Chapter 29
1 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the residue of the elders of the captivity , and to the priests , to the prophets , and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon,
2 ( after Jeconiah the king , the queen mother , the eunuchs , the princes of Judah and Jerusalem , the craftsmen , and the smiths had 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 to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon). It said:
4 The LORD of Armies , the God of Israel , says to all the captives whom I have caused to be carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon:
5 " Build houses and dwell in them . Plant gardens and eat their fruit .
6 Take wives and father sons and daughters . Take wives for your sons , and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters . Multiply there , and don’t be diminished .
7 Seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive , and pray to the LORD for it ; for in its peace you will have peace ."
8 For the LORD of Armies , the God of Israel says : "Don’t let your prophets who are amongst you and your diviners deceive you . Don’t listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamt.
9 For they prophesy falsely to you in my name . I have not sent them ," says the LORD .
10 For the LORD says , " After seventy years are accomplished for Babylon, I will visit you and perform my good word towards you , in causing you to return to this place .
11 For I know the thoughts that I think towards you ," says the LORD , " thoughts of peace , and not of evil , to give you hope and a future.
12 You shall call on me , and you shall go and pray to me , and I will listen to you .
13 You shall seek me and find me , when you search for me with all your heart .
14 I will be found by you ," says the LORD , " and I will turn again your captivity , and I will gather you from all the nations , and from all the places where I have driven you ," says the LORD . " I will bring you again to the place from where I caused you to be carried away captive ."
15 Because you have said, " The LORD has raised us up prophets in Babylon,"
16 the LORD says concerning the king who sits on David ’s throne , and concerning all the people who dwell in this city , your brothers who haven’t gone with you into captivity ,
17 the LORD of Armies says : " Behold , I will send on them the sword , the famine , and the pestilence , and will make them like rotten figs that can ’t be eaten, they are so bad .
18 I will pursue after them with the sword , with the famine , and with the pestilence , and will deliver them to be tossed back and forth amongst all the kingdoms of the earth, to be an object of horror , an astonishment , a hissing , and a reproach amongst all the nations where I have driven them ,
19 because they have not listened to my words ," says the LORD , " with which I sent to them my servants the prophets , rising up early and sending them ; but you would not hear ," says the LORD .
20 Hear therefore the LORD ’s word , all you captives whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.
21 The LORD of Armies , the God of Israel , says concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah , and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah , who prophesy a lie to you in my name : " Behold , I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he will kill them before your eyes .
22 A curse will be taken up about them by all the captives of Judah who are in Babylon, saying, ‘ The LORD make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;’
23 because they have done foolish things in Israel , and have committed adultery with their neighbours ’ wives, and have spoken words in my name falsely , which I didn’t command them . I am he who knows , and am witness ," says the LORD .
24 Concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite you shall speak, saying,
25 " The LORD 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 " The LORD has made you priest in the place of Jehoiada the priest , that there may be officers in the LORD ’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 the LORD ’s word came to Jeremiah , saying ,
31 " Send to all of the captives , saying, ‘ The LORD 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 the LORD says , " Behold , I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his offspring . He will not have a man to dwell amongst this people . He won’t see the good that I will do to my people ," says the LORD , " because he has spoken rebellion against the LORD ."’"