Jeremiah Chapter 29
Jeremiah 29
Letter to the Captives
Jeremiah 29:1-4, A Letter from Jerusalem to the Captives in Babylon
Jeremiah 29:1-4, “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;”
Jeremiah 29 records a letter sent by Jeremiah from Jerusalem to the Jewish captives in Babylon. This means Jeremiah’s prophetic ministry was not limited to public preaching in Judah. He also ministered by written word to those already carried away. The word of the LORD was valid whether preached aloud in the temple court or sent in a letter to exiles far from home.
The recipients were the residue of the elders, priests, prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive. These were the exiles taken after Jeconiah, also called Jehoiachin, was removed from Jerusalem. The queen, eunuchs, princes, carpenters, and smiths had also gone into exile. Babylon had already stripped Judah of much of its royal leadership, skilled labor, and national strength.
2 Kings 24:14-16, “And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths, none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land. And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.”
The letter was carried by Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, men sent by Zedekiah to Babylon. God used ordinary diplomatic channels to carry a divine message. The exiles needed correction, comfort, and instruction because false prophets in Babylon were telling them that the exile would soon end.
The LORD identifies Himself as “the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel.” Though the people are in Babylon, He is still their God. Though they have been removed from the temple and the land, He has not ceased to rule over them. God also says He caused them to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar was the human instrument, but the exile was under God’s sovereign hand.
This is essential for understanding the chapter. Their exile was not random tragedy. It was divine discipline. But because it was from God’s hand, it also had purpose, limits, and hope.
Jeremiah 29:5-9, Make Yourself at Home and Be Good Citizens in Babylon
Jeremiah 29:5-9, “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.”
The LORD commands the exiles to settle in Babylon. They are to build houses and dwell in them, plant gardens and eat their fruit, take wives, have sons and daughters, arrange marriages for their children, and multiply. This means the exile will not be short. They should not live out of suitcases, spiritually or practically. They must accept that God has placed them in Babylon for a long season.
This command would have been hard to hear. Many probably wanted to resist normal life in Babylon because they expected a quick return. False prophets encouraged them to believe that Babylon would collapse soon. But God tells them to live faithfully where He has placed them.
They are to be increased there and not diminished. Exile is discipline, not annihilation. God does not intend to erase His people in Babylon. He intends to preserve them, multiply them, and prepare them for future restoration.
The command in verse 7 is remarkable, “seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it.” They are not told to love Babylon’s idols, adopt Babylon’s sins, or forget Jerusalem. But they are told to seek the peace, welfare, and stability of the city where God has placed them.
They are also commanded to pray for Babylon. This is astonishing because Babylon was their captor. Yet God’s people were to be a blessing even in exile. Their own welfare would be connected to the welfare of the city, “for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.”
This gives an important biblical principle for believers living as pilgrims and strangers. God’s people must not conform to the world, but they should do good where God has placed them.
1 Peter 2:11-12, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul, Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
The exiles must also reject the false prophets and diviners among them. God says, “Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you.” There were false prophets not only in Jerusalem, but also among the captives in Babylon. These men promised a quick escape and stirred up false hopes.
The LORD says not to hearken to the dreams they caused to be dreamed. The people had a part in the deception because they wanted these dreams. They wanted a message that confirmed their desires. The false prophets prophesied falsely in God’s name, but the LORD had not sent them.
A false message may sound hopeful, religious, and patriotic, but if God has not sent it, it is deception.
Jeremiah 29:10-14, The Promise to Bring Them Back into the Land
Jeremiah 29:10-14, “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.”
The LORD gives the true timeline. The exile will not end in two years, as the false prophets suggested. It will last until seventy years are accomplished at Babylon. This agrees with Jeremiah 25.
Jeremiah 25:11-12, “And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.”
The seventy years were long enough that many first generation exiles would die in Babylon. Yet the exile had an appointed end. God says, “I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you.” The false prophets had a pleasant word, but not a good word. God’s word was harder because it was true, but it was truly good because it ended in restoration.
Verse 11 is one of the most quoted promises in Jeremiah, but it must be understood in its context. It was written to Jewish exiles in Babylon under divine discipline. God’s thoughts toward them were thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give them “an expected end.” The promise does not mean the exile would be painless or short. It means God’s discipline had a gracious purpose and a hopeful end.
The exiles may have felt abandoned. God tells them that He knows His thoughts toward them. They may not understand His plan, but He does. They may feel judged, but His final purpose for the remnant is peace. They may feel that their future is gone, but God says He will give them an expected end.
This reveals the heart of God toward His covenant people. Even when He disciplines them, He does not stop thinking toward them in mercy.
Psalm 40:5, “Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to usward, they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee, if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.”
