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24 Concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite you shall speak, saying, 25 “Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says, ‘Because you have sent letters in your own name to all the people who are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying, 26 “Yahweh has made you priest in the place of Jehoiada the priest, that there may be officers in Yahweh’s house, for every man who is crazy, and makes himself a prophet, that you should put him in the stocks and in shackles. 27 Now therefore, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth, who makes himself a prophet to you, 28 because he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, The captivity is long. Build houses, and dwell in them. Plant gardens, and eat their fruit?”’”

29 Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet. 30 Then Yahweh’s word came to Jeremiah, saying, 31 “Send to all of the captives, saying, ‘Yahweh says concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: “Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, and I didn’t send him, and he has caused you to trust in a lie;” 32 therefore Yahweh says, “Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his offspring. He will not have a man to dwell among this people. He won’t see the good that I will do to my people,” says Yahweh, “because he has spoken rebellion against Yahweh.”’”

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A Rebuke to Shemaiah

24 “You are to say to Shemaiah of Nehelam: 25 ‘This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Because you sent letters in your own name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, to Maaseiah’s son Zephaniah the priest and to all the priests— 26 The Lord made you a priest instead of Jehoiada the priest to serve in the Lord’s Temple as an official against every crazy prophet, and to put him in stocks and restraints. 27 And now, why didn’t you rebuke Jeremiah from Anathoth who prophesies to you? 28 So he sent a message[a] to us in Babylon: ‘The exile[b] will be long, so build houses and live in them.[c] Plant gardens and eat their produce.’”’”

29 Then Zephaniah the priest read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet, 30 and this message from the Lord came to Jeremiah: 31 “Send a message to all the exiles: ‘This is what the Lord says about Shemaiah from Nehelam, “Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, even though I didn’t send him, and has made you trust a lie,” 32 therefore, this is what the Lord says: “I’m about to judge Shemaiah from Nehelam along with his descendants. He won’t have anyone related to him[d] living among these people. Nor will he see the good that I’ll do for my people,” declares the Lord, “because he advocated rebellion against the Lord.”’”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 29:28 The Heb. lacks a message
  2. Jeremiah 29:28 Lit. It
  3. Jeremiah 29:28 The Heb. lacks in them
  4. Jeremiah 29:32 The Heb. lacks related to him