He sent the letter with Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah,(A) whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. The letter stated:

This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles I deported from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and live in them.(B) Plant gardens and eat their produce.

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