Jeremiah 29:24-32

Revised Standard Version

The Letter of Shemaiah

²⁴ To Shemai′ah of Nehel′am 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 Zephani′ah the son of Ma-asei′ah the priest, and to all the priests, saying, ²⁶ ‘The Lord has made you priest instead of Jehoi′ada the priest, to have charge in the house of the Lord over every madman who prophesies, to put him in the stocks and collar. ²⁷ Now why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of An′athoth who is prophesying to you? ²⁸ For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, “Your exile will be long; build houses and live in them, and plant gardens and eat their produce.”’”

²⁹ Zephani′ah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet. ³⁰ Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ³¹ “Send to all the exiles, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord concerning Shemai′ah of Nehel′am: Because Shemai′ah had prophesied to you when I did not send him, and has made you trust in a lie, ³² therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I will punish Shemai′ah of Nehel′am and his descendants; he shall not have any one living among this people to see^[a] the good that I will do to my people, says the Lord, for he has talked rebellion against the Lord.’”