Focused Passage

Jeremiah 29:24-32

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

24 You are to tell Shemaiah the Nehelamite that

25 this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “In your own name you have sent out letters to all the people of Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, and to all the priests. You said to Zephaniah:

26 ‘The LORD has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada, to be the chief officer in the house of the LORD, responsible for any madman who acts like a prophet—you must put him in stocks and neck irons.

27 So now, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth, who poses as a prophet among you?

28 For he has sent to us in Babylon, claiming: Since the exile will be lengthy, build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat their produce.’”

29 (Zephaniah the priest, however, had read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet.)

30 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:

31 “Send a message telling all the exiles what the LORD says concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite. Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you—though I did not send him—and has made you trust in a lie,

32 this is what the LORD says: ‘I will surely punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants. He will have no one left among this people, nor will he see the good that I will bring to My people, declares the LORD, for he has preached rebellion against the LORD.’”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 24

Original words

You are to tell תֹּאמַ֥ר H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular - וְאֶל־ H413 Conjunctive waw | Preposition Shemaiah שְׁמַעְיָ֥הוּ H8098 Noun - proper - masculine singular the Nehelamite הַנֶּחֱלָמִ֖י H5161 Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular that לֵאמֹֽר׃ H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 25

Original words

this is what כֹּֽה־ H3541 Adverb the LORD יְהוָ֧ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָא֛וֹת H6635 Noun - common plural the God אֱלֹהֵ֥י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular says אָמַ֞ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular - לֵאמֹ֑ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct - יַ֡עַן H3282 Adverb - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative In your own name בְשִׁמְכָ֜ה H8034 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular you אַתָּה֩ H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular have sent out שָׁלַ֨חְתָּ H7971 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular letters סְפָרִ֗ים H5612 Noun - masculine plural to אֶל־ H413 Preposition all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the people הָעָם֙ H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative of Jerusalem בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֔ם H3389 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular to וְאֶל־ H413 Conjunctive waw | Preposition the priest הַכֹּהֵ֔ן H3548 Article | Noun - masculine singular Zephaniah צְפַנְיָ֤ה H6846 Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Maaseiah מַֽעֲשֵׂיָה֙ H4641 Noun - proper - masculine singular and to וְאֶ֥ל H413 Conjunctive waw | Preposition all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the priests הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים H3548 Article | Noun - masculine plural You said [to Zephaniah] לֵאמֹֽר׃ H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

BSB notes

  • Hebrew You said; the addressee Zephaniah is added for clarity.
Verse 26

Original words

The LORD יְהוָ֞ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular has appointed נְתָנְךָ֣ H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular you priest כֹהֵ֗ן H3548 Noun - masculine singular in place of תַּ֚חַת H8478 Preposition Jehoiada יְהוֹיָדָ֣ע H3077 Noun - proper - masculine singular - הַכֹּהֵ֔ן H3548 Article | Noun - masculine singular to be לִֽהְי֤וֹת H1961 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct the chief officer פְּקִדִים֙ H6496 Noun - masculine plural in the house בֵּ֣ית H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular responsible for any לְכָל־ H3605 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct madman אִ֥ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular . . . מְשֻׁגָּ֖ע H7696 Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singular who acts like a prophet וּמִתְנַבֵּ֑א H5012 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine singular you must put וְנָתַתָּ֥ה H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular him אֹת֛וֹ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular in אֶל־ H413 Preposition stocks הַמַּהְפֶּ֖כֶת H4115 Article | Noun - feminine singular . . . וְאֶל־ H413 Conjunctive waw | Preposition and neck irons הַצִּינֹֽק׃ H6729 Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 27

Original words

So now וְעַתָּ֗ה H6258 Conjunctive waw | Adverb why לָ֚מָּה H4100 Interrogative have you not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle rebuked גָעַ֔רְתָּ H1605 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular Jeremiah בְּיִרְמְיָ֖הוּ H3414 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular of Anathoth הָֽעֲנְּתֹתִ֑י H6069 Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular who poses as a prophet הַמִּתְנַבֵּ֖א H5012 Article | Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine singular among you לָכֶֽם׃ Preposition | second person masculine plural
Verse 28

