Jeremiah 29:5-7

2. Practical advice for the captives (Jeremiah 29:5-7)

TRANSLATION

(5) Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens that you may eat their fruit. (6) Take wives and beget sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters in order that you may increase in number and not diminish there. (7) Seek the peace of the city to which I have deported you, and pray on behalf of it unto the LORD; for your welfare depends on its welfare.

COMMENTS

No information is available regarding when Jeremiah sent this letter to Babylon. The likelihood is that the letter dates to the time shortly after the deportation of 597 B.C. No doubt the exiles were finding it hard to adjust to their new surroundings in Babylonia. They were in the midst of a people who spoke a different language, had strange customs, and worshiped different gods. False prophets arose who predicted a speedy return within two years. Many were expecting the momentary overthrow of Babylon and were making no effort to accommodate themselves to the new situation. Jeremiah had some inspired counsel for the exiles. Basically he encourages them to settle down for a long captivity. He urges them (1) to build permanent houses: (2) plant gardens; (3) take wives; (4) beget sons and daughters; (5) seek the peace of the city; and (6) pray for it.[240] They are to make Babylon their homeland for the next seventy years and be loyal subjects of the government. They are to live as nearly as possible normal, peaceable lives. They should pay no heed to the dangerous agitators among them who viewed quiet submission as treasonous capitulation.

[240] C. Paul Gray calls this the first admonition in the Old Testament to pray for one's enemies.