The promise also includes renewed prayer. “Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.” Though they are far from Jerusalem and unable to worship at the temple as before, God will hear them in Babylon. Exile does not place them beyond the reach of prayer.
God also promises that they will seek Him and find Him when they search for Him with all their heart. This is the kind of whole hearted seeking Judah had long refused. God is not found by shallow religious interest, but He promises to be found by those who seek Him truly.
Deuteronomy 4:29, “But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.”
God then promises to turn away their captivity, gather them from all nations and places where He had driven them, and bring them again to the place from which He caused them to be carried away. This promise has a near fulfillment in the return from Babylon under Cyrus, and it also fits the broader pattern of Israel’s future restoration.
The New Covenant fulfillment is ultimately centered in Christ. God’s people receive the deepest restoration through the blood of the New Testament.
Luke 22:20, “Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.”
Jeremiah 29 teaches that God’s true hope is not denial of judgment. It is restoration through judgment according to His appointed word.
Jeremiah 29:15-20, God’s Displeasure with Those Who Remained in Jerusalem and Judah
Jeremiah 29:15-20, “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:”
Some among the exiles claimed that the LORD had raised up prophets for them in Babylon. These prophets likely contradicted Jeremiah’s letter and promised a quick return. They may also have encouraged the exiles to envy those who remained in Jerusalem under Zedekiah.
The LORD corrects that false view. Those still in Jerusalem are not necessarily better off. The king on David’s throne, the people dwelling in the city, and the brethren not gone into captivity will face sword, famine, and pestilence.
God says He will make them like vile figs that cannot be eaten. This repeats the image from Jeremiah 24.
Jeremiah 24:8, “And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil, surely thus saith the LORD, So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt.”
The exiles may have assumed that being carried away proved they were cursed and that remaining in Jerusalem proved favor. God says the opposite. The first exiles are under discipline for restoration. The remaining rebels are vile figs headed for deeper judgment.
The judgment will make them a curse, astonishment, hissing, and reproach among the nations. The reason is repeated, “Because they have not hearkened to my words.” God sent His servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, but the people would not hear.
The exiles themselves are also warned, “but ye would not hear.” They must not imagine themselves innocent in a proud way. They are in Babylon because Judah as a whole refused the word of the LORD. Yet now, in exile, they must hear the word God sends.
Jeremiah 29:21-23, The Message to the False Prophets Ahab and Zedekiah
Jeremiah 29:21-23, “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.”
The LORD now names two false prophets in Babylon, Ahab the son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah. They prophesied lies in God’s name. Their names may have sounded respectable, but their message was false and their lives were corrupt.
God says He will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar, and he will slay them before the eyes of the exiles. These men had likely prophesied that Babylon’s power was weak and that Jewish return was near. But they themselves would be executed by the very king they claimed was fading.
Their death would become a curse proverb among the captives, “The LORD make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire.” Their end would be so terrible that people would use their names as a warning.
God gives the reasons. They committed villainy in Israel, committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and spoke lying words in God’s name. Their private immorality and public false prophecy belonged together. Men corrupt in life often become corrupt in doctrine and message. They were unfaithful both sexually and spiritually.
The LORD says, “even I know, and am a witness.” Their sins may not have been fully known by the people, but God saw everything. He was witness to their adultery and their false words. No false prophet can hide behind public charisma, religious language, or private secrecy.
Hebrews 4:13, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight, but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
God’s judgment on Ahab and Zedekiah shows that lies in His name are not small matters.
Jeremiah 29:24-28, The Message to Shemaiah
Jeremiah 29:24-28, “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.”
The LORD next addresses Shemaiah the Nehelamite. Shemaiah had sent letters from Babylon to Jerusalem, especially to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest and to all the priests. He wanted the Jerusalem authorities to silence Jeremiah.
Shemaiah claimed that Zephaniah had been made priest in the place of Jehoiada so that he could act as an officer in the house of the LORD against every man who was “mad” and claimed to be a prophet. This was his slander against Jeremiah. He treated Jeremiah as deranged, self appointed, and worthy of imprisonment and the stocks.
This is the same strategy used by many enemies of the word of God. When they cannot answer the message, they attack the messenger. Shemaiah did not refute Jeremiah’s prophecy from Scripture or prove that God had spoken otherwise. He tried to get Jeremiah punished.
Shemaiah specifically complains that Jeremiah sent a message to the exiles saying, “This captivity is long, build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.” This shows that Shemaiah understood Jeremiah’s message. He rejected it because it contradicted the false hope of a quick return.
Jeremiah was telling the captives the truth, even though it was hard. Shemaiah wanted that truth suppressed.
