Jeremiah 29:15
New International Version
You may say, “The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,”

New Living Translation
You claim that the LORD has raised up prophets for you in Babylon.

English Standard Version
“Because you have said, ‘The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,’

Berean Standard Bible
Because you may say, “The LORD has raised up for us prophets in Babylon,”

King James Bible
Because ye have said, The LORD hath raised us up prophets in Babylon;

New King James Version
Because you have said, “The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon”—

New American Standard Bible
“Because you have said, ‘The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon’—

NASB 1995
“Because you have said, ‘The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon ‘—

NASB 1977
“Because you have said, ‘The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon’—

Legacy Standard Bible
“Because you have said, ‘Yahweh has raised up prophets for us in Babylon’—

Amplified Bible
“Because you [who have remained in Jerusalem] have said, ‘The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,’

Christian Standard Bible
You have said, “The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You have said, “The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon!”

American Standard Version
Because ye have said, Jehovah hath raised us up prophets in Babylon;

Contemporary English Version
You feel secure, because you think I have sent prophets to speak for me in Babylonia.

English Revised Version
For ye have said, The LORD hath raised us up prophets in Babylon.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You've said that the LORD has given you prophets in Babylon.

Good News Translation
"You say that the LORD has given you prophets in Babylonia.

International Standard Version
"Indeed, you have said, 'The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon.'

Majority Standard Bible
Because you may say, ?The LORD has raised up for us prophets in Babylon,?

NET Bible
"You say, 'The LORD has raised up prophets of good news for us here in Babylon.'

New Heart English Bible
"Because you have said, 'The LORD has raised us up prophets in Babylon';

Webster's Bible Translation
Because ye have said, The LORD hath raised up for us prophets in Babylon;

World English Bible
Because you have said, “Yahweh has raised us up prophets in Babylon,”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Because you have said, YHWH has raised up prophets to us in Babylon,

Young's Literal Translation
'Because ye have said, Jehovah hath raised up to us prophets in Babylon,

Smith's Literal Translation
For ye said Jehovah raised up to us prophets in Babel.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Because you have said: The Lord hath raised us up prophets in Babylon:

Catholic Public Domain Version
For you have said: ‘The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon.’

New American Bible
As for your saying, “The LORD has raised up for us prophets here in Babylon”—

New Revised Standard Version
Because you have said, “The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,”—
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Because you have said, The LORD has raised us up prophets in Babylon;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because you have said: ‘LORD JEHOVAH has raised up Prophets to us in Babel’”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
For ye have said: 'The LORD hath raised us up prophets in Babylon.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
whereas ye said, The Lord has appointed for us prophets in Babylon:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jeremiah's Letter to the Exiles
14I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore you from captivity 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 has raised up for us prophets in Babylon,” 16this is what the LORD says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all the people who remain in this city, your brothers who did not go with you into exile—…

Cross References
2 Kings 24:14-16
He carried into exile all Jerusalem—all the commanders and mighty men of valor, all the craftsmen and metalsmiths—ten thousand captives in all. Only the poorest people of the land remained. / Nebuchadnezzar carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, as well as the king’s mother, his wives, his officials, and the leading men of the land. He took them into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. / The king of Babylon also brought into exile to Babylon all seven thousand men of valor and a thousand craftsmen and metalsmiths—all strong and fit for battle.

2 Chronicles 36:20-21
Those who escaped the sword were carried by Nebuchadnezzar into exile in Babylon, and they became servants to him and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power. / So the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolation, until seventy years were completed, in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah.

Ezekiel 11:16-17
Therefore declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries to which they have gone.’ / Therefore declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you from the countries to which you have been scattered, and I will give back to you the land of Israel.’

Ezekiel 12:15-16
And they will know that I am the LORD, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them throughout the countries. / But I will spare a few of them from sword and famine and plague, so that in the nations to which they go, they can recount all their abominations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

Ezekiel 20:34-38
With a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands to which you have been scattered. / And I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, where I will enter into judgment with you face to face. / Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Lord GOD. ...

Ezekiel 22:15-16
I will disperse you among the nations and scatter you throughout the lands; I will purge your uncleanness. / And when you have defiled yourself in the eyes of the nations, then you will know that I am the LORD.’”

Ezekiel 36:24-28
For I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all the countries, and I will bring you back into your own land. / I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. / I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. ...

Daniel 9:7-8
To You, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, and all Israel near and far, in all the countries to which You have driven us because of our unfaithfulness to You. / O LORD, we are covered with shame—our kings, our leaders, and our fathers—because we have sinned against You.

Nehemiah 1:8-9
Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses when You said, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, / but if you return to Me and keep and practice My commandments, then even if your exiles have been banished to the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for My Name.’

Isaiah 11:11-12
On that day the Lord will extend His hand a second time to recover the remnant of His people from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. / He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; He will collect the scattered of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

Isaiah 43:5-6
Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east and gather you from the west. / I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back!’ Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth—

Isaiah 48:20
Leave Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! Declare it with a shout of joy, proclaim it, let it go out to the ends of the earth, saying, “The LORD has redeemed His servant Jacob!”

