Now these are the words of the letter
that Jeremiah
the prophet
sent
from Jerusalem
unto the residue
of the elders
which were carried away captives
, and to the priests
, and to the prophets
, and to all the people
whom Nebuchadnezzar
had carried away captive
from Jerusalem
to Babylon
;
(After that Jeconiah
the king
, and the queen
, and the eunuchs
, the princes
of Judah
and Jerusalem
, and the carpenters
, and the smiths
, were departed
from Jerusalem
;)
By the hand of Elasah
the son
of Shaphan
, and Gemariah
the son
of Hilkiah
, (whom Zedekiah
king
of Judah
sent
unto Babylon
to Nebuchadnezzar
king
of Babylon
) saying
,
Thus saith the LORD
of hosts
, the God
of Israel
, unto all that are carried away captives
, whom I have caused to be carried away
from Jerusalem
unto Babylon
;
Build ye houses
, and dwell
in them ; and plant
gardens
, and eat
the fruit
of them;
Take ye wives
, and beget
sons
and daughters
; and take
wives
for your sons
, and give
your daughters
to husbands
, that they may bear
sons
and daughters
; that ye may be increased
there, and not diminished
.
And seek the peace
of the city
whither I have caused you to be carried away captives
, and pray
unto the LORD
for it: for in the peace
thereof shall ye have peace
.
For thus saith the LORD
of hosts
, the God
of Israel
; Let not your prophets
and your diviners
, that be in the midst
of you, deceive
you, neither hearken
to your dreams
which ye cause to be dreamed
.
For they prophesy falsely
unto you in my name
: I have not sent
them, saith
the LORD
.
For thus saith the LORD
, That after
seventy
years
be accomplished
at Babylon
I will visit
you, and perform
my good
word
toward you, in causing you to return
to this place
.
For I know the thoughts
that I think
toward you, saith
the LORD
, thoughts
of peace
, and not of evil
, to give
you an expected
end
.
Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go
and pray
unto me, and I will hearken
unto you.
And ye shall seek me, and find
me , when ye shall search
for me with all your heart
.
And I will be found of you, saith
the LORD
: and I will turn away
your captivity
, and I will gather
you from all the nations
, and from all the places
whither I have driven
you, saith
the LORD
; and I will bring you again
into the place
whence I caused you to be carried away captive
.
Because ye have said, The LORD
hath raised us up
prophets
in Babylon
;
Know that thus saith the LORD
of the king
that sitteth
upon the throne
of David
, and of all the people
that dwelleth
in this city
, and of your brethren
that are not gone forth
with you into captivity
;
Thus saith the LORD
of hosts
; Behold, I will send
upon them the sword
, the famine
, and the pestilence
, and will make
them like vile
figs
, that cannot be eaten
, they are so evil
.
And I will persecute them
with the sword
, with the famine
, and with the pestilence
, and will deliver
them to be removed
to all the kingdoms
of the earth
, to be a curse
, and an astonishment
, and an hissing
, and a reproach
, among all the nations
whither I have driven
them:
Because they have not hearkened to my words
, saith
the LORD
, which I sent
unto them by my servants
the prophets
, rising up early
and sending
them ; but ye would not hear
, saith
the LORD
.
Hear ye therefore the word
of the LORD
, all ye of the captivity
, whom I have sent
from Jerusalem
to Babylon
:
Thus saith the LORD
of hosts
, the God
of Israel
, of Ahab
the son
of Kolaiah
, and of Zedekiah
the son
of Maaseiah
, which prophesy
a lie
unto you in my name
; Behold, I will deliver
them into the hand
of Nebuchadrezzar
king
of Babylon
; and he shall slay
them before your eyes
;
And of them shall be taken up a curse
by all the captivity
of Judah
which are in Babylon
, saying
, The LORD
make
thee like Zedekiah
and like Ahab
, whom the king
of Babylon
roasted
in the fire
;
Because they have committed villany
in Israel
, and have committed
adultery
with their neighbours
' wives
, and have spoken
lying
words
in my name
, which I have not commanded
them; even I know
, and am a witness
, saith
the LORD
.
Thus shalt thou also speak to Shemaiah
the Nehelamite
, saying
,
Thus speaketh the LORD
of hosts
, the God
of Israel
, saying
, Because thou hast sent
letters
in thy name
unto all the people
that are at Jerusalem
, and to Zephaniah
the son
of Maaseiah
the priest
, and to all the priests
, saying
,
The LORD hath made
thee priest
in the stead of Jehoiada
the priest
, that ye should be officers
in the house
of the LORD
, for every man
that is mad
, and maketh himself a prophet
, that thou shouldest put
him in prison
, and in the stocks
.
Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah
of Anathoth
, which maketh himself a prophet
to you?
For therefore he sent unto us in Babylon
, saying
, This
captivity is long
: build
ye houses
, and dwell
in them ; and plant
gardens
, and eat
the fruit
of them.
And Zephaniah the priest
read
this letter
in the ears
of Jeremiah
the prophet
.
Then came the word of the LORD
unto Jeremiah
, saying
,
Send to all them of the captivity
, saying
, Thus saith
the LORD
concerning Shemaiah
the Nehelamite
; Because that Shemaiah
hath prophesied
unto you, and I sent
him not, and he caused you to trust
in a lie
:
Therefore thus saith the LORD
; Behold, I will punish
Shemaiah
the Nehelamite
, and his seed
: he shall not have a man
to dwell
among
this people
; neither shall he behold
the good
that I will do
for my people
, saith
the LORD
; because he hath taught
rebellion
against the LORD
.