Jeremiah 29:3 The letter was entrusted to Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It stated:

◄ Jeremiah 29:3 ►

New International Version
He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It said:

New Living Translation
He sent the letter with Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah when they went to Babylon as King Zedekiah’s ambassadors to Nebuchadnezzar. This is what Jeremiah’s letter said:

English Standard Version
The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. It said:

Berean Standard Bible
The letter was entrusted to Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It stated:

King James Bible
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,

New King James Version
The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying,

New American Standard Bible
The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying,

NASB 1995
The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying,

NASB 1977
The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying,

Legacy Standard Bible
The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying,

Amplified Bible
The letter was hand-carried by Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying,

Christian Standard Bible
He sent the letter with Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. The letter stated:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The letter was sent by Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah whom Zedekiah king of Judah had sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. The letter stated:

American Standard Version
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,

Contemporary English Version
I gave the letter to Elasah and Gemariah, two men that King Zedekiah of Judah was sending to Babylon to talk with Nebuchadnezzar. In the letter, I wrote

English Revised Version
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,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He sent the letter with Shaphan's son Elasah and Hilkiah's son Gemariah, whom King Zedekiah of Judah had sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. The letter said:

Good News Translation
I gave the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom King Zedekiah of Judah was sending to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia. It said:

International Standard Version
The letter was sent by Shaphan's son Elasah and by Hilkiah's son Gemariah, whom King Zedekiah of Judah sent to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in Babylon, and it said,

Majority Standard Bible
The letter was entrusted to Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It stated:

NET Bible
He sent it with Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah. King Zedekiah of Judah had sent these men to Babylon to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. The letter said:

New Heart English Bible
by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), saying,

Webster's Bible Translation
By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,

World English Bible
by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon). It said:

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
by the hand of Eleasah son of Shaphan, and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying,

Young's Literal Translation
By the hand of Eleasah son of Shaphan, and Gemariah son of Hilkijah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon -- to Babylon, saying,

Smith's Literal Translation
By the hand of Elasah son of Shaphan, and Gemariah, son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel, into Babel) saying,

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
By the hand of Elasa the son of Saphan, and Gamarias the son of Helcias, whom Sedecias king of Juda sent to Babylon to Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, saying:

Catholic Public Domain Version
It was sent by the hand of Elasah, the son of Shaphan, and by Gemariah, the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah, the king of Judah, sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, saying:

New American Bible
Delivered in Babylon by Elasah, son of Shaphan, and by Gemariah, son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah, king of Judah, sent to the king of Babylon, the letter read:

New Revised Standard Version
The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom King Zedekiah of Judah sent to Babylon to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. It said:

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
By Elasa, son of Shaphan, and Gamaria, son of Khelqia, whom Tsedeqia King of Judea sent to Nebukadnetsar, King of Babel, to Babel

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
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:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
by the hand of Eleasan son of Saphan, and Gamarias son of Chelcias, (whom Sedekias king of Juda sent to the king of Babylon to Babylon) saying,

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Jeremiah's Letter to the Exiles
…2(This was after King Jeconiah, the queen mother, the court officials, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metalsmiths had been exiled from Jerusalem.) 3The letter was entrusted to Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It stated: 4This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles who were carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon:…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

2 Kings 24:12-16
Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his servants, his commanders, and his officials all surrendered to the king of Babylon. So in the eighth year of his reign, the king of Babylon took him captive. / As the LORD had declared, Nebuchadnezzar also carried off all the treasures from the house of the LORD and the royal palace, and he cut into pieces all the gold articles that Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD. / 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. ...

2 Chronicles 36:10
In the spring, King Nebuchadnezzar summoned Jehoiachin and brought him to Babylon, along with the articles of value from the house of the LORD. And he made Jehoiachin’s relative Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.

Daniel 1:1-2
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. / And the Lord delivered into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, along with some of the articles from the house of God. He carried these off to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, where he put them in the treasury of his god.

Ezra 1:11
In all, there were 5,400 gold and silver articles. Sheshbazzar brought all these along when the exiles went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 7:6
These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles carried away to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar its king. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town,

Esther 2:6
He had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon among those taken captive with Jeconiah king of Judah.

Isaiah 39:6-7
The time will surely come when everything in your palace and all that your fathers have stored up until this day will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD. / And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood, will be taken away to be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

Ezekiel 1:1-3
In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the River Kebar, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God. / On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin— / the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Kebar. And there the LORD’s hand was upon him.

Lamentations 1:3
Judah has gone into exile under affliction and harsh slavery; she dwells among the nations but finds no place to rest. All her pursuers have overtaken her in the midst of her distress.

Zechariah 2:6-7
“Get up! Get up! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the LORD, “for I have scattered you like the four winds of heaven,” declares the LORD. / “Get up, O Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the Daughter of Babylon!”

Matthew 1:11-12
and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. / After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,

Luke 24:44
Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”

Acts 7:43
You have taken along the tabernacle of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’

Romans 11:26-27
And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove godlessness from Jacob. / And this is My covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

2 Corinthians 6:17-18
“Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” / And: “I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

Treasury of Scripture

By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,

Shaphan.

Jeremiah 26:24
Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.

Jeremiah 39:14
Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people.

2 Kings 22:8
And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

Gemariah.

Jeremiah 36:25
Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them.

