Jeremiah's Letter to the Captives
Jeremiah 36, verse 1. These are the words of the letter Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the elders of the captivity, and to the priests and false prophets. Jeremiah 36, verse 2. (He sent it to Babylon for the captivity and for all the people, after the departure from Jerusalem of Jeconiah the king, the queen mother, the eunuchs, and every freeman, bondman, and craftsman.) Jeremiah 36, verse 3. Jeremiah sent the letter to Babylon by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon, to the king of Babylon), saying, Jeremiah 36, verse 4. Thus says the Lord God of Israel concerning the captivity which I caused to be carried away from Jerusalem: Jeremiah 36, verse 5. Build houses and dwell in them. Plant gardens and eat their fruit. Jeremiah 36, verse 6. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands; and be multiplied and not diminished. Jeremiah 36, verse 7. Seek the peace of the land into which I carried you captive. Pray to the Lord for them, for in its peace you shall have peace. Jeremiah 36, verse 8. For thus says the Lord: Do not let the false prophets in your midst deceive you; and do not let your diviners persuade you, nor heed the dreams you dream. Jeremiah 36, verse 9. For they prophesy wrongfully to you in My name, but I did not send them. Jeremiah 36, verse 10. For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are about to be fulfilled in Babylon, I will visit you and confirm My words to you, to return your people to this place. Jeremiah 36, verse 11. For I shall consider a plan of peace for you, to give you good things and not calamities. Jeremiah 36, verse 12. Therefore, pray to Me, and I will hear you. Jeremiah 36, verse 13. Seek Me, and you will find Me, because you seek Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 36, verse 14. I will appear to you, Jeremiah 36, verse 15. for you said, “The Lord established prophets for us in Babylon.” Jeremiah 36, verse 16. Thus says the Lord against Achiab and Zedekiah: Behold, I will deliver them into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he shall smite them in your sight. Jeremiah 36, verse 17. They shall make of them a curse among all the captivity of Judah in Babylon, saying, “May the Lord do to you as He did to Zedekiah and as He did to Achiab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire,” Jeremiah 36, verse 18. because they committed lawlessness in Israel, committed adultery with the wives of their fellow-citizens, and spoke a word in My name which I did not command them; and I am a witness, says the Lord. Jeremiah 36, verse 19. To Shemaiah the Nehelamite, you shall say, Jeremiah 36, verse 20. “I did not send you in My name,” and to Zephaniah the priest, the son of Maaseiah, saying, Jeremiah 36, verse 21. “The Lord made you priest in the place of Jehoiada the priest, to be an overseer in the house of the Lord over every prophet and every man who is insane, and you shall put them in prison or into the dungeon. Jeremiah 36, verse 22. Now therefore, why have you joined in mocking Jeremiah of Anathoth, who prophesied to you? Jeremiah 36, verse 23. Did he not send you into Babylon for this purpose, saying, ‘It is far off. Build a house and dwell in it, and plant a garden and eat its fruit.’” Jeremiah 36, verse 24. Thus Zephaniah read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah. Jeremiah 36, verse 25. Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, Jeremiah 36, verse 26. “Send to the captivity, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah prophesied to you, although I did not send him, and causes you to trust in wrongdoings; Jeremiah 36, verse 27. therefore, thus says the Lord: Behold, I will visit Shemaiah and his family. There shall not be a man of them in your midst to see the good things I will do for you. They shall not see it.’”