New Living Translation
Jeremiah 29:3
3He sent the letter with Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah when they went to Babylon as King Zedekiah’s ambassadors to Nebuchadnezzar. This is what Jeremiah’s 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
1Jeremiah wrote a letter from Jerusalem to the elders, priests, prophets, and all the people who had been exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. 2This was after King Jehoiachin, the queen mother, the court officials, the other officials of Judah, and all the craftsmen and artisans had been deported from Jerusalem. He sent the letter with Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah when they went to Babylon as King Zedekiah’s ambassadors to Nebuchadnezzar. This is what Jeremiah’s letter said: 4This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: 5“Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food 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 26:24Nevertheless, Ahikam son of Shaphan stood up for Jeremiah and persuaded the court not to turn him over to the mob to be killed.
- Jeremiah 39:14sent messengers to bring Jeremiah out of the prison. They put him under the care of Gedaliah son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, who took him back to his home. So Jeremiah stayed in Judah among his own people.
- 2 Kings 22:8Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the court secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the Lord’s Temple!” Then Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan, and he read it.
- Ezekiel 8:11Seventy leaders of Israel were standing there with Jaazaniah son of Shaphan in the center. Each of them held an incense burner, from which a cloud of incense rose above their heads.
- Jeremiah 36:25Even when Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah begged the king not to burn the scroll, he wouldn’t listen.
- 2 Kings 22:12Then he gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the court secretary, and Asaiah the king’s personal adviser:
- 2 Chronicles 34:20Then he gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the court secretary, and Asaiah the king’s personal adviser:
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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