Jeremiah 29:1-32 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

Jeremiah 29. The Future of the Exiles in Babylon (c. 595). Jeremiah sends a letter by royal messengers to tell the exiles in Babylon to settle down there for a lengthy stay, and not to be deceived by those who say otherwise (Jeremiah 29:1-9). After seventy years (see on Jeremiah 25:11), they shall be restored in accordance with Yahweh's declared purpose (Jeremiah 24:4-7) and goodwill (Jeremiah 29:1-13). At this point, an insertion seems to have been made in the original letter. Most of 14 (after I will be found of you) is rightly omitted in LXX; the reference to all the nations does not suit the destination of this particular letter. LXX also omits Jeremiah 29:16-20, threatening Zedekiah (the king), and those left in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 24:8, f.); this passage also has been added to the Hebrew text. Jeremiah 29:15, which is quite disconnected from its context where it now stands, will then fitly precede Jeremiah 29:21-23, its first word being rendered because instead of for; the sequel names two of these Babylonian prophets for condemnation. The remaining verses of the chapter (Jeremiah 29:24-32) are in some confusion. They begin as prophecy in a message to Shemaiah (Jeremiah 29:24 mg.), then pass (Jeremiah 29:26 ff.) into the quotation of a letter from him to Zephaniah, then break off abruptly into narrative in Jeremiah 29:29, and become prophecy again in Jeremiah 29:30. Shemaiah's letter, evidently prompted by Jeremiah's, urges Zephaniah to treat Jeremiah as Pashhur had done (Jeremiah 20:1 ff.), i.e. as a mad prophesier (cf. 2 Kings 9:11; Hosea 9:7; 1 Samuel 10:10 ff; 1 Samuel 19:20 ff.); but Zephaniah simply informs Jeremiah of this advice, with the result that a prophecy is uttered against Shemaiah and his descendants, in accordance with Hebrew ideas of corporate personality (cf., e.g., 2 Kings 5:27).

Jeremiah 29:3. Elasah: brother of Ahikam (Jeremiah 26:24) and of a Gemariah (Jeremiah 36:10) distinct from his present companion.

Jeremiah 29:18 as mg.; cf. Jeremiah 24:9.

Jeremiah 29:19. Read they for ye, as in LXX of Lucian.

Jeremiah 29:22. Nothing further is known of these men or their fate, presumably assigned for treason.

Jeremiah 29:23. folly: senselessness (Driver); cf. 2 Samuel 13:12.

Jeremiah 29:25. Zephaniah: cf. Jeremiah 21:1; Jeremiah 37:3; Jeremiah 52:24. Omit, with LXX, unto all the people that are at Jerusalem and and to all the priests.

Jeremiah 29:26. officers: read singular with VSS.

Jeremiah 29:32. After seed, we should probably continue, with LXX, there shall not be a man of them in the midst of you to see the good, etc. (omitting last clause).

Related Commentaries of Jeremiah 29:1

Jeremiah 29:1-32

1 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent 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 away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;

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

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

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

5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;

6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.

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

8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.

9 For they prophesy falselya unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.

10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expectedb end.

12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

15 Because ye have said, The LORD hath raised us up prophets in Babylon;

16 Know that thus saith the LORD of the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth in this city, and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;

17 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.

18 And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse,c and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them:

19 Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the LORD, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith the LORD.

20 Hear ye therefore the word of the LORD, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon:

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

22 And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon, saying, The LORD make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;

23 Because they have committed villany in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbours' wives, and have spoken lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witness, saith the LORD.

24 Thus shalt thou also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite,d saying,

25 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent 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,

26 The LORD hath made 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, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks.

27 Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which maketh himself a prophet to you?

28 For therefore he sent unto us in Babylon, saying, This captivity is long: build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.

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

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

31 Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the LORD concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite; Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie:

32 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the LORD; because he hath taught rebellione against the LORD.