleH5971 whomH834 NebuchadnezzarH5019 had takenH1540 into exileH1473 from JerusalemH3389 to BabylonH894. 2(This was afterH310 KingH4428 2JeconiahH3204 and the 3queenH1377 motherH1377, the courtH5631 officialsH5631, the princesH8269 of JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389, the craftsmenH2796 and the smithsH4525 had departedH3318 from JerusalemH3389.) 3The letter was sent by the handH3027 of ElasahH501 the sonH1121 of ShaphanH8227, and GemariahH1587 the sonH1121 of 4HilkiahH2518, whomH834 ZedekiahH6667 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 sentH7971 to BabylonH894 to NebuchadnezzarH5019 kingH4428 of BabylonH894, sayingH559, 4“ThusH3541 saysH559 the LordH3068 of hostsH6635, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, to allH3605 the exilesH1473 whomH834 I have 5sentH1540 into exileH1540 from JerusalemH3389 to BabylonH894, 5‘6BuildH1129 housesH1004 and liveH3427 in them; and plantH5193 gardensH1593 and eatH398 their 7produceH6529. 6TakeH3947 8wivesH802 and 9becomeH3205 the fathersH3205 of sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323, and takeH3947 wivesH802 for your sonsH1121 and giveH5414 your daughtersH1323 to husbandsH376, that they may bearH3205 sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323; and multiplyH7235 thereH8033 and do not decreaseH4591. 710SeekH1875 the 11welfareH7965 of the cityH5892 whereH834H8033 I have sentH1540 you into exileH1540, and 12prayH6419 to the LordH3068 on its behalfH1157; for in its 13welfareH7965 you will haveH1961 14welfareH7965.’ 8For thusH3541 saysH559 the LordH3068 of hostsH6635, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, ‘Do not let your 15prophetsH5030 whoH834 are in your midstH7130 and your divinersH7080 16deceiveH5378 you, and do not listenH8085 to 1718the dreamsH2472 whichH834 19they dreamH2492. 9For they 20prophesyH5012 falselyH8267 to you in My nameH8034; 21I have not sentH7971 them,’ declaresH5002 the LordH3068.

10“For thusH3541 saysH559 the LordH3068, ‘WhenH3588 22seventyH7657 yearsH8141 have beenH4390 completedH4390 for BabylonH894, I will visitH6485 you and fulfillH6965 My 23goodH2896 wordH1697 to you, to bringH7725 you backH7725 to thisH2088 placeH4725. 11For I knowH3045 the 24plansH4284 that I 25haveH2803 for you,’ declaresH5002 the LordH3068, ‘plansH4284 for 26welfareH7965 and not for calamityH7463 to giveH5414 you a futureH319 and a 27hopeH8615. 12Then you will 28callH7121 upon Me and comeH1980 and prayH6419 to Me, and I will 29listenH8085 to you. 13You will 30seekH1245 Me and findH4672 Me whenH3588 you 31searchH1875 for Me with allH3605 your heartH3824. 14I will be 32foundH4672 by you,’ declaresH5002 the LordH3068, ‘and I will 33restoreH7725 your 34fortunesH7622 and will 35gatherH6908 you from allH3605 the nationsH1471 and from allH3605 the placesH4725 whereH834H8033 I have drivenH5080 you,’ declaresH5002 the LordH3068, ‘and I will 36bringH7725 you backH7725 to the placeH4725 from whereH834H8033 I sentH1540 you into exileH1540.’

15“BecauseH3588 you have saidH559, ‘The LordH3068 has raisedH6965 up 37prophetsH5030 for us in BabylonH894’-- 16for thusH3541 saysH559 the LordH3068 concerningH413 the kingH4428 who sitsH3427 on the throneH3678 of DavidH1732, and concerningH413 allH3605 the peopleH5971 who dwellH3427 in thisH2088 cityH5892, your brothersH251 whoH834 did 38not goH3318 with you into exileH1473-- 17thusH3541 saysH559 the LordH3068 of hostsH6635, ‘BeholdH2009, I am sendingH7971 upon them the 39swordH2719, famineH7458 and pestilenceH1698, and I will makeH5414 them like 40split-openH8182 figsH8384 that cannotH3808 be eatenH398 dueH4480 to rottennessH7455. 18I will pursueH7291 them with the swordH2719, with famineH7458 and with pestilenceH1698; and I will 41makeH5414 them a terrorH2113 to allH3605 the kingdomsH4467 of the earthH776, to be a 42curseH423 and a horrorH8047 and a 43hissingH8322, and a reproachH2781 among allH3605 the nationsH1471 whereH834H8033 I have drivenH5080 them, 19becauseH8478H834 they have 44not listenedH8085 to My wordsH1697,’ declaresH5002 the LordH3068, ‘whichH834 I sentH7971 to them againH7925 and againH7971 by 45My servantsH5650 the prophetsH5030; but you did not listenH8085,’ declaresH5002 the LordH3068. 20You, therefore, hearH8085 the wordH1697 of the LordH3068, allH3605 you exilesH1473, whomH834 I have 46sentH7971 awayH7971 from JerusalemH3389 to BabylonH894.

