1Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders of the captivity , and to the priests , and to the prophets , and to all the people , whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon, 2( after that Jeconiah the king , and the queen-mother, and the eunuchs , and the princes of Judah and Jerusalem , and the craftsmen , and the smiths , were departed from Jerusalem ), 3by 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, 4Thus saith Jehovah of hosts , the God of Israel , unto all the captivity , whom I have caused to be carried away captive from Jerusalem unto Babylon: 5Build ye houses , and dwell in them ; and plant gardens , and eat the fruit of them . 6Take 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 : and multiply ye there , and be not diminished . 7And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captive , and pray unto Jehovah for it ; for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace .
God's Promise of Restoration
8For thus saith Jehovah of hosts , the God of Israel : Let not your prophets that are in the midst of you , and your diviners , deceive you ; neither hearken ye to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed . 9For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name : I have not sent them , saith Jehovah . 10For thus saith Jehovah , After seventy years are accomplished for Babylon, I will visit you , and perform my good word toward you , in causing you to return to this place . 11For I know the thoughts that I think toward you , saith Jehovah , thoughts of peace , and not of evil , to give you hope in your latter end. 12And ye shall call upon me , and ye shall go and pray unto me , and I will hearken unto you . 13And ye shall seek me , and find me , when ye shall search for me with all your heart . 14And I will be found of you , saith Jehovah , and I will turn again your captivity , and I will gather you from all the nations , and from all the places whither I have driven you , saith Jehovah ; and I will bring you again unto the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive .
The Importance of Prayer and Seeking God
15Because ye have said, Jehovah hath raised us up prophets in Babylon; 16thus saith Jehovah concerning the king that sitteth upon the throne of David , and concerning all the people that dwell in this city , your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity ; 17thus saith Jehovah 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 bad . 18And I will pursue after them with the sword , with the famine , and with the pestilence , and will deliver them to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth, to be an execration, and an astonishment , and a hissing , and a reproach , among all the nations whither I have driven them ; 19because they have not hearkened to my words , saith Jehovah , wherewith I sent unto them my servants the prophets , rising up early and sending them ; but ye would not hear , saith Jehovah . 20Hear ye therefore the word of Jehovah , all ye of the captivity , whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon. 21Thus saith Jehovah of hosts , the God of Israel , concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah , and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah , who 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 ; 22and of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captives of Judah that are in Babylon, saying, Jehovah make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire; 23because they have wrought folly in Israel , and have committed adultery with their neighbors ’ wives, and have spoken words in my name falsely , which I commanded them not ; and I am he that knoweth , and am witness , saith Jehovah . 24And concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite thou shalt speak, saying, 25Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts , the God of Israel , saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thine own name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem , and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah , the priest , and to all the priests , saying, 26Jehovah hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest , that there may be officers in the house of Jehovah , for every man that is mad , and maketh himself a prophet , that thou shouldest put him in the stocks and in shackles. 27Now therefore , why hast thou not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth , who maketh himself a prophet to you , 28forasmuch as he hath sent unto us in Babylon, saying, The captivity is long : build ye houses , and dwell in them ; and plant gardens , and eat the fruit of them ? 29And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet . 30Then came the word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah , saying , 31Send to all them of the captivity , saying, Thus saith Jehovah concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite : Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you , and I sent him not , and he hath caused you to trust in a lie ; 32therefore thus saith Jehovah , 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 unto my people , saith Jehovah , because he hath spoken rebellion against Jehovah .