1
Now these are the words[H1697] of the letter[H5612] that Jeremiah[H3414] the prophet[H5030]sent[H7971] from Jerusalem[H3389] unto the residue[H3499] of the elders[H2205] which were carried away captives[H1473], and to the priests[H3548], and to the prophets[H5030], and to all the people[H5971] whom Nebuchadnezzar[H5019] had carried away captive[H1540] from Jerusalem[H3389] to Babylon[H894];
2
(After[H310] that Jeconiah[H3204] the king[H4428], and the queen[H1377], and the eunuchs[H5631], the princes[H8269] of Judah[H3063] and Jerusalem[H3389], and the carpenters[H2796], and the smiths[H4525], were departed[H3318] from Jerusalem[H3389];)
3
By the hand[H3027] of Elasah[H501] the son[H1121] of Shaphan[H8227], and Gemariah[H1587] the son[H1121] of Hilkiah,(whom Zedekiah[H6667]king[H4428] of Judah[H3063]sent[H7971] unto Babylon[H894] to Nebuchadnezzar[H5019]king[H4428] of Babylon[H894]) saying[H559],
4
Thus saith[H559] the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635], the God[H430] of Israel[H3478], unto all that are carried away[H1540]captives[H1473], whom I have caused to be carried away[H1540] from Jerusalem[H3389] unto Babylon[H894];
5Build[H1129] ye houses[H1004], and dwell[H3427] in them; and plant[H5193]gardens[H1593], and eat[H398] the fruit[H6529] of them;
6Take[H3947] ye wives[H802], and beget[H3205]sons[H1121] and daughters[H1323]; and take[H3947]wives[H802] for your sons[H1121], and give[H5414] your daughters[H1121] to husbands[H582], that they may bear[H3205]sons[H1121] and daughters[H1121]; that ye may be increased[H7235] there, and not diminished[H4591].
7
And seek[H1875] the peace[H7965] of the city[H5892] whither I have caused you to be carried away captives[H1540], and pray[H6419] unto the LORD[H3068] for it: for in the peace[H7965] thereof shall ye have peace[H7965].
8
For thus saith[H559] the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635], the God[H430] of Israel[H3478]; Let not your prophets[H5030] and your diviners[H7080], that be in the midst[H7130] of you, deceive[H5377] you, neither hearken[H8085] to your dreams[H2472] which ye cause to be dreamed[H2492].
9
For they prophesy[H5012]falsely[H8267] unto you in my name[H8034]: I have not sent[H7971] them, saith[H5002] the LORD[H3068].
10
For thus saith[H559] the LORD[H3068], That after[H6310]seventy[H7657]years[H8141] be accomplished[H4390] at Babylon[H894] I will visit[H6485] you, and perform[H6965] my good[H2896]word[H1697] toward you, in causing you to return[H7725] to this place[H4725].
11
For I know[H3045] the thoughts[H4284] that I think[H2803] toward you, saith[H5002] the LORD[H3068], thoughts[H4284] of peace[H7965], and not of evil[H7451], to give[H5414] you an expected[H8615]end[H319].
12
Then shall ye call[H7121] upon me, and ye shall go[H1980] and pray[H6419] unto me, and I will hearken[H8085] unto you.
13
And ye shall seek[H1245] me, and find[H4672] me, when ye shall search[H1875] for me with all your heart[H3824].
14
And I will be found[H4672] of you, saith[H5002] the LORD[H3068]: and I will turn away[H7725] your captivity[H7622], and I will gather[H6908] you from all the nations[H1471], and from all the places[H4725] whither I have driven[H5080] you, saith[H5002] the LORD[H3068]; and I will bring you again[H7725] into the place[H4725] whence I caused you to be carried away[H7725]captive[H1540].
15
Because ye have said[H559], The LORD[H3068] hath raised us up[H6965]prophets[H5030] in Babylon[H894];
16
Know that thus saith[H559] the LORD[H3068] of the king[H4428] that sitteth[H3427] upon the throne[H3678] of David[H1732], and of all the people[H5971] that dwelleth[H3427] in this city[H5892], and of your brethren[H251] that are not gone forth[H3318] with you into captivity[H1473];
17
Thus saith[H559] the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635]; Behold, I will send[H7971] upon them the sword[H2719], the famine[H7458], and the pestilence[H1698], and will make[H5414] them like vile[H8182]figs[H8384], that cannot be eaten[H398], they are so evil[H7455].