21“ThusH3541 saysH559 the LordH3068 of hostsH6635, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, concerningH413 AhabH256 the sonH1121 of KolaiahH6964 and concerningH413 ZedekiahH6667 the sonH1121 of MaaseiahH4641, who are 47prophesyingH5012 to you falselyH8267 in My nameH8034, ‘BeholdH2009, I will deliverH5414 them into the handH3027 of NebuchadnezzarH5019 kingH4428 of BabylonH894, and he will slayH5221 them before your eyesH5869. 22BecauseH4480 of them a 48curseH7045 will be 49usedH3947 by allH3605 the exilesH1546 from JudahH3063 whoH834 are in BabylonH894, sayingH559, “May the LordH3068 makeH7760 you like ZedekiahH6667 and like AhabH256, whomH834 the kingH4428 of BabylonH894 50roastedH7033 in the fireH784, 23becauseH3282H834 they have 51actedH6213 foolishlyH5039 in IsraelH3478, and 52have committedH5003 adulteryH5003 with their neighbors’H7453 wivesH802 and have 53spokenH1696 wordsH1697 in My nameH8034 falselyH8267, whichH834 I did not commandH6680 them; and I am He who 54knowsH3045 and am a witnessH5707,” declaresH5002 the LordH3068.’”

24To 55ShemaiahH8098 the NehelamiteH5161 you shall speakH559, sayingH559, 25“ThusH3541 saysH559 the LordH3068 of hostsH6635, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, ‘BecauseH3282H834 you have sentH7971 56lettersH5612 in your own nameH8034 to allH3605 the peopleH5971 whoH834 are in JerusalemH3389, and to 57ZephaniahH6846 the sonH1121 of MaaseiahH4641, the priestH3548, and to allH3605 the priestsH3548, sayingH559, 26“The LordH3068 has madeH5414 you priestH3548 insteadH8478 of JehoiadaH3077 the priestH3548, to be the 5859overseerH6496 in the houseH1004 of the LordH3068 over everyH3605 60madmanH7696 who 61prophesiesH5012, to 62putH5414 him in the stocksH4115 and in the ironH6729 collarH6729, 27nowH6258 then, whyH4100 have you not rebukedH1605 JeremiahH3414 of 63AnathothH6069 who prophesiesH5012 to you? 28For he has 64sentH7971 to us in BabylonH894, sayingH559, ‘The exile will be 65longH752; 66buildH1129 housesH1004 and liveH3427 in them and plantH5193 gardensH1593 and eatH398 their 67produceH6529.’”’”

2968ZephaniahH6846 the priestH3548 readH7121 thisH2088 letterH5612 69to JeremiahH3414 the prophetH5030. 30Then cameH1961 the wordH1697 of the LordH3068 to JeremiahH3414, sayingH559, 31“SendH7971 to 70allH3605 the exilesH1473, sayingH559, ‘ThusH3541 saysH559 the LordH3068 concerningH413 71ShemaiahH8098 the NehelamiteH5161, “BecauseH3282H834 ShemaiahH8098 has 72prophesiedH5012 to you, although I did not sendH7971 him, and he has 73made you trustH982 in a lieH8267,” 32thereforeH3651 thusH3541 saysH559 the LordH3068, “BeholdH2009, I am about to 74punishH6485 ShemaiahH8098 the NehelamiteH5161 and his 75descendantsH2233; he will 76not haveH1961 anyoneH376 livingH3427 amongH8432 thisH2088 peopleH5971, 77and he will not seeH7200 the goodH2896 that I am about to doH6213 to My peopleH5971,” declaresH5002 the LordH3068, “becauseH3588 he has 7879preachedH1696 rebellionH5627 againstH5921 the LordH3068.”’”