Jeremiah 29

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, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had deported from Jerusalem to Babylon.

2after Jeconiah the king, the queen mother, the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the smiths went out from Jerusalem

3through Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon in Babylon, saying,

4Thus says Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon.

5Build houses and settle in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit.

6Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.

7Seek the peace of the city where I have exiled you there, and pray to Yahweh for it; for in its peace you will have peace.

8For thus says Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel: Do not let your prophets among you and your diviners deceive you, nor listen to your dreams that you dream.

9For they prophesy lies to you in my name; I have not sent them, declares Yahweh.

10For thus says Yahweh: After seventy years are fulfilled for Babylon, I will attend to you and establish my good word toward you by bringing you back to this place.

11For I know the plans that I devise for you, declares Yahweh, plans of peace and not of harm, to give you a future and hope.

12You will call to me, go and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

13You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

14I will be found by you, says Yahweh, and I will restore your captivity and gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I drove you, says Yahweh, and I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.

15Because you said, "Yahweh has raised up prophets for us in Babylon."

16For thus says Yahweh concerning the king who sits on David's throne and concerning all the people dwelling in this city, your brothers who did not go out with you into exile;

17This is what Yahweh of hosts says: See, I am sending the sword, famine, and pestilence against them, and I will make them like the vile figs that are too bad to eat.

18I will chase after them with the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and deliver them to tossing and tumult in all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, an astonishment, a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where I have thrust them there.

19Because they did not listen to my words, declares Yahweh, which I sent to them—my servants the prophets—rising early and sending them; but you did not listen, declares Yahweh.

20And you, hear the word of Yahweh, all you exiles whom I sent from Jerusalem to Babylon.

21Thus says Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, concerning Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a lie to you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will strike them down before your eyes.

22And from them a curse will be taken by all the exiles of Judah who are in Babylon, saying, "May Yahweh make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire."

23Because they acted disgracefully in Israel, committed adultery with their companions' wives, and spoke a false word in my name—which I did not command them—I know and am witness, declares Yahweh.

24Speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying,

25Thus says Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel: Because you sent letters in your name to all the people in Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,

26Yahweh has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada the priest, to serve as overseers in the house of Yahweh for every man who raves madly and claims to prophesy, and you shall put him in the stocks and the shackles.

27So now, why haven't you rebuked Jeremiah the Anathothite who sets himself up as a prophet to you?

28Because of this he sent to us in Babylon, saying, "The captivity is long: build houses and live in them, plant gardens and eat their fruit."

29Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet.

30Then the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah, saying,

31Send to all the exiles, saying, Thus says Yahweh concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, and I did not send him, and he caused you to trust in a lie.

32Therefore thus says Yahweh: Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his offspring; he will have no man dwelling among this people, nor will he see the good that I will do for my people, says Yahweh, because he has spoken rebellion against Yahweh.