2 Kings 22:12
And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying,

2 Chronicles 34:20
And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king's, saying,

Jump to Previous

Babylon Elasah Ela'sah Eleasah Gemariah Gemari'ah Hand Hilkiah Hilki'ah Judah Letter Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnez'zar Shaphan Zedekiah Zedeki'ah

Jump to Next

Babylon Elasah Ela'sah Eleasah Gemariah Gemari'ah Hand Hilkiah Hilki'ah Judah Letter Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnez'zar Shaphan Zedekiah Zedeki'ah

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.

Berean Study Bible

He entrusted the letter
The act of entrusting a letter signifies a deep level of trust and responsibility. In the Hebrew context, the word for "entrusted" can be linked to the idea of giving something valuable into the care of another. This reflects the seriousness with which Jeremiah's message was to be delivered. The letter was not just a casual communication but a divinely inspired message that required faithful transmission.

to Elasah son of Shaphan
Elasah, whose name means "God has made," was a figure of reliability and faithfulness. Shaphan, his father, was a scribe during King Josiah's reign and played a significant role in the discovery of the Book of the Law (2 Kings 22:8-10). This connection suggests a lineage of devotion to God's word and a commitment to truth, underscoring the importance of the message being delivered.

and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah
Gemariah, meaning "The Lord has accomplished," was another trusted individual. Hilkiah, his father, was the high priest who found the Book of the Law in the temple (2 Kings 22:8). This heritage of spiritual leadership and dedication to God's covenant highlights the gravity of the mission. The involvement of these men indicates that the message was to be handled with the utmost care and reverence.

whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent
Zedekiah, the last king of Judah before the Babylonian exile, was a complex figure. His reign was marked by political turmoil and spiritual decline. Despite his weaknesses, his decision to send these men shows a recognition of the need for communication with Babylon. This act reflects the political and spiritual dynamics of the time, where alliances and messages were crucial for survival.

to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar, the powerful king of Babylon, was God's instrument for judgment against Judah. His name, meaning "Nabu, protect my boundary," reflects his role as a formidable ruler. The mention of Babylon, a city synonymous with exile and judgment, sets the stage for understanding the context of the letter. It was a message sent into the heart of the empire that held God's people captive, symbolizing hope and divine purpose even in exile.

It stated
The phrase introduces the content of the letter, which is a message of hope and future restoration. In the broader context of Jeremiah 29, the letter contains God's promise to the exiles that He has plans for their welfare and not for disaster, to give them a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). This introduction prepares the reader for the profound and encouraging words that follow, emphasizing God's sovereignty and faithfulness even in times of distress.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) By the hand of Elasah . . .--The names of the messengers are of some interest. Elasah, the son of Shaphan, was the brother of Jeremiah's protector. Ahikam (Jeremiah 26:24). Gemariah (to be distinguished from his namesake the son of Shaphan in Jeremiah 36:12) was probably the son of Hilkiah, the high-priest under Josiah who found the lost Book of the Law (2Kings 22:4), and took a prominent part in the work of reformation. Each would therefore naturally take his place among the prophet's friends and supporters. They carried his letter as well as the diplomatic missive of the king. That they had been sent as envoys by Zedekiah indicates that the policy of the weak and vacillating king had been to some extent affected by the counsels of Jeremiah, and that he had at least half abandoned the idea of revolt, and had sent to acknowledge the suzerainty of Nebuchadnezzar. It is hardly likely, at least, that the letter from the prophet, of which they were the bearers, should have been in flagrant antagonism with their mission as envoys from the king. The embassy was probably prior to the personal visit of Zechariah recorded in Jeremiah 51:59.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

The letter was entrusted to
בְּיַד֙ (bə·yaḏ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3027: A hand

Elasah
אֶלְעָשָׂ֣ה (’el·‘ā·śāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 501: Eleasah -- 'God has made', the name of several Israelites

son
בֶן־ (ḇen-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Shaphan
שָׁפָ֔ן (šā·p̄ān)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8227: A species of rockrabbit, the hyrax

and Gemariah
וּגְמַרְיָ֖ה (ū·ḡə·mar·yāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1587: Gemariah -- 'Yah has accomplished', two Israelites

son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Hilkiah,
חִלְקִיָּ֑ה (ḥil·qî·yāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2518: Hilkiah -- 'my portion is Yah', the name of several Israelites

whom
אֲשֶׁ֨ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

Zedekiah
צִדְקִיָּ֣ה (ṣiḏ·qî·yāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6667: Zedekiah -- 'Yah is righteousness', six Israelites

king
מֶֽלֶךְ־ (me·leḵ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Judah
יְהוּדָ֗ה (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

had sent
שָׁלַ֜ח (šā·laḥ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

King
מֶ֥לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

Nebuchadnezzar
נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּ֛ר (nə·ḇū·ḵaḏ·neṣ·ṣar)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5019: Nebuchadnezzar -- 'Nebo, protect the boundary', a Babylonian king

in Babylon.
בָּבֶ֖ל (bā·ḇel)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 894: Babylon -- an eastern Mediterranean empire and its capital city

It stated:
לֵאמֹֽר׃ (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say

Links

Jeremiah 29:3 NIV
Jeremiah 29:3 NLT
Jeremiah 29:3 ESV
Jeremiah 29:3 NASB
Jeremiah 29:3 KJV

Jeremiah 29:3 BibleApps.com
Jeremiah 29:3 Biblia Paralela
Jeremiah 29:3 Chinese Bible
Jeremiah 29:3 French Bible
Jeremiah 29:3 Catholic Bible

OT Prophets: Jeremiah 29:3 By the hand of Elasah the son (Jer.)