Chapter 29.
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 Nebuchadrezzar had carried away
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
departed from Jerusalem.
By the hand of Elisha the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah,
whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent into Babylon to Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon,
saying, 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, build ye houses, and dwell in them, and plant gardens, and eat the fruit
of them.
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.
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.
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.
For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name.
I have not sent them, saith the Lord.
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.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of
peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken
unto you.
And ye shall seek me and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your
heart.
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.
Because ye have said, the Lord hath raised us up prophets in Babylon, 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.
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.
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,
and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations
whither I have driven them.
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,
which ye would not hear, saith the Lord.
Hear ye therefore the word of the Lord, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent
from Jerusalem to Babylon.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab, the son of Calaiah,
and of Zedekiah the son of Maseah, 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.
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.
Because they have committed villainy in Israel, and have committed adultery with
their neighbors' 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.
Thus shalt thou also speak to Shimea the Nehelamite, saying, 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 Maseah the
priest, and to all the priests, saying, 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.
Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which maketh himself
a prophet to you?
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.
And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.
Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying, Send to all them of the
captivity, saying, Thus saith the Lord concerning Shimea the Nehelamite,
because that Shimea hath prophesied unto you.
And I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie.
Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will punish Shimea 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 rebellion against the Lord.