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A Message for Shemaiah

24 The Lord sent this message to Shemaiah the Nehelamite in Babylon: 25 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: You wrote a letter on your own authority to Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, the priest, and you sent copies to the other priests and people in Jerusalem. You wrote to Zephaniah,

26 “The Lord has appointed you to replace Jehoiada as the priest in charge of the house of the Lord. You are responsible to put into stocks and neck irons any crazy man who claims to be a prophet. 27 So why have you done nothing to stop Jeremiah from Anathoth, who pretends to be a prophet among you? 28 Jeremiah sent a letter here to Babylon, predicting that our captivity will be a long one. He said, ‘Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce.’”

29 But when Zephaniah the priest received Shemaiah’s letter, he took it to Jeremiah and read it to him. 30 Then the Lord gave this message to Jeremiah: 31 “Send an open letter to all the exiles in Babylon. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Since he has prophesied to you when I did not send him and has tricked you into believing his lies, 32 I will punish him and his family. None of his descendants will see the good things I will do for my people, for he has incited you to rebel against me. I, the Lord, have spoken!’”

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24 Now you shall speak to (A)Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying, 25 “This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: ‘Because you have sent (B)letters in your own name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to (C)the priest Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, and to all the priests, saying, 26 “The Lord has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, to be the [a](D)overseer of the house of the Lord for every (E)insane person who (F)prophesies, to (G)put him in the stocks and in the iron collar. 27 So now, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of (H)Anathoth who prophesies to you, 28 seeing that he has (I)sent word to us in Babylon, saying, ‘[b]The exile will be (J)long; (K)build houses and live in them, and plant gardens and eat their [c]produce’?”’”

29 Now (L)Zephaniah the priest read this letter [d]to Jeremiah the prophet. 30 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 31 “Send word to (M)all the exiles, saying, ‘This is what the Lord says concerning (N)Shemaiah the Nehelamite: “Because Shemaiah has (O)prophesied to you, although I did not send him, and he has (P)made you trust in a lie,” 32 therefore this is what the Lord says: “Behold, I am going to (Q)punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his [e]descendants; he will (R)not have anyone living among this people, (S)and he will not see the good that I am going to do for My people,” declares the Lord, “because he has (T)spoken falsely against the Lord.”’”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 29:26 Lit overseers
  2. Jeremiah 29:28 Lit It
  3. Jeremiah 29:28 Lit fruit
  4. Jeremiah 29:29 Lit in the ears of
  5. Jeremiah 29:32 Lit seed