Albert Barnes Commentary Jeremiah 29
Albert Barnes Commentary
Jeremiah 29
Albert Barnes Commentary
Jeremiah 29
"Now 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," — Jeremiah 29:1 (ASV)
The residue of the elders – that is, the elders who were still alive.
"(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,)" — Jeremiah 29:2 (ASV)
The queen: The queen-mother.
"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," — Jeremiah 29:3 (ASV)
Elasah - Probably brother of Ahikam (Jeremiah 26:24), and therefore an acceptable person at the Chaldaean court. As Zedekiah had to go in person to Babylon in his fourth year (Jeremiah 51:59), this embassy was probably sent two or three years earlier. Its date, however, was subsequent to the vision in (Jeremiah 24:1–10). It is appended therefore to (Jeremiah 28:0), not as later in point of time, but because of the similarity of subject.
"Thus 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: 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; and multiply ye there, and be not diminished. And 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." — Jeremiah 29:4-7 (ASV)
As the exile was God’s doing for their good, they were to make the best of their position and acquire wealth and influence; whereas if they were always restlessly looking out for the opportunity of returning home, they would rapidly fall into poverty and dwindle away.
Seek the peace of the city ... (Jeremiah 29:7) — this was not only because their welfare for seventy years was bound up with that of Babylon, but because it would have degraded their whole moral nature to have lived as conspirators, banded together against the country that was for the time their home.
"For 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." — Jeremiah 29:8 (ASV)
Your prophets and your diviners - The evils from which the people had suffered so cruelly at home followed them in their exile.
Dreams which ye cause to be dreamed - As long as there was a market for dreams, so long there would be plenty of impostors to supply them.
Jump to: