Introduction
The historical situation of this chapter is that in 597 BC some 3,000 Jews were carried away into exile with Jehoiachin, including a number of priests and false prophets, along with the royal household. In Jerusalem, Jeremiah hears that some exiled false prophets are predicting a speedy fall of Babylon and a speedy restoration of the exiles.
Jeremiah therefore writes several letters to the exiles. In them, he warns them against this deception and urges them to wait patiently for God’s time. We read the first letter in verses 1-23, the second in verses 24-28, addressed to Shemaiah, a false prophet in Babylon, the third in verses 31-32.
1 - 3 The Letter of Jeremiah
1 Now these are the words of the letter which Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the rest of the elders of the exile, the priests, the prophets and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 (This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the court officials, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem.) 3 [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,
Jeremiah has so far always spoken to those who have remained in the land. Now we see here that the LORD is also concerned with those who have been taken into exile to Babylon. Jeremiah shares His feelings and writes them a letter (verse 1). The letter is not only addressed to the elders, but to all the exiles.
Among those who left for Babylon are the political leaders and also “the craftsmen and the smiths” (verse 2). The latter are the executors of what the politicians devise. By taking them all away, both the government and the executive are broken and there is nothing left to fear from Israel. The queen mother is Nehushta (Jer 13:18; 2Kgs 24:8).
Zedekiah has the letter delivered by two men in Babylon (verse 3). It may be that these men are an envoy going to Babylon to remit the tax to Nebuchadnezzar and assure him of Zedekiah’s loyalty. Babylon probably allows communication between those left behind in Judah and the exiles. The exiles are as exposed to the message of the false prophets as the people in Jerusalem. The hope of a soon end to the exile is also proclaimed in Babylon by the false prophets.
4 - 9 Prescriptions for Living in Babylon
4 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, 5 ‘Build houses and live [in them]; and plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. 7 Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.’ 8 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams which they dream. 9 For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them,’ declares the LORD.
Jeremiah speaks in his letter on behalf of “the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel” (verse 4). God remains the God of His people even though they are in Babylon. Jeremiah in his letter calls the people to settle in Babylon and submit to the authority of the king of Babylon. This means acknowledging God’s judgment. Obedience is the basis for the promised blessing.
They are to do everything there that belongs to normal life. They are to build houses to live in and gardens to live from (verse 5). They are also to establish families there (verse 6). By settling there as families, children will be born who will soon be able to go back to the promised land. In the city where they reside, they are not to seek to overthrow the authority of their heathen rulers, who are certainly not well disposed to them, but they are to seek peace for them (verse 7). They are even instructed to pray for them (cf. Ezra 6:10; Psa 122:6; cf. Mt 5:43-44). The result will be that they will then have peace themselves.
Jeremiah exhorts them to live like this because their false prophets, who are there with them, say that the time of sojourn in Babylon will be but short (verse 8). Therefore, they declare, there is no need to settle there. The exiles, however, should not listen to them, for those prophets prophesy lies in the name of the LORD (verse 9). Nor has He sent them. True hope is grounded in what God says in His Word and not in the dreams of fantasists. Jeremiah confirms in his letter the duration of the exile. This is at the same time an encouragement, for he also speaks of its end.
10 - 14 Seventy Years Exile
10 “For thus says the LORD, ‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek Me and find [Me] when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’
The LORD has determined the time period of exile for His people (verse 10; Jer 25:11-12). That period will not be exceeded. After seventy years, He will visit them. Then He will fulfill His good word and bring them back to Jerusalem. He knows His plans for His people. That are good plans, plans for welfare and not for calamity.
His plans that He communicates are about the future of His people with which He wants to give them hope (verse 11). He knows these plans; it keeps Him busy and He carries them out. Do we also know His good plans for us? Do we entrust ourselves to them? For us there is “a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1Pet 1:3).
Trusting in the goodness of the LORD will be evident in calling on and praying to Him (verse 12). He will listen to that. He will be found by those who seek Him and ask for Him with their whole heart (verse 13). The temple service is not needed as a means of drawing near to Him and the false prophets are certainly not needed for that purpose.
When someone approaches Him with a sincere heart, He will listen and hear. They may feel abandoned, but He will let Himself be found if they seek Him in spirit and in truth (cf. Jn 4:23-24). The LORD here links deliverance from exile to the prayer of His people, prayed to Him far away from the temple (verse 14; 1Kgs 8:46-51). How this works we see in what Daniel does (Dan 9:2-3).
The majority of the people will not live to see the deliverance; it is mostly for the young among them. Nevertheless, even the older ones are called to pray for it. By doing so, they can show that they trust the LORD to fulfill His Word and will encourage the young people to also pray and trust in His promises for the future.
15 - 19 Those Who Remained in Jerusalem
15 “Because you have said, ‘The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon’— 16 for thus says the LORD concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your brothers who did not go with you into exile— 17 thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Behold, I am sending upon them the sword, famine and pestilence, and I will make them like split-open figs that cannot be eaten due to rottenness. 18 I will pursue them with the sword, with famine and with pestilence; and I will make them a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse and a horror and a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them, 19 because they have not listened to My words,’ declares the LORD, ‘which I sent to them again and again by My servants the prophets; but you did not listen,’ declares the LORD.
