Jeremiah 29:1-14

Jeremiah's Letter to the Exiles

1 These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to i the surviving elders of the exiles, and to j the priests, j the prophets, and j all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 This was after k King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the eunuchs, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metal workers had departed from Jerusalem. 3 The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of l Shaphan and Gemariah the son of m Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. It said: 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 n Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and o pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. 8 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: p Do not let your prophets and q your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, 1 9 for r it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; s I did not send them, declares the Lord.

10 "For thus says the Lord: t When seventy years are completed for Babylon, u I will visit you, v and I will fulfill to you my promise v and bring you back to this place. 11 w For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare 2 and not for evil, x to give you a future and a hope. 12 y Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, y and I will hear you. 13 z You will seek me and find me, when you seek me a with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, b and I will restore your fortunes and c gather you from all the nations and all the places d where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

  1. Cross References
    Ezekiel 8:1
    In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, with the elders of Judah sitting before me, the hand of the Lord God fell upon me there.
  2. Cross References
    Jeremiah 23:33
    "When one of this people, or a prophet or a priest asks you, 'What is the burden of the Lord ?' you shall say to them, 'You are the burden, and I will cast you off, declares the Lord.'
  3. Cross References
    Jeremiah 23:33
    "When one of this people, or a prophet or a priest asks you, 'What is the burden of the Lord ?' you shall say to them, 'You are the burden, and I will cast you off, declares the Lord.'
  4. Cross References
    Jeremiah 23:33
    "When one of this people, or a prophet or a priest asks you, 'What is the burden of the Lord ?' you shall say to them, 'You are the burden, and I will cast you off, declares the Lord.'
  5. Cross References
    Jeremiah 24:1
    After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken into exile from Jerusalem Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, together with the officials of Judah, the craftsmen, and the metal workers, and had brought them to Babylon, the Lord showed me this vision: behold, two baskets of figs placed before the temple of the Lord.
    2 Kings 24:12
    And Jehoiachin the king of Judah gave himself up to the king of Babylon, himself and his mother and his servants and his officials and his palace officials. The king of Babylon took him prisoner in the eighth year of his reign
    2 Kings 24:14
    He carried away all Jerusalem and all the officials and all the mighty men of valor, 10,000 captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. None remained, except the poorest people of the land.
  6. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 34:8
    Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had cleansed the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God.
  7. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 6:13
    Shallum fathered Hilkiah, Hilkiah fathered Azariah.
  8. Cross References
    Jeremiah 29:28
    For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, "Your exile will be long; build houses and live in them, and plant gardens and eat their produce."'
  9. Cross References
    Ezra 6:10
    That they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.
    1 Timothy 2:1 - 2
    First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.
  10. Cross References
    Jeremiah 5:31
    The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?
    Jeremiah 6:14
    They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace.
  11. Cross References
    Jeremiah 27:9
    So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your fortune-tellers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, 'You shall not serve the king of Babylon.
    Jeremiah 27:15
    I have not sent them, declares the Lord, but they are prophesying falsely in my name, with the result that I will drive you out and you will perish, you and the prophets who are prophesying to you.
  12. Cross References
    Jeremiah 5:31
    The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?
  13. Cross References
    Jeremiah 29:31
    Send to all the exiles, saying, 'Thus says the Lord concerning Shemaiah of Nehelam: Because Shemaiah had prophesied to you when I did not send him, and has made you trust in a lie.
  14. Cross References
    Jeremiah 25:12
    Then after seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, declares the Lord, making the land an everlasting waste.
  15. Cross References
    Jeremiah 27:22
    They shall be carried to Babylon and remain there until the day when I visit them, declares the Lord. Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.
  16. Cross References
    Jeremiah 33:14
    Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
    Jeremiah 24:6
    I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not uproot them.
  17. Cross References
    Jeremiah 33:14
    Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
    Jeremiah 24:6
    I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not uproot them.
  18. Cross References
    Isaiah 55:8 - 9
    For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
  19. Cross References
    Jeremiah 31:17
    There is hope for your future, declares the Lord, and your children shall come back to their own country.
  20. Cross References
    Jeremiah 33:3
    Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
    Daniel 9:3
    Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.
  21. Cross References
    Jeremiah 33:3
    Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
    Daniel 9:3
    Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.
  22. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 15:2
    And he went out to meet Asa and said to him, "H...
    Psalms 32:6
    Therefore let everyone who is godly offer praye...
    Psalms 78:34
    When he killed them, they sought him; they repe...
    Proverbs 8:17
    I love those who love me, and those who seek me...
    Isaiah 55:6
    Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon ...
    Hosea 3:5
    Afterward the children of Israel shall return a...
    Leviticus 26:39 - 42
    And those of you who are left shall rot away in...
    Deuteronomy 30:1 - 3
    And when all these things come upon you, the bl...
  23. Cross References
    Jeremiah 24:7
    I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.
    Deuteronomy 4:29
    But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.
  24. Cross References
    Jeremiah 30:3
    For behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the Lord, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it.
  25. Cross References
    Jeremiah 23:3
    Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply.
  26. Cross References
    Jeremiah 8:3
    Death shall be preferred to life by all the remnant that remains of this evil family in all the places where I have driven them, declares the Lord of hosts.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.