Jeremiah 29:1-14

English Standard Version

Jeremiah's Letter to the Exiles

29 These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to ^(A)the surviving elders of the exiles, and to ^(B)the priests, ^(C)the prophets, and ^(D)all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. ²This was after ^(E)King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the eunuchs, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metal workers had departed from Jerusalem. ³The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of ^(F)Shaphan and Gemariah the son of ^(G)Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. It said: ⁴“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ⁵^(H)Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. ⁶Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. ⁷But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and ^(I)pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. ⁸For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ^(J)Do not let your prophets and ^(K)your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream,^[a] ⁹for ^(L)it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; ^(M)I did not send them, declares the Lord.

¹⁰“For thus says the Lord: ^(N)When seventy years are completed for Babylon, ^(O)I will visit you, ^(P)and I will fulfill to you my promise ^(Q)and bring you back to this place. ¹¹^(R)For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare^[b] and not for evil, ^(S)to give you a future and a hope. ¹²^(T)Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, ^(U)and I will hear you. ¹³^(V)You will seek me and find me, when you seek me ^(W)with all your heart. ¹⁴I will be found by you, declares the Lord, ^(X)and I will restore your fortunes and ^(Y)gather you from all the nations and all the places ^(Z)where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

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Footnotes

Jeremiah 29:8 Hebrew your dreams, which you cause to dream
Jeremiah 29:11 Or peace

Jeremiah 29:24-32

English Standard Version

Shemaiah's False Prophecy

²⁴To ^(A)Shemaiah of Nehelam you shall say: ²⁵“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: You have sent letters in your name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to ^(B)Zephaniah the son of ^(C)Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying, ²⁶‘The Lord has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, to have ^(D)charge in the house of the Lord ^(E)over every madman who prophesies, to put him in ^(F)the stocks and neck irons. ²⁷Now why have you not rebuked Jeremiah ^(G)of Anathoth who is prophesying to you? ²⁸For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, “Your exile will be long; ^(H)build houses and live in them, and plant gardens and eat their produce.”’”

²⁹^(I)Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet. ³⁰^(J)Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ³¹“Send to all the exiles, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord concerning ^(K)Shemaiah of Nehelam: Because ^(L)Shemaiah had prophesied to you ^(M)when I did not send him, and has made you trust in a lie, ³²therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I will punish ^(N)Shemaiah of Nehelam and his descendants. He shall not have anyone living among this people, ^(O)and he shall not see the good that I will do to my people, declares the Lord, ^(P)for he has spoken rebellion against the Lord.’”