Jeremiah’s Letter to the Exiles

1And these the words of the writing which Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remnant of the old men of the captivity, and to the priests and to the prophets, and to all the people which Nebuchadnezzar carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babel; 2(After the going forth of Jeconiah, the king and the mistress, and the eunuchs, the chiefs of Judah and Jerusalem, and the artificers, and the smiths, from Jerusalem;) 3By 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, 4Thus said Jehovah of armies, God of Israel, to all the captivity, which I caused to be carried away captive from Jerusalem into Babel: 5Build ye houses and dwell; and plant gardens and eat their fruit: 6Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and ye shall give your daughters to husbands, and they shall bring forth sons and daughters: and ye be increased there, and ye shall not be diminished. 7And seek ye the peace of the city where I caused you to be carried away captive there, and pray for it to Jehovah; for in her peace, peace shall be to you. 8For thus said Jehovah of armies, God of Israel, Your prophets in the midst of you shall not deceive to you, and your diviners and you shall not hear to your dreams which ye dream. 9For they are prophesying in falsehood to you in my name: I sent them not, says Jehovah.

10For thus said Jehovah, That according to the filling up to Babel of seventy years I will review you and lift up to you my good word to turn you back to this place. 11For I knew the purposes which I purposed concerning you, says Jehovah; purposes of peace, and not for evil, to give to you the last part and expectation. 12And ye called me, and went and prayed to me, and I heard to you. 13And ye sought me and found, for ye will seek me with all your heart. 14And I was found to you, says Jehovah: and I turned back your captivity, and I gathered you from all the nations, and from all the places where I thrust you away there says Jehovah; and I turned you back to the place where I caused you to be carried away captive from thence.

15For ye said Jehovah raised up to us prophets in Babel. 16For thus said Jehovah to the king sitting upon the throne of David, and to all the people dwelling in this city, your brethren which went not forth with you into captivity. 17Thus said Jehovah of armies, Behold me sending upon them the sword, the famine, and the death, and I gave them as evil figs which shall not be eaten from being evil. 18And I pursued after them with the sword, with famine and with death, and I gave them for agitation to all the kingdoms of the earth, for a curse and for astonishment, and for hissing and for a reproach among all the nations which I thrust them away there: 19For that they heard not to my word, says Jehovah, which I sent to them with my servants the prophets, rising early and sending; and ye heard not, says Jehovah. 20And hear ye the word of Jehovah, all the captivity which I sent from Jerusalem into Babel.

21Thus said Jehovah of armies, God of Israel, to Ahab son of Kolaiah, and to Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, prophesying a lie to you in my name; Behold, I gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel, and he struck them before your eyes; 22And a curse was taken from them to all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon, saying, Jehovah will set thee as Zedekiah, and as Ahab, whom the king of Babel roasted them in fire; 23Because they did folly in Israel, and they will commit adultery with their neighbors' wives, and they will speak the word of a lie in my name, which I commanded them not; and I know, and a witness, says Jehovah.

The Message to Shemaiah

24And to Shemaiah the Nehelamite thou shalt say, saying, 25Thus said Jehovah of armies, God of Israel, saying, Because thou didst send writings as thy name to all the people which are in Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest, and to the priests, saying, 26Jehovah gave thee priest instead of Jehoida the priest to be overseers of the house of Jehovah, and for every man raving and prophesying, and give him to the stocks and to the prison. 27And now wherefore didst thou not reprove with Jeremiah of Anathoth prophesying to you? 28For, for this, he sent to us in Babel, saying, This is long: build ye houses, and inhabit; plant gardens, and eat their fruit.

29And Zephaniah the priest will read this writing in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet. 30And the word of Jehovah will be to Jeremiah, saying, 31Send to all the captivity, saying, Thus said Jehovah to Shemaiah the Nehelamite; Because Shemaiah prophesied to you, and I sent him not, and he will cause you to trust in falsehood: 32For this, thus said Jehovah, Behold me reviewing upon Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and upon his seed: there shall not be to him a man in the midst of this people; and he shall not look upon the good I do to ray people, says Jehovah; for he spake turning away against Jehovah.