Message to the Yehudim of the first Captivity
29:1 Now these [are] the Divrei the letter that YirmeYahu ha Navi sent from Yerushalayim unto the residue of the zekenim which were carried away captives, and to the Kohanim, and to ha Neviim, and to all the people whom Nevukadnetztzar (נבוּכדנאצּר) had carried away captive from Yerushalayim to Bavel;
29:2 (After that Yekonyah ha melekh, and the queen, and the sarisim (enunuchs), the sarim of Yehudah and Yerushalayim, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Yerushalayim;)
29:3 By the hand of El'asah Ben Shafan, and Gemaryah Ben Hilkyah, (whom Tzidkiyah melekh Yehudah sent unto Bavel to Nevukadnetztzar (נבוּכדנאצּר) melekh Bavel) saying,
29:4 For thus saith YHWH (יהוה) Tza'vot:
Elohei Yisrael, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Yerushalayim unto Bavel;
29:5 Build houses, and dwell [in them]; and plant gardens, and eat their fruit.
29:6 Take wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters; that you may be increased there, and not diminished.
29:7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto YHWH (יהוה) for it: for in the shalom thereof shall ye have peace.
29:8 For thus saith YHWH (יהוה) Tza'vot:
Elohei Yisrael; Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed.
29:9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in My Name: I have not sent them, declares YHWH (יהוה).
29:10 For Thus saith YHWH (יהוה):
That after seventy years be accomplished at Bavel I will visit you, and perform My Tov Dvar toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, declares YHWH (יהוה), thoughts of shalom, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
29:12 Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will listen unto you.
29:13 And ye shall seek Me, and find [Me], when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.
29:14 And I will be found of you, declares YHWH (יהוה): and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the Goyim, and from all the places whither I have driven you, declares YHWH (יהוה); and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
29:15 Because ye have said, YHWH (יהוה) hath raised us up Neviim in Bavel;
29:16 [Know] that thus saith YHWH (יהוה) of ha melekh that sitteth upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth in this city, [and] of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;
29:17 For thus saith YHWH (יהוה) Tza'vot:
Hinneh, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.
29:18 And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all ha mamlakah (kingdoms) of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the goyim whither I have driven them:
29:19 Because they have not listen to My Devarim, declares YHWH (יהוה), which I sent unto them by My avadim ha Neviim, rising up early and sending [them]; but ye would not hear, declares YHWH (יהוה).
29:20 Ve attah shemut Dvar YHWH (יהוה), all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Yerushalayim to Bavel:
29:21 For thus saith YHWH (יהוה) Tza'vot:
Elohei Yisrael, of Ahav Ben Kolayah, and of Tzidkiyah Ben Maaseyah, which prophesy a lie unto you in My Name; hinneh, I will deliver them into the hand of Nevuchadretzar melekh Bavel; and he shall slay them before your eyes;
29:22 And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Yehudah which [are] in Bavel, saying, YHWH (יהוה) make thee like Tzidkiyah and like Ahav, whom melekh Bavel roasted in the fire;
29:23 Because they have committed villany in Yisrael, and have committed adultery with their neighbours' wives, and have spoken lying Devarim in My Name, which I have not commanded them; even I know, and [am] a witness, declares YHWH (יהוה).
29:24 [Thus] shalt thou also speak to Shemaiyah ha Nechelami, saying,
29:25 Thus speaketh YHWH (יהוה) Tza'vot:
Elohei Yisrael, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that [are] at Yerushalayim, and to Zefanyah Ben Maaseyah the kohen, and to all the Kohanim, saying,
29:26 YHWH (יהוה) hath made thee kohen in the stead of Yehoiada the kohen, that ye should be officers in ha bayit YHWH (יהוה), for every man [that is] mad, and maketh himself a navi, that thou shouldest put him in bayit hakeleh (prison), and in the stocks.
29:27 Now therefore why hast thou not reproved YirmeYahu of Anathoth, which maketh himself a navi to you?
29:28 For therefore he sent unto us [in] Bavel, saying, This [captivity is] long: build ye batim, and dwell [in them]; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
29:29 And Zefanyah the kohen read this letter in the ears of YirmeYahu ha Navi.
Then came Dvar YHWH (יהוה) unto YirmeYahu, saying:
29:31 Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith YHWH (יהוה) concerning Shemaiyah ha Nechelami; Because that Shemaiyah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie:
29:32 Therefore Thus saith YHWH (יהוה):
Hinneh, I will punish Shemaiyah ha Nechelami, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he hinneh the good that I will do for My people, declares YHWH (יהוה); because he hath taught rebellion against YHWH (יהוה).