Focused Passage

Jeremiah 29:20-23

The Letter to the Exiles: Seek the City's Welfare and Wait for the LORD's Restoration

The chapter moves from the historical setting of Jeremiah's letter, to practical instructions for faithful exile life, to warnings against false prophets, to the seventy-year restoration promise, and finally to judgment oracles against hardened leaders and lying prophets.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

20So hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.

21This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying to you lies in My name: “I will deliver them to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will kill them before your very eyes.

22Because of them, all the exiles of Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: ‘May the LORD make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire!’

23For they have committed an outrage in Israel by committing adultery with the wives of their neighbors and speaking lies in My name, which I did not command them to do. I am He who knows, and I am a witness, declares the LORD.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 20

Original words

-וְאַתֶּ֖םH859Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine pluralSo hearשִׁמְע֣וּH8085Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralthe wordדְבַר־H1697Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructyou exilesהַ֨גּוֹלָ֔הH1473Article | Noun - feminine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeI have sent awayשִׁלַּ֥חְתִּיH7971Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singularfrom Jerusalemמִירוּשָׁלִַ֖םH3389Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singularto Babylonבָּבֶֽלָה׃סH894Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Verse 21

Original words

This is whatכֹּֽה־H3541Adverbthe LORDיְהוָ֨הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularof Hostsצְבָא֜וֹתH6635Noun - common pluralthe Godאֱלֹהֵ֣יH430Noun - masculine plural constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֗לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularsaysאָמַר֩H559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularaboutאֶל־H413PrepositionAhabאַחְאָ֤בH256Noun - proper - masculine singularsonבֶּן־H1121Noun - masculine singular constructof Kolaiahקֽוֹלָיָה֙H6964Noun - proper - masculine singularandוְאֶל־H413Conjunctive waw | PrepositionZedekiahצִדְקִיָּ֣הוּH6667Noun - proper - masculine singularsonבֶן־H1121Noun - masculine singular constructof Maaseiahמַֽעֲשֵׂיָ֔הH4641Noun - proper - masculine singularwho are prophesyingהַֽנִּבְּאִ֥יםH5012Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine pluralto youלָכֶ֛םPreposition | second person masculine pluralliesשָׁ֑קֶרH8267Noun - masculine singular. . .הִנְנִ֣י׀H2005Interjection | first person common singularin My nameבִּשְׁמִ֖יH8034Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularI will deliverנֹתֵ֣ןH5414Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularthemאֹתָ֗םH853Direct object marker | third person masculine pluraltoבְּיַד֙H3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructNebuchadnezzarנְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֣רH5019Noun - proper - masculine singularkingמֶֽלֶךְ־H4428Noun - masculine singular constructof Babylonבָּבֶ֔לH894Noun - proper - feminine singularand he will kill themוְהִכָּ֖םH5221Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralbefore your very eyesלְעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃H5869Preposition-l | Noun - cdc | second person masculine plural
Verse 22

Original words

Becauseוְלֻקַּ֤חH3947Conjunctive waw | Verb - QalPass - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularof themמֵהֶם֙Preposition-m | Pronoun - third person masculine pluralallלְכֹל֙H3605Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructthe exilesגָּל֣וּתH1546Noun - feminine singular constructof Judahיְהוּדָ֔הH3063Noun - proper - masculine singularwhoאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativeare in Babylonבְּבָבֶ֖לH894Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singularwill use this curseקְלָלָ֔הH7045Noun - feminine singular. . .לֵאמֹ֑רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructMay the LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularmakeיְשִֽׂמְךָ֤H7760Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singularyou like Zedekiahכְּצִדְקִיָּ֣הוּH6667Preposition-k | Noun - proper - masculine singularand Ahabוּכְאֶחָ֔בH256Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - proper - masculine singularwhomאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativethe kingמֶֽלֶךְ־H4428Noun - masculine singular constructof Babylonבָּבֶ֖לH894Noun - proper - feminine singularroastedקָלָ֥םH7033Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralin the fireבָּאֵֽשׁ׃H784Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular
Verse 23

Original words

Forיַ֡עַןH3282Adverb-אֲשֶׁר֩H834Pronoun - relativethey have committedעָשׂ֨וּH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralan outrageנְבָלָ֜הH5039Noun - feminine singularin Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֗לH3478Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularby committing adulteryוַיְנַֽאֲפוּ֙H5003Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralwithאֶת־H853Prepositionthe wivesנְשֵׁ֣יH802Noun - feminine plural constructof their neighborsרֵֽעֵיהֶ֔םH7453Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluraland speakingוַיְדַבְּר֨וּH1696Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .דָבָ֤רH1697Noun - masculine singularliesשֶׁ֔קֶרH8267Noun - masculine singularin My nameבִּשְׁמִי֙H8034Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularwhichאֲשֶׁ֖רH834Pronoun - relativeI did notל֣וֹאH3808Adverb - Negative particlecommand them [to do]צִוִּיתִ֑םH6680Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine pluralIוְאָנֹכִ֛יH595Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singularam He who knowsהוּיֹדֵעַH1931Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularand I am a witnessוָעֵ֖דH5707Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singulardeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָֽה׃סH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.