Thus chapter contains a letter of Jeremiah to the captives in Babylon; and gives an account of another sent from thence by Shemaiah to the people at Jerusalem; and is closed with threatening him with punishment for so doing.

Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem The argument and tenor, the sum and substance, of an epistle, which the prophet Jeremiah, being at Jerusalem, wrote, under the inspiration of God, to his countrymen abroad, afterwards described; so the prophets…

After that Jeconiah the king Of Judah; the same with Jehoiachin, who was carried captive into Babylon when he had reigned but three months: and the queen; not Jeconiah’s wife, for he had none; but his mother, whose name was Nehushta, and who was carried captive with him, (2 Kings 24:8, 2 Kings…

By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan Perhaps the brother of Ahikam, and of Jaazaniah, ; and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah; to distinguish him from Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, ; whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; as his ambassadors, on…

Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel For the letter was written by the order of the Lord, was endited by him, and was sent in his name, the prophet was only his amanuensis; and the titles which the Lord here takes are worthy of notice: “the Lord of hosts”: of the armies above and below,…

Build ye houses, and dwell in them Intimating hereby that they must not expect a return into their own land in any short time, but that they should continue many years where they were; suggesting also, that as they had ability, so they should have liberty, of building themselves houses; nor should…

Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters That is, such as had no wives, who were either bachelors or widowers; not that they were to take wives of the Chaldeans, but of those of their own nation; for intermarriages with Heathens were forbidden them; and this they were to do, in order to…

And seek the peace of the city The prosperity and happiness of Babylon, or any other city in Chaldea, were they were placed: this they were to do by prayer and supplication to God, and by all other means that might be any ways conducive to the good of the state where they were: whither I have…

For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel (See Gill on Jer. 29:4); let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you; their false prophets, as the Targum; and there were many such in the captivity; see ; and such who pretended to divine and foretell future…

For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name They pretended to have the authority of God for what they said; that their prophecies and dreams were from him, and as such they delivered them in his name; though they were false ones; that they might be the better received by the people: I have not…

For thus saith the Lord, that after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon These seventy years are not to be reckoned from the last captivity under Zedekiah; nor from the precise present time; nor from the first of Jeconiah’s captivity; but the fourth year of Jehoiakim, and the first of…

For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord The purposes and resolutions of his heart concerning their welfare, particularly the restoration of them to their own land; these were within him, and known to him, and him only; they were remembered by him, and continued with him, as…

Then shall ye call upon me When the expected end is about to be given; when God intends and is about to bestow a mercy, he gives his people a spirit of prayer to ask for it; and even the promise of it is a considerable argument to encourage and engage more to pray for it: and ye shall go and pray…

And ye shall seek me, and find me When persons seek the Lord aright, they always find him; a God hearing prayer; a God in Christ; bestowing favours upon them; granting them his presence; indulging them in communion with him; and favouring them with fresh supplies of his grace, and everything…

And I will be found of you, saith the Lord As he is; when his favour is shown, his presence is enjoyed, and the blessing sought for is obtained: and I will turn away your captivity; this designs the captivity of Jeconiah, or of the Jews that were carried captive with him; and which had its…

Because ye have said That is, some of them; for here the Lord, by the prophet, turns from the godly among the captives, whom he had been advising, encouraging, and comforting before, to those who gave heed to the false prophets, who promised them a speedy return to their own land, and which they…

Know that thus saith the Lord Or “for”, or “wherefore thus saith the Lord” [[22]]; for the word “know” is not in the text, and seems needless; though it is also supplied by other interpreters [[23]].

Thus saith the Lord of hosts, behold, I will send upon them the sword The sword of the Chaldeans, by which many of them should fall, as they did. The Targum is, “I will send upon them those that kill with the sword:” who, though they were prompted to come against the Jews, through a natural and…

And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence Or, “follow after [[0]] them”; such as should make their escape out of the city, and go into Egypt, or other countries, for shelter and safety, should be pursued by the vengeance of God, and should fall by sword,…

Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the Lord, &c.] Which were spoken to them by the prophets; not hearkening to them, but despising them, were the same as not hearkening to him, and despising him; contempt of God, and his word, was the cause of their ruin; see (2 Chron.

Hear ye therefore the word of the Lord What he was now about to say concerning their false prophets: all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon; all that were carried captive along with Jeconiah.

Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel (See Gill on Jer. 29:4); of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy a lie unto you: two false prophets, of whom we have no account any where else but here; and are, no doubt, the prophets, or however two of them,…

And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon A form of cursing; when they cursed anyone, or wished him ill, it should be in such like manner as follows; so odious and detestable would these men be afterwards to them, whom they, at least some of them, took…

Because they have committed villany in Israel Or “folly” [[5]]; as the sins of adultery, and prophesying falsely, are afterwards mentioned. This was not the reason why the king of Babylon put them to death; though the Jews [[6]] have a tradition that they attempted the chastity of Nebuchadnezzar’s…

Thus shalt thou speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite Or, “the dreamer” [[7]]; because he pretended to have dreams from the Lord; or because what he delivered as prophecies were mere dreams; as that the captives should quickly return to their own land; so Kimchi: but Jarchi takes it to be the name of a…

Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, &c.] (See Gill on Jer. 29:4); because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem; not in the name of the captives, whom he consulted not; nor with Ezekiel the prophet of the Lord, who was of the captivity;…

The Lord hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest The same with Seraiah, who might have more names than one, and Jehoiada be one of them, who either was removed, or carried captive; and this Zephaniah, his sagan of deputy, succeeded him.

Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth Not by words only, but by actions; by beating and scourging, by pillory or imprisonment, and so restraining him from prophesying to the people: which maketh himself a prophet unto you? takes upon him such an office, though not sent of…

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…

And Zephaniah the priest read this letter Of Shemaiah’s to him, and the other priests: in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet: whether out of good will, to let him know who were his enemies abroad; or out of ill will, to stir up the people against him; or in pretence of proceeding equitably with him;…

When came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah After he had heard the letter read: saying; as follows:

Send to all them of the captivity Another letter; not to Shemaiah, but to the people, that they might all know that he was a false prophet; and how his lies were resented by the Lord; and what punishment should be inflicted on him and his, on account of them: saying, thus saith the Lord concerning…

Therefore thus saith the Lord Because he prophesied without being sent of God, and prophesied lies, by which the people were deceived: behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed; not him only, but his posterity also: thus God sometimes visits the sins of parents on their children,…