Jeremiah 29:29-32, The Judgment to Come upon Shemaiah
Jeremiah 29:29-32, “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.”
Zephaniah the priest reads Shemaiah’s letter in Jeremiah’s hearing. Then the word of the LORD comes to Jeremiah with a message for all the captives. The issue must be addressed publicly because Shemaiah’s false message had public influence.
God says Shemaiah prophesied, but God did not send him. This is the repeated mark of false prophets in Jeremiah. They speak, but God did not send. They claim authority, but they have no commission.
Shemaiah caused the people to trust in a lie. This is what false prophets do. They create confidence in something God has not said. That confidence is deadly because it leads people away from repentance and obedience.
Therefore God will punish Shemaiah and his seed. He will not have a man to dwell among the people. His line will be cut off from participation in the restored community. He will not see the good God will do for His people.
This final phrase is sobering, “neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people.” God had promised real good, a return after seventy years, restoration, and an expected end. But Shemaiah would not see it because he taught rebellion against the LORD.
False prophets often claim to be messengers of hope, but their rebellion can exclude them from the very good God promises to His people.
Doctrinal and Practical Notes
Jeremiah 29 teaches that God’s word can reach His people even in exile. Jeremiah sent a letter from Jerusalem, but it was truly the word of the LORD to the captives in Babylon.
Jeremiah 29 teaches that divine discipline may be long but purposeful. The exile would last seventy years, not two, but God appointed it for preservation and future restoration.
Jeremiah 29 teaches that God’s people should live faithfully where He places them. The exiles were to build houses, plant gardens, marry, have children, and increase in Babylon.
Jeremiah 29 teaches that God’s people should seek the peace of the city where they live. They were to pray for Babylon’s peace, without adopting Babylon’s idolatry.
Jeremiah 29 teaches that false prophets often promise quick relief from God’s discipline. Their message may sound hopeful, but if God has not sent it, it is a lie.
Jeremiah 29 teaches that God’s thoughts toward His disciplined people are still thoughts of peace. His discipline does not cancel His covenant mercy.
Jeremiah 29 teaches that God gives His people an expected end. The exiles had a real future and hope, but it came through God’s timetable, not false prophetic shortcuts.
Jeremiah 29 teaches that God hears prayer outside the normal visible structures of worship. The captives could call on Him in Babylon, and He would hear.
Jeremiah 29 teaches that whole hearted seeking finds God. “Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29 teaches that those who seem safe may actually be under deeper judgment. The remaining people in Jerusalem were vile figs, while the exiles were under discipline for restoration.
Jeremiah 29 teaches that private immorality and public false ministry often go together. Ahab and Zedekiah committed adultery and prophesied lies.
Jeremiah 29 teaches that opposing God’s true messenger can be rebellion against the LORD. Shemaiah tried to have Jeremiah imprisoned because Jeremiah spoke the truth.
Jeremiah 29 teaches that false teachers may miss the good God does for His people. Shemaiah would not see the good promised to the restored remnant.
Summary
Jeremiah 29 records Jeremiah’s letter from Jerusalem to the Jewish captives in Babylon after Jeconiah, the queen, the officials, princes, carpenters, and smiths had been carried away. The letter was sent by Elasah and Gemariah, whom Zedekiah sent to Babylon. The LORD addresses the exiles as those He caused to be carried away, showing that their captivity was under His sovereign discipline.
The exiles are commanded to build houses, plant gardens, marry, have children, and increase in Babylon. They are to seek the peace of the city and pray to the LORD for it, because in its peace they will have peace. They are also warned not to listen to prophets, diviners, or dreams that promise a quick return, because those prophets speak falsely in God’s name.
The LORD then gives the true promise. After seventy years are accomplished at Babylon, He will visit them and perform His good word, causing them to return. His thoughts toward them are thoughts of peace and not evil, to give them an expected end. They will call upon Him, pray to Him, seek Him, and find Him when they search with all their heart. He will turn away their captivity, gather them from all nations and places where He drove them, and bring them back.
The chapter then warns the exiles not to envy those remaining in Jerusalem. Zedekiah, the people in the city, and those not carried into captivity are like vile figs that cannot be eaten. God will send sword, famine, and pestilence upon them and make them a curse, astonishment, hissing, and reproach because they refused His words.
Finally, the LORD addresses specific false prophets in Babylon. Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah prophesied lies in God’s name, committed adultery, and would be slain by Nebuchadrezzar, becoming a curse among the exiles. Shemaiah the Nehelamite sent letters to Jerusalem trying to get Jeremiah imprisoned as a madman and false prophet. God declares that Shemaiah had not been sent, had caused the people to trust in a lie, and had taught rebellion against the LORD. Therefore he and his line would be punished, and he would not see the good God would do for His people.