18
And I will persecute[H7291]them[H310] with the sword[H2719], with the famine[H7458], and with the pestilence[H1698], and will deliver[H5414]them[H310] to be removed[H2189] to all the kingdoms[H4467] of the earth[H776], to be a curse[H423], and an astonishment[H8047], and an hissing[H8322], and a reproach[H2781], among all the nations[H1471] whither I have driven[H5080]them[H310]:
19
Because they have not hearkened[H8085] to my words[H1697], saith[H5002] the LORD[H3068], which I sent[H7971] unto them by my servants[H5650] the prophets[H5030], rising up early[H7925] and sending[H7971] them; but ye would not hear[H8085], saith[H5002] the LORD[H3068].
20Hear[H8085] ye therefore the word[H1697] of the LORD[H3068], all ye of the captivity[H1473], whom I have sent[H7971] from Jerusalem[H3389] to Babylon[H894]:
21
Thus saith[H559] the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635], the God[H430] of Israel[H3478], of Ahab[H256] the son[H1121] of Kolaiah[H6964], and of Zedekiah[H6667] the son[H1121] of Maaseiah[H4641], which prophesy[H5012] a lie[H8267] unto you in my name[H8034]; Behold, I will deliver[H5414] them into the hand[H3027] of Nebuchadrezzar[H5019]king[H4428] of Babylon[H894]; and he shall slay[H5221] them before your eyes[H5869];
22
And of them shall be taken up[H3947] a curse[H7045] by all the captivity[H1546] of Judah[H3063] which are in Babylon[H894], saying[H559], The LORD[H3068]make[H7760] thee like Zedekiah[H6667] and like Ahab[H256], whom the king[H4428] of Babylon[H894]roasted[H7033] in the fire[H784];
23
Because they have committed[H6213]villany[H5039] in Israel[H3478], and have committed[H6213]adultery[H5003] with their neighbours[H7453]' wives[H802], and have spoken[H1696]lying[H8267]words[H1697] in my name[H8034], which I have not commanded[H6680] them; even I know[H3045], and am a witness[H5707], saith[H5002] the LORD[H3068].
24
Thus shalt thou also speak[H559] to Shemaiah[H8098] the Nehelamite[H5161], saying[H559],
25
Thus speaketh[H559] the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635], the God[H430] of Israel[H3478], saying[H559], Because thou hast sent[H7971]letters[H5612] in thy name[H8034] unto all the people[H5971] that are at Jerusalem[H3389], and to Zephaniah[H6846] the son[H1121] of Maaseiah[H4641] the priest[H3548], and to all the priests[H3548], saying[H559],
26
The LORD[H3068] hath made[H5414] thee priest[H3548] in the stead of Jehoiada[H3077] the priest[H3548], that ye should be officers[H6496] in the house[H1004] of the LORD[H3068], for every man[H376] that is mad[H7696], and maketh himself a prophet[H5012], that thou shouldest put[H5414] him in prison[H4115], and in the stocks[H6729].
27
Now therefore why hast thou not reproved[H1605]Jeremiah[H3414] of Anathoth[H6069], which maketh himself a prophet[H5012] to you?
28
For therefore he sent[H7971] unto us in Babylon[H894], saying[H559], This[H1931] captivity is long[H752]: build[H1129] ye houses[H1004], and dwell[H3427] in them; and plant[H5193]gardens[H1593], and eat[H398] the fruit[H6529] of them.
29
And Zephaniah[H6846] the priest[H3548]read[H7121] this letter[H5612] in the ears[H241] of Jeremiah[H3414] the prophet[H5030].
30
Then came the word[H1697] of the LORD[H3068] unto Jeremiah[H3414], saying[H559],
31Send[H7971] to all them of the captivity[H1473], saying[H559], Thus saith[H559] the LORD[H3068] concerning Shemaiah[H8098] the Nehelamite[H5161]; Because that Shemaiah[H8098] hath prophesied[H5012] unto you, and I sent[H7971] him not, and he caused you to trust[H982] in a lie[H8267]:
32
Therefore thus saith[H559] the LORD[H3068]; Behold[H7200], I will punish[H6485]Shemaiah[H8098] the Nehelamite[H5161], and his seed[H2233]: he shall not have a man[H376] to dwell[H3427]among[H8432] this people[H5971]; neither shall he behold[H7200] the good[H2896] that I will do[H6213] for my people[H5971], saith[H5002] the LORD[H3068]; because he hath taught[H1696]rebellion[H5627] against the LORD[H3068].