Jeremiah 29

Jeremiah’s Letter to the Exiles

1 These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles, to the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.

2 (This was after King Jeconiah, the queen mother, the court officials, the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metalworkers had departed from Jerusalem.)

3 The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. It said:

4 “This is what the LORD of armies, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon:”

5 ‘Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce.’

6 ‘Marry and have sons and daughters. Give your sons in marriage and your daughters in marriage, so they may have sons and daughters. Multiply there, do not decrease.’

7 ‘Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile. Pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.’

Do Not Be Deceived by False Prophets

8 “For this is what the LORD of armies, the God of Israel, says: Do not let your prophets or diviners among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams they encourage you to have.”

9 “They are prophesying lies to you in My name; I have not sent them,” declares the LORD.

God’s Promise of Restoration

10 “This is what the LORD says: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill My good promise to bring you back to this place.”

11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans for welfare and not for disaster, To give you a future and a hope.”

12 “Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.”

13 “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”

14 “I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and places where I have driven you. I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.”

Judgment on Those Still in Jerusalem

15 Because you have said, “The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,”

16 This is what the LORD says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all the people who remain in this city, your relatives who did not go with you into exile:

17 “This is what the LORD of armies says: I am sending the sword, famine, and plague against them. I will make them like vile figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten.”

18 “I will pursue them with sword, famine, and plague. I will scatter them among all the nations of the earth. I will make them an object of horror and scorn, a curse and a disgrace in every place where I drive them.”

19 “For they did not listen to My words,” declares the LORD, “when I sent My servants the prophets to them again and again. And you also have not listened?” declares the LORD.

Judgment on the False Prophets in Babylon

20 “So hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles I sent from Jerusalem to Babylon.”

21 “This is what the LORD of armies, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying lies to you in My name: I will hand them over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will put them to death before your eyes.”

22 “Because of them, all the exiles from Judah in Babylon will use this curse: ‘May the LORD make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire.’”

23 “For they have done outrageous things in Israel, they have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and have spoken lies in My name, which I did not command them. I am the One who knows, and I am witness,” declares the LORD.

Concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite

24 To Shemaiah the Nehelamite you shall say:

25 “This is what the LORD of armies, the God of Israel, says: Because you sent letters in your own name to all the people in Jerusalem and to Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest and to all the priests, saying,”

26 ‘The LORD has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada to be the chief officer in the house of the LORD. You should put any madman who claims to be a prophet into stocks and shackles.’

27 “So why have you not reprimanded Jeremiah of Anathoth, who prophesies to you?”

28 “For he has sent this message to us in Babylon, saying, ‘It will be a long time. Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit.’”

29 Zephaniah the priest read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet.

God’s Judgment on Shemaiah

30 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:

31 “Send this message to all the exiles: This is what the LORD says about Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you when I did not send him and has made you trust in a lie?”

32 “therefore, this is what the LORD says: I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants. None of his family will survive to see the good I will do for My people,” declares the LORD, “because he has preached rebellion against the LORD.”