Zechariah 10:9-10
Though I sow them among the nations, they will remember Me in distant lands; they and their children will live and return. / I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon until no more room is found for them.

Matthew 24:31
And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

John 11:52
and not only for the nation, but also for the scattered children of God, to gather them together into one.


Treasury of Scripture

Because you have said, The LORD has raised us up prophets in Babylon;

Jeremiah 29:8,9
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…

Jeremiah 28:1
And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which was of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,

Ezekiel 1:1,3
Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God…

Jump to Previous
Babylon Prophets Raised
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Babylon Prophets Raised
Jeremiah 29
1. Jeremiah sends a letter to the captives in Babylon to be quiet there,
8. and not to believe the dreams of their prophets;
10. and that they shall return with grace after seventy years.
15. He foretells the destruction of the rest for their disobedience.
20. He shows the fearful end of Ahab and Zedekiah, two false prophets.
24. Shemaiah writes a letter against Jeremiah.
30. Jeremiah foretells his doom.














Because you may say
This phrase introduces a hypothetical statement or belief held by the people. It reflects the mindset of the exiled Israelites in Babylon, who are seeking guidance and reassurance. The use of "may say" indicates a presumption or a common sentiment among the exiles. This reflects the human tendency to seek out messages that align with personal desires or circumstances, especially in times of distress.

“The LORD has raised up for us prophets in Babylon,”
The exiles in Babylon believed that God had provided them with prophets to guide them during their captivity. This belief could stem from a desire for immediate comfort and assurance of a swift return to Jerusalem. However, the context of Jeremiah 29 suggests a warning against false prophets who were giving misleading messages of peace and quick deliverance, contrary to Jeremiah's message of a prolonged exile. Historically, Babylon was a center of power and culture, and the presence of prophets there could be seen as a way for the exiles to maintain their religious identity. This situation parallels other biblical instances where false prophets arose, such as in 1 Kings 22 with the prophets of Ahab. Theologically, this phrase challenges the discernment of true prophecy, emphasizing the need to test messages against God's revealed word.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
A major prophet in the Old Testament, known for his messages of warning and hope to the people of Judah. He is the author of the Book of Jeremiah.

2. Babylon
The empire that conquered Judah and Jerusalem, leading to the Babylonian exile. It serves as the setting for the context of this verse.

3. Exiles
The people of Judah who were taken captive to Babylon. They are the primary audience of Jeremiah's letter in chapter 29.

4. False Prophets
Individuals who claimed to speak for God but delivered messages contrary to His true word. They misled the exiles with false hopes.

5. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, who communicates His will through true prophets like Jeremiah.
Teaching Points
Discernment of True Prophecy
Believers must exercise discernment to distinguish between true and false messages. This requires a deep understanding of Scripture and reliance on the Holy Spirit.

The Danger of False Hope
False prophets offer a deceptive sense of security. True hope is grounded in God's promises and His revealed word.

God's Sovereignty in Exile
Even in difficult circumstances, such as exile, God remains sovereign. He uses these situations to fulfill His purposes and refine His people.

The Importance of Contextual Understanding
Understanding the historical and cultural context of biblical passages is crucial for accurate interpretation and application.

Faithfulness in Adversity
Like the exiles in Babylon, believers are called to remain faithful to God, trusting in His plan even when circumstances are challenging.(15) Because ye have said, The Lord hath raised us up prophets . . .--The words point to the boast of some of the exiles, that they, too, had the guidance of prophets whom, as in Jeremiah 29:20; Jeremiah 29:24, they were inclined to follow in preference to Jeremiah. In answer to that boast, he emphasises the contrast between the exiles in whom the prophet sees the future hope of his nation and the worthless king (Zedekiah) and people who had been left in Jerusalem, and for whom he foretells yet sharper sufferings. The symbolism of the "vile figs" is reproduced in Jeremiah 29:17 from Jeremiah 24:1-2. The word for "vile" is, however, not the same as in that passage, and has the stronger force of "horrible" or "loathsome."

Verses 15-23. - Jeremiah's denunciation of two leading false prophets at Babylon, with a digression on the fate of Zedekiah and Jerusalem. Some eminent critics maintain that vers. 16-20 are an interpolation, and this view is certainly supported By the omission of these verses in the Septuagint. It must also in fairness be admitted that the natural connection of ver. 15 is with ver. 21, not with ver. 16. But it does not follow that vers. 16-20 are an arbitrary interpolation. They may be regarded either as a digression in the original letter, or as inserted by an after-thought when the substance of the letter was brought into its present form.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Because
כִּ֖י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

you may say,
אֲמַרְתֶּ֑ם (’ă·mar·tem)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“The LORD
יְהוָ֛ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

has raised up
הֵקִ֨ים (hê·qîm)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

for us
לָ֧נוּ (lā·nū)
Preposition | first person common plural
Strong's Hebrew

prophets
נְבִאִ֖ים (nə·ḇi·’îm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5030: A spokesman, speaker, prophet

in Babylon,”
בָּבֶֽלָה׃ (bā·ḇe·lāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 894: Babylon -- an eastern Mediterranean empire and its capital city


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 29:15 Because you have said Yahweh has raised (Jer.)
Jeremiah 29:14
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