Jeremiah 29

A Letter to the Exiles

1These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the rest of the elders of the exile, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2This was after King Jeconiah, the queen mother, the court officials, the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metalworkers had gone out from Jerusalem. 3It was sent by the hand of Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah had sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. The letter said:

Build, Plant, Pray

4Thus says the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat what they yield. 6Take wives and have sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not grow few. 7And seek the welfare of the city to which I have exiled you, and pray for it to the LORD, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

8For thus says the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let the prophets among you, or your diviners, deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that you cause to be dreamed. 9For they prophesy a lie to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the LORD.

When Seventy Years Are Complete

10For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you and confirm to you my good word, to bring you back to this place. 11For I myself know the plans I am planning concerning you, declares the LORD—plans for well-being and not for harm, to give you a future and a hope. 12Then you will call upon me, and you will come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13You will seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart. 14I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.

Against the Prophets Who Stayed Behind

15Because you have said, "The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon"— 16thus says the LORD concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your kindred who did not go out with you into exile, 17thus says the LORD of Hosts: I am sending against them sword, famine, and pestilence, and I will make them like rotten figs that cannot be eaten, so bad are they. 18I will pursue them with sword, famine, and pestilence, and I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse and a desolation, a hissing and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them, 19because they did not listen to my words, declares the LORD, when I sent to them my servants the prophets, sending them again and again. But you would not listen, declares the LORD.

20But hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles whom I sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon. 21Thus says the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying a lie to you in my name: I am about to give them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will strike them down before your eyes. 22And from them shall be taken up a curse used by all the exiles of Judah in Babylon, who shall say, "May the LORD make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire," 23because they committed outrage in Israel, committing adultery with their neighbors' wives and speaking in my name a lying word that I had not commanded them. I am the one who knows; I am a witness, declares the LORD.

Shemaiah's Letter and the LORD's Reply

24To Shemaiah of Nehelam you shall say: 25Thus says the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have sent letters in your own name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying, 26"The LORD has made you priest in place of Jehoiada the priest, to be overseer in the house of the LORD over every madman who prophesies, that you may put him in the stocks and the collar. 27Now then, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth, who is prophesying among you? 28For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, 'It will be long. Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit.'"

29Now Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet. 30Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 31Send to all the exiles, saying, Thus says the LORD concerning Shemaiah of Nehelam: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you when I did not send him, and has made you trust in a lie, 32therefore thus says the LORD: I am about to punish Shemaiah of Nehelam and his offspring. He shall not have anyone among this people to see the good that I am doing for my people, declares the LORD, for he has spoken rebellion against the LORD.