View Jeremiah 29 in the note window.
Jeremiah's letter to the captives in Babylon, to be quiet there,
ver. 1 - 7.
Not to believe false prophets; nor expect to return 'till after fifty
years, ver. 8 - 14.
The destruction of those who remained in Judah for their
disobedience, ver. 15 - 19.
The fearful end of two lying prophets, ver. 20 - 23.
Shemaiah's letter against Jeremiah, ver. 24 - 29.
Who reads his doom, ver. 30 - 32.
1: Captives - There were two carryings into Babylon, the latter
about eleven or twelve years after the former, the first was in the
time of Jehoiakim, When the princes, and all the mighty men of valour,
even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths were
carried away.
3: By the hand - Zedekiah having some occasion to send two
messengers to Babylon. Jeremiah knowing that as there were false
prophets at Jerusalem, who fed people with hopes of a speedy return, so
there were some with them in Babylon, writes the following letter, and
sends it by these two messengers, to quiet the peoples minds.
10: After - From this text it appears that the seventy years
captivity, were to be accounted from the first carrying into
captivity in the time of Jehoiakim, so that eleven years of it
were elapsed, before Zedekiah was carried away.
11: To give - This deliverance will not depend upon your merits, but
upon my own mercy, and kind thoughts and purposes I have for the seed of
Abraham my servant, and I am resolved in my own thoughts what to do, I
intend not the blotting out of the name of Israel from the earth, but to
give such an end to their trouble as themselves expect and desire.
15: Because - The prophet here turns his speech to some wicked
Jews, that were in Babylon, or in Judea.
16: Of the king - Zedekiah.
24: Nehelamite - It is probable there was such a place as Nehelam,
from whence he was.
26: Priest - Zephaniah was the second priest. In the stead - In
the stead signifies, that thou shouldest be like the good high
priest Jehoiada. Mad - That thou mightest take care of persons,
who being mad or frantick make themselves prophets.
