INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 29 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. Jeremiah's letter concerns both the captives a... [ Continue Reading ]
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 prophet... [ Continue Reading ]
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; AND TH... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THE HAND OF ELASAH THE SON OF SHAPHAN,.... Perhaps the brother of Ahikam, and of Jaazaniah, Jeremiah 26:24; AND GEMARIAH THE SON OF HILKIAH; to distinguish him from Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, Jeremiah 36:10; WHOM ZEDEKIAH KING OF JUDAH SENT UNTO BABYLON, TO NEBUCHADNEZZAR KING OF B... [ Continue Reading ]
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 bel... [ Continue Reading ]
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 s... [ Continue Reading ]
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 prop... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS, THE GOD OF ISRAEL,.... Jeremiah 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 Ezekiel 13:2; and such who pretended to divine and forete... [ Continue Reading ]
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 N... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Nebuc... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 P... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 acc... [ Continue Reading ]
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 the... [ Continue Reading ]
[KNOW] THAT THUS SAITH THE LORD,.... Or "for", or "wherefore thus saith the Lord" x; for the word "know" is not in the text, and seems needless; though it is also supplied by other interpreters y. The words are illative, and follow upon the former; and the sense is, that since they gave heed to thei... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL PERSECUTE THEM WITH THE SWORD, WITH THE FAMINE, AND WITH THE PESTILENCE,.... Or, "follow after a 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, fa... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT HEARKENED TO MY WORDS, SAITH THE LORD,.... 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 Chronicles 36:15; WHIC... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Some parts of this letter are directed to one sort of the captives, and o... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS, THE GOD OF ISRAEL,.... Jeremiah 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, that... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE THEY HAVE COMMITTED VILLANY IN ISRAEL,.... Or "folly" f; 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 g have a tradition that they attempted the chastity of Nebuchadnezzar's daug... [ Continue Reading ]
[THUS] SHALT THOU SPEAK TO SHEMAIAH THE NEHELAMITE,.... Or, "the dreamer" h; 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... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SPEAKETH THE LORD OF HOSTS, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, SAYING,.... Jeremiah 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; but in h... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Some think he refers to the famous Jehoi... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN CAME THE WORD OF THE LORD UNTO JEREMIAH,.... After he had heard the letter read: SAYING; as follows:... [ Continue Reading ]
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 CONCER... [ Continue Reading ]
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 child... [ Continue Reading ]