Chapter 29

Now these [are] the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent¹ from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away⁵² captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;

(After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed² from Jerusalem;)

By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent¹ unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,²

Thus saith¹ the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away⁵² from Jerusalem unto Babylon;

Build³ ye houses, and dwell³ [in them]; and plant³ gardens, and eat³ the fruit of them;

Take³ ye wives, and beget⁵⁴ sons and daughters; and take³ wives for your sons, and give³ your daughters to husbands, that they may bear⁴ sons and daughters; that ye may be increased³ there, and not diminished.⁴

And seek³ the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives,⁵² and pray¹⁰⁰ unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.

For thus saith¹ the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners,⁶ that [be] in the midst of you, deceive⁵⁵ you, neither hearken⁴ to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.⁵⁶

For they prophesy¹² falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent¹ them, saith⁷ the LORD.

For thus saith¹ the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished² at Babylon I will visit⁴ you, and perform⁵² my good word toward you, in causing you to return⁵³ to this place.

For I know¹ the thoughts that I think⁶ toward you, saith⁷ the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give² you an expected end.

Then shall ye call¹ upon me, and ye shall go¹ and pray⁹⁸ unto me, and I will hearken¹ unto you.

And ye shall seek¹⁴ me, and find¹ [me], when ye shall search⁴ for me with all your heart.

And I will be found⁸ of you, saith⁷ the LORD: and I will turn away¹ your captivity, ⁷⁶²² and I will gather¹⁴ you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven⁵² you, saith⁷ the LORD; and I will bring you again⁵² into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.⁵²

Because ye have said,¹ The LORD hath raised us up⁵² prophets in Babylon;

[Know] that thus saith¹ the LORD of the king that sitteth⁶ upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth⁶ in this city, [and] of your brethren that are not gone forth¹ with you into captivity;

Thus saith¹ the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will send¹⁸ upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make¹ them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten,¹¹ they are so evil.

And I will persecute^{1 310} them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver¹ them to be removed ²¹¹³ to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven⁵² them:

Because they have not hearkened¹ to my words, saith⁷ the LORD, which I sent¹ unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early⁵³ and sending² [them]; but ye would not hear,¹ saith⁷ the LORD.

Hear³ ye therefore the word of the LORD, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent¹⁴ from Jerusalem to Babylon:

Thus saith¹ the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy¹² a lie unto you in my name; Behold, I will deliver⁶ them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay⁵² them before your eyes;

And of them shall be taken up²⁷ a curse by all the captivity of Judah which [are] in Babylon, saying,² The LORD make⁴ thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted¹ in the fire;

Because they have committed¹ villany in Israel, and have committed adultery¹⁷ with their neighbours' wives, and have spoken¹⁷ lying words in my name, which I have not commanded¹⁴ them; even I know,⁶ and [am] a witness, saith⁷ the LORD.

[Thus] shalt thou also speak⁴ to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying,²

Thus speaketh¹ the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying,² Because thou hast sent¹ letters in thy name unto all the people that [are] at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,²

The LORD hath made¹ thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the LORD, for every man [that is] mad,³⁰ and maketh himself a prophet,¹⁰² that thou shouldest put¹ him in prison, and in the stocks.

Now therefore why hast thou not reproved¹ Jeremiah of Anathoth, which maketh himself a prophet¹⁰² to you?

For therefore he sent¹ unto us [in] Babylon, saying,² This [captivity is] long: build³ ye houses, and dwell³ [in them]; and plant³ gardens, and eat³ the fruit of them.

And Zephaniah the priest read⁴ this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.

Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,²

Send³ to all them of the captivity, saying,² Thus saith¹ the LORD concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite; Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied⁸ unto you, and I sent¹ him not, and he caused you to trust⁵⁵ in a lie:

Therefore thus saith¹ the LORD; Behold, I will punish⁶ Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell⁶ among this people; neither shall he behold⁴ the good that I will do⁶ for my people, saith⁷ the LORD; because he hath taught¹⁴ rebellion against the LORD.