Comments on Jeremiah 29

     This chapter is a letter sent to the exiled Jews in Babylon
after Jerusalem was sacked by Nebuchadnezzar.

v1-3  Introductory material.

v4-7  The Lord tells them to settle in because they are going to
be there fore a while.  Contrast this with the statement to
Jeremiah in 16:2-4.

v8-14  The Lord warns the people against false prophets among
them who deliver messages that conflict with what He has already
said (v. 8, 15).  The Lord's plans for them are well laid out and
clearly presented (v. 10-14), so there isn't any need for any
nonsense from false prophets.

v15-20  These verses are arranged as a parenthetical comment by
way of warning to the exiles at Babylon.  Verses 16-20 are the
parenthesis and v. 15, 20 identify the audience and intent.  The
purpose is to make an example of the people left at Jerusalem who
are going to be scourged because they refuse to listen to Him (v.
16-20).  As such, the exiles in Babylon should listen to Him as
well, and not resort to the false prophets raising themselves up
in Babylon (v. 15, 20).

v17 "make them like vile figs", see ch. 24 for the meaning of
this imagery.

v21-23  Here, specific examples of two false prophets are held up
following the general accusations in the preceding verses.  It is
predicted these two false prophets will die terrible deaths and
become infamous among Judah for their activities.

v24-32  This section of text is another specific case, as was v.
21-23.  However, this one is more complicated.  These verses can
be read as a miraculous prediction (v. 26-28) and fulfilment (v.
29-30), or as a more mundane cause and effect "you wrote this (v.
26-28), and then Zepheniah read it to me (v. 29), so I cursed you
(v. 30-32)".  The Hebrew suggest the miraculous reading is the
more appropriate one, and the JPS translation definitely forwards
that reading.  

     For the miraculous reading v. 28 would be the end of the
letter and v. 29-32 would be a historical add on.  For the
mundane reading v. 31 would be the end of the letter.

     Regardless of how we try to read it, what is happening is a
false prophet named Shemaiah in Babylon is trying to make trouble
for Jeremiah in Jerusalem (v. 24).  He sends nasty letters trying
get the people to hate Jeremiah (v. 25) and he even sends a
letter to the high priest Zephaniah at Jerusalem telling him it
is his responsibility to shut Jeremiah up, using violence, for
saying that the exile in Babylon will be a long one (v. 26-28). 
Zephaniah reads the letter from Shemaiah to Jeremiah (v. 29) and
the Lord summarily pronounces a curse upon him through Jeremiah
(v. 30-32).  We would assume that Zephaniah was faithful to the
Lord and His prophet Jeremiah.



Copyright © 2002 by S. Kurt Neumiller <kurtn@cybcon.com>.  All rights 
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