Original words

For כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction . . . עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . כֵּ֞ן H3651 Adverb he has sent שָׁלַ֥ח H7971 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to us אֵלֵ֛ינוּ H413 Preposition | first person common plural [in] Babylon בָּבֶ֥ל H894 Noun - proper - feminine singular claiming לֵאמֹ֖ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Since the exile הִ֑יא H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular will be lengthy אֲרֻכָּ֣ה H752 Adjective - feminine singular build בְּנ֤וּ H1129 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural houses בָתִּים֙ H1004 Noun - masculine plural and settle down וְשֵׁ֔בוּ H3427 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural plant וְנִטְע֣וּ H5193 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural gardens גַנּ֔וֹת H1593 Noun - feminine plural and eat וְאִכְל֖וּ H398 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural אֶת־ אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker their produce פְּרִיהֶֽן׃ H6529 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine plural
Verse 29

Original words

Zephaniah צְפַנְיָ֥ה H6846 Noun - proper - masculine singular the priest הַכֹּהֵ֖ן H3548 Article | Noun - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker however, had read וַיִּקְרָ֛א H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular this הַזֶּ֑ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular letter הַסֵּ֣פֶר H5612 Article | Noun - masculine singular [to] בְּאָזְנֵ֖י H241 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine dual construct Jeremiah יִרְמְיָ֥הוּ H3414 Noun - proper - masculine singular the prophet הַנָּבִֽיא׃פ H5030 Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 30

Original words

Then the word דְּבַר־ H1697 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular came וַֽיְהִי֙ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶֽל־ H413 Preposition Jeremiah יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ H3414 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . לֵאמֹֽר׃ H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 31

Original words

Send שְׁלַ֤ח H7971 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular a message עַל־ H5921 Preposition telling לֵאמֹ֔ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the exiles הַגּוֹלָה֙ H1473 Article | Noun - feminine singular what כֹּ֚ה H3541 Adverb the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular says אָמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular concerning אֶל־ H413 Preposition Shemaiah שְׁמַעְיָ֖ה H8098 Noun - proper - masculine singular the Nehelamite הַנֶּחֱלָמִ֑י H5161 Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular Because יַ֡עַן H3282 Adverb - אֲשֶׁר֩ H834 Pronoun - relative Shemaiah שְׁמַעְיָ֗ה H8098 Noun - proper - masculine singular has prophesied נִבָּ֨א H5012 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to you לָכֶ֜ם Preposition | second person masculine plural though I וַֽאֲנִי֙ H589 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular did not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle send him שְׁלַחְתִּ֔יו H7971 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular and has made you trust וַיַּבְטַ֥ח H982 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֶתְכֶ֖ם H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural in עַל־ H5921 Preposition a lie שָֽׁקֶר׃ H8267 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 32

Original words

- לָכֵ֞ן H3651 Adverb this is what כֹּֽה־ H3541 Adverb the LORD יְהוָ֗ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular says אָמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular vvv הִנְנִ֨י H2005 Interjection | first person common singular I will surely punish פֹקֵ֜ד H6485 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular עַל־ עַל־ H5921 Preposition Shemaiah שְׁמַעְיָ֣ה H8098 Noun - proper - masculine singular the Nehelamite הַנֶּחֱלָמִי֮ H5161 Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . וְעַל־ H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition and his descendants זַרְעוֹ֒ H2233 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular He will have יִהְיֶ֨ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular no לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle one אִ֣ישׁ׀ H376 Noun - masculine singular left יוֹשֵׁ֣ב׀ H3427 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular among בְּתוֹךְ־ H8432 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct this הַזֶּ֗ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular people הָעָ֣ם H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular nor וְלֹֽא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle will he see יִרְאֶ֥ה H7200 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular the good בַטּ֛וֹב H2896 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular that אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative I אֲנִ֥י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular will bring עֹשֶֽׂה־ H6213 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular to My people לְעַמִּ֖י H5971 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular for כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction he has preached דִבֶּ֖ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular rebellion סָרָ֥ה H5627 Noun - feminine singular against עַל־ H5921 Preposition the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ס H3068 Noun - 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.