There are also in Babylon some lying prophets, of whom the people say that the LORD has raised them up (verse 15). But surely it is clear that the word of Jeremiah has come true, establishing the falsity of their prophecies, isn’t it? Despite this, they still refuse to bow under God’s judgment. Now they are told by the LORD what will happen to those who remained in Jerusalem, who did not leave with them into exile (verse 16). Zedekiah is not mentioned by name, but he is spoken of as “the king who sits on the throne of David”, which emphasizes his great responsibility.
Those left behind in Jerusalem should not think that they can escape God’s judgment. The LORD will send the sword, famine and pestilence among them (verse 17). As a result, they will become like split-open figs that are so bad that they cannot be eaten (cf. Jer 24:2-3).
The LORD will know how to find them, when He will go after them with the sword, famine and pestilence (verse 18). Besides being miserable themselves, they will be made a terror to all the kingdoms by the LORD. No one will have regard for them. They will be a mockery and reproach among all the nations to which they will be driven by the LORD. The reason is that they have not listened to His words (verse 19). This is the cause of all the misery in the world, for God’s people and every person, believer or unbeliever.
20 - 23 Indictment of Two False Prophets
20 You, therefore, hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles, whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon. 21 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying to you falsely in My name, ‘Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will slay them before your eyes. 22 Because of them a curse will be used by all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon, saying, “May the LORD make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire, 23 because they have acted foolishly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and have spoken words in My name falsely, which I did not command them; and I am He who knows and am a witness,” declares the LORD.’”
Another word from the LORD (verse 20) comes to the exiles. Once again He reminds them that He Himself sent them away to Babylon. He does so emphatically by the calling: “Hear the word of the LORD.” In this we hear a deep compassion that they will listen to Him, lest, even in exile, they be deceived by the false prophets.
He points them to two lying prophets, Ahab and Zedekiah (verse 21). Because they have prophesied lies, He will hand them over into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar who will slay them before the eyes of the exiles. Nebuchadnezzar will do this because these two men have called for them not to submit to him. They will witness with their own eyes the fate of those who abuse the Name of the LORD and prophesy lies in His Name.
Their names they shall keep in remembrance (verse 22). These will always be mentioned as a proverbial curse. Thus they will pass on the warning not to oppose the king of Babylon and more so the LORD. If they do, they will be roasted in the fire just as they were. It seems that burning is a general death sentence in Babylon. We also see this with the friends of Daniel (Dan 3:19-22).
The LORD communicates why He is subjecting them to this judgment (verse 23). They have lived morally unsound lives by committing adultery with the wives of their neighbors. In addition, they have also prophesied lies. These two always go together. Those who live in immorality live in lies and spread lies. God’s judgment on that does not slumber.
24 - 32 Judgment on Shemaiah
24 To Shemaiah the Nehelamite you shall speak, saying, 25 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have sent letters in your own name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying, 26 “The LORD has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, to be the overseer in the house of the LORD over every madman who prophesies, to put him in the stocks and in the iron collar, 27 now then, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who prophesies to you? 28 For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, ‘[The exile] will be long; build houses and live [in them] and plant gardens and eat their produce.’”‘“ 29 Zephaniah the priest read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet. 30 Then came the word of the LORD to Jeremiah, saying, 31 “Send to all the exiles, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite, “Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, although I did not send him, and he has made you trust in a lie,” 32 therefore thus says the LORD, “Behold, I am about to punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants; he will not have anyone living among this people, and he will not see the good that I am about to do to My people,” declares the LORD, “because he has preached rebellion against the LORD.”‘“
There is also a word for Shemaiah, the Nehelamite (verse 24). This man wrote letters in his own name and sent them from Babylon to Jerusalem. In those letters he addresses the people and the priests (verse 25). In particular, he addresses the priest Zephaniah to take charge of his task as overseer in the house of the LORD, a task he has been given in place of the priest Jehoiada (verse 26). He points out to the priests, that because of their responsibility, they are obligated to throw into prison anyone who has the insane notion of being a prophet (cf. Hos 9:7b) and to chain him in such a way that it is impossible for him to speak to the people.
If this is so, why do they let this madman Jeremiah roam free (verse 27)? That man pretends to be a prophet who, by the way, dared to send a letter to them in Babylon saying that they should stay there for a long time and build houses and gardens to eat their produce (verse 28). Surely such a man must be gagged so that he cannot continue to spread his falsehood. The priest Zephaniah reads the letter to Jeremiah (verse 29). Why he does this is not clear. Is it to intimidate him, or is it to warn him?
After this word of a man the word of the LORD comes to Jeremiah (verse 30). Jeremiah is to send a new message on His behalf to all the exiles, this time about Shemaiah (verse 31). In it, the LORD declares how it really is. Shemaiah prophesied, but did so on his own initiative. The content of his prophecy is falsehood and its effect is that the people trust in falsehood and not in the word of the LORD.
The LORD declares that He will punish Shemaiah and also his descendants (verse 32). The punishment is severe. He will have no one who belongs to and is a part of God’s people. He himself will “not see the good” that the LORD will do to His people. This “good” is explained in more detail in the following chapters, Jeremiah 30-33. Shemaiah himself is completely out of it, as well as his descendants. The way away from God you never go alone. His descendants share in that fate because they themselves chose to heed their father’s call to apostasy from the LORD.