Jeremiah 29:29
New International Version
Zephaniah the priest, however, read the letter to Jeremiah the prophet.

New Living Translation
But when Zephaniah the priest received Shemaiah’s letter, he took it to Jeremiah and read it to him.

English Standard Version
Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet.

Berean Standard Bible
(Zephaniah the priest, however, had read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet.)

King James Bible
And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.

New King James Version
Now Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet.

New American Standard Bible
Now Zephaniah the priest read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet.

NASB 1995
Zephaniah the priest read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet.

NASB 1977
And Zephaniah the priest read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet.

Legacy Standard Bible
So Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet.

Amplified Bible
Zephaniah the priest read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet.

Christian Standard Bible
The priest Zephaniah read this letter in the hearing of the prophet Jeremiah.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet.

American Standard Version
And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.

Contemporary English Version
When Zephaniah received Shemaiah's letter, he read it to me.

English Revised Version
And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The priest Zephaniah read this letter to the prophet Jeremiah.

Good News Translation
Zephaniah read the letter to me,

International Standard Version
Then Zephaniah the priest read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet,

Majority Standard Bible
(Zephaniah the priest, however, had read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet.)

NET Bible
Zephaniah the priest read that letter to the prophet Jeremiah.

New Heart English Bible
Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.

World English Bible
Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Zephaniah the priest reads this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.

Young's Literal Translation
And Zephaniah the priest readeth this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Zephaniah the priest will read this writing in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
So Sophonias the priest read this letter, in the hearing of Jeremias the prophet.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Thus, Zephaniah, the priest, read this letter, in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet.

New American Bible
When the priest Zephaniah read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet,

New Revised Standard Version
The priest Zephaniah read this letter in the hearing of the prophet Jeremiah.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Tsephania the Priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the Prophet
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Sophonias read the book in the ears of Jeremias.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Shemaiah's Letter Against Jeremiah
28For he has sent to us in Babylon, claiming: Since the exile will be lengthy, build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat their produce.’ ” 29(Zephaniah the priest, however, had read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet.) 30Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:…

Cross References
Jeremiah 28:15-17
Then the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah! The LORD did not send you, but you have persuaded this people to trust in a lie. / Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. You will die this year because you have preached rebellion against the LORD.’” / And in the seventh month of that very year, the prophet Hananiah died.

Jeremiah 23:25-32
“I have heard the sayings of the prophets who prophesy lies in My name: ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’ / How long will this continue in the hearts of these prophets who prophesy falsehood, these prophets of the delusion of their own minds? / They suppose the dreams that they tell one another will make My people forget My name, just as their fathers forgot My name through the worship of Baal. ...

Jeremiah 14:14-16
“The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds. / Therefore this is what the LORD says about the prophets who prophesy in My name: I did not send them, yet they say, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’ By sword and famine these very prophets will meet their end! / And the people to whom they prophesy will be thrown into the streets of Jerusalem because of famine and sword. There will be no one to bury them or their wives, their sons or their daughters. I will pour out their own evil upon them.

Ezekiel 13:1-9
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, / “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Tell those who prophesy out of their own imagination: Hear the word of the LORD! / This is what the Lord GOD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit yet have seen nothing. ...

Deuteronomy 18:20-22
But if any prophet dares to speak a message in My name that I have not commanded him to speak, or to speak in the name of other gods, that prophet must be put to death.” / You may ask in your heart, “How can we recognize a message that the LORD has not spoken?” / When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the message does not come to pass or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.

2 Peter 2:1-3
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. / Many will follow in their depravity, and because of them the way of truth will be defamed. / In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction does not sleep.

Matthew 7:15-20
Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. / By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? / Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ...

1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.

2 Timothy 4:3-4
For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. / So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

Acts 20:29-30
I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. / Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.

1 Timothy 4:1-2
Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, / influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. / And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. / It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.

