For therefore he sent unto us [in] Babylon, saying,.... That is, Jeremiah the prophet; and this was the reason, because his mouth was not stopped, and he restrained from prophesying; so that Shemaiah lays all the blame on Zephaniah, and his brethren the priests; who, had they done their duty, would have prevented Jeremiah's letter to the captives, as he suggests; the purport of which was,
this [captivity] is long; so Kimchi, Abarbinel, and Ben Melech, supply it; or, "it [is] long" m; it will be a long time before the captives shall return to their own land; and therefore they should not think of it, or provide for it; but, on the contrary, for their continuance in Babylon; giving the following advice:
build ye houses, and dwell [in them]; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; referring to Jeremiah's letter;
m ארכה היא "longum est", Pagninus, Cocceius, Schmidt.