Jeremiah’s Letter to the Exiles

1This is the text of the letter that Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) the prophet sent from Jerusalem (city of peace) to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets, and all the others Nebuchadnezzar (may Nebo protect the crown) had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon (confusion by mixing). 2(This was after King Jeconiah (Jehoiachin),a the queen mother, the court officials, the officials of Judah (praised) and Jerusalem (city of peace), the craftsmen, and the metalsmiths had been exiled from Jerusalem.) 3The letter was entrusted to Elasah (God has made) son of Shaphan and Gemariah (YHWH has accomplished) son of Hilkiah (my portion is YHWH), whom Zedekiah (YHWH is righteous) king of Judah (praised) sent to King Nebuchadnezzar (may Nebo protect the crown) in Babylon (confusion by mixing). It stated:

4This is what the LORD {YHWH} of Hosts, the God {Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God), says to all the exiles who were carried away from Jerusalem (city of peace) to Babylon (confusion by mixing): 5“Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat their produce. 6Take wives and have sons and daughters. Take wives for your⁺ sons and give your⁺ daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease. 7Seek the prosperity of the city to which I have sent you⁺ as exiles. Pray to the LORD {YHWH} on its behalf, for if it prospers, you⁺ too will prosper.”

8For this is what the LORD {YHWH} of Hosts, the God {Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God), says: “Do not be deceived by the prophets and diviners among you⁺, and do not listen to the dreams you⁺ elicit from them. 9For they are falsely prophesying to you⁺ in My name; I have not sent them, declares the LORD.”b

10For this is what the LORD {YHWH} says: “When Babylon’s (confusion by mixing) seventy years are complete, I will attend to you⁺ and confirm My promise to restore you⁺ to this place. 11For I know the plans I have for you⁺, declares the LORD {YHWH}, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you⁺ a future and a hope. 12Then you⁺ will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you⁺. 13You⁺ will seek Me and find Me when you⁺ search for Me with all your⁺ heart. 14I will be found by you⁺, declares the LORD {YHWH}, and I will restore you⁺ from captivity (restore your fortunes)c and gather you⁺ from all the nations and places to which I have banished you⁺, declares the LORD. I will restore you⁺ to the place from which I sent you⁺ into exile.”

15Because you⁺ may say, “The LORD {YHWH} has raised up for us prophets in Babylon (confusion by mixing),” 16this is what the LORD {YHWH} says about the king who sits on David’s (beloved) throne and all the people who remain in this city, your⁺ brothers who did not go with you⁺ into exile— 17this is what the LORD {YHWH} of Hosts says:

“I will send against them sword and famine and plague, and I will make them like rotten figs, so bad they cannot be eaten. 18I will pursue them with sword and famine and plague. I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth—a curse, a desolation, and an object of scorn and reproach among all the nations to which I banish them. 19I will do this because they have not listened to My words, declares the LORD {YHWH}, which I sent to them again and again \I sent to them, rising up early and sending to them/d through My servants the prophets. And neither have you exiles listened, declares the LORD.”

20So hear the word of the LORD {YHWH}, all you⁺ exiles I have sent away from Jerusalem (city of peace) to Babylon (confusion by mixing). 21This is what the LORD {YHWH} of Hosts, the God {Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God), says about Ahab (father's brother) son of Kolaiah (voice of YHWH) and Zedekiah (YHWH is righteous) son of Maaseiah (work of YHWH), who are prophesying to you⁺ lies in My name: “I will deliver them to Nebuchadnezzar (may Nebo protect the crown) king of Babylon (confusion by mixing), and he will kill them before your⁺ very eyes. 22Because of them, all the exiles of Judah (praised) who are in Babylon (confusion by mixing) will use this curse: ‘May the LORD {YHWH} make you like Zedekiah (YHWH is righteous) and Ahab (father's brother), whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire!’ 23For they have committed an outrage in Israel (he wrestles with God) 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 {YHWH}.”

The Message to Shemaiah

24You are to tell Shemaiah (heard by YHWH) the Nehelamite (he of the dream) that 25this is what the LORD {YHWH} of Hosts, the God {Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God), says: “In your own name you have sent out letters to all the people of Jerusalem (city of peace), to the priest Zephaniah (YHWH has treasured) son of Maaseiah (work of YHWH), and to all the priests. You said to Zephaniah \You said/:e

26‘The LORD {YHWH} has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada (YHWH knows), 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. 27So now, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) of Anathoth, who poses as a prophet among you⁺? 28For he has sent to us in Babylon (confusion by mixing), claiming: Since the exile will be lengthy, build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat their produce.’”

29(Zephaniah (YHWH has treasured) the priest, however, had read this letter to Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) the prophet.)

30Then the word of the LORD {YHWH} came to Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed): 31“Send a message telling all the exiles what the LORD {YHWH} says concerning Shemaiah (heard by YHWH) the Nehelamite (he of the dream). Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you⁺—though I did not send him—and has made you⁺ trust in a lie, 32this is what the LORD {YHWH} says: ‘I will surely punish Shemaiah (heard by YHWH) the Nehelamite (he of the dream) 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.’”