Micah 3:5-7
This is what the LORD says: “As for the prophets who lead My people astray, who proclaim peace while they chew with their teeth, but declare war against one who puts nothing in their mouths: / Therefore night will come over you without visions, and darkness without divination. The sun will set on these prophets, and the daylight will turn black over them. / Then the seers will be ashamed and the diviners will be disgraced. They will all cover their mouths because there is no answer from God.”

Zechariah 13:2-3
And on that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will erase the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered. I will also remove the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land. / And if anyone still prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will say to him, ‘You shall not remain alive, because you have spoken falsely in the name of the LORD.’ When he prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will pierce him through.

Isaiah 30:9-11
These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to obey the LORD’s instruction. / They say to the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us the truth! Speak to us pleasant words; prophesy illusions. / Get out of the way; turn off the road. Rid us of the Holy One of Israel!”


Treasury of Scripture

And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.

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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.














And Zephaniah the priest
The mention of Zephaniah the priest situates this verse within the religious hierarchy of ancient Judah. Zephaniah, whose name means "Yahweh has hidden" or "Yahweh has treasured," was a significant religious figure during the time of Jeremiah. His role as a priest underscores the importance of the temple and religious leadership in Judah. Historically, priests were intermediaries between God and the people, responsible for maintaining the spiritual integrity of the nation. Zephaniah's involvement in this narrative highlights the tension between the prophetic and priestly offices, as Jeremiah often faced opposition from the established religious order.

read this letter
The act of reading the letter signifies the transmission of divine communication. In the ancient Near East, letters were a primary means of conveying messages over distances, and their public reading was a way to ensure that the message reached its intended audience. The letter in question is part of a larger correspondence between Jeremiah and the exiles in Babylon, emphasizing the importance of written communication in preserving and disseminating God's word. This act of reading also symbolizes the transparency and accountability expected of religious leaders in handling divine messages.

to Jeremiah the prophet
Jeremiah, whose name means "Yahweh will exalt," is one of the major prophets in the Hebrew Bible. His prophetic ministry was marked by calls for repentance and warnings of impending judgment, as well as messages of hope and restoration. The designation "the prophet" affirms Jeremiah's role as a spokesperson for God, chosen to deliver His messages to the people of Judah and the exiles in Babylon. This title also reflects the authority and authenticity of Jeremiah's messages, which were often met with resistance and disbelief. In the broader biblical narrative, prophets were seen as God's mouthpieces, tasked with guiding the people back to covenant faithfulness.

(29) And Zephaniah the priest . . .--The fact thus related agrees with what has been said as to the character of Zephaniah. He does not act as Shemaiah wished him. At the most he only uses the letters as a threat, possibly to put the prophet on his guard against the machinations of his enemies, possibly also to induce him to moderate his tone. We are reminded of the like conduct of the Pharisees who reported Herod's threats to our Lord, in Luke 13:31.

Verse 29. - And Zephaniah the priest, etc. This should rather be printed as a parenthetical remark.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And Zephaniah
צְפַנְיָ֥ה (ṣə·p̄an·yāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6846: Zephaniah -- 'Yah has treasured', four Israelites

the priest
הַכֹּהֵ֖ן (hak·kō·hên)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3548: Priest

read
וַיִּקְרָ֛א (way·yiq·rā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read

this
הַזֶּ֑ה (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

letter
הַסֵּ֣פֶר (has·sê·p̄er)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5612: A missive, document, writing, book

[to]
בְּאָזְנֵ֖י (bə·’ā·zə·nê)
Preposition-b | Noun - fdc
Strong's 241: Broadness, the ear

Jeremiah
יִרְמְיָ֥הוּ (yir·mə·yā·hū)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3414: Jeremiah -- 'Yah loosens', the name of a number of Israelites

the prophet.
הַנָּבִֽיא׃ (han·nā·ḇî)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5030: A spokesman, speaker, prophet


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 29:29 Zephaniah the priest read this letter (Jer.)
Jeremiah 29:28
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