Study Desk

Now these are the words of the ^(C1)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.

(This was after King ^(C1)Jeconiah and the ^(C2)queen mother, the high officials, the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metalworkers had departed from Jerusalem.)

The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of ^(C1)Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying,

"This is what the LORD of armies, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles whom I have ^(C1)sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:

'^(C1)Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their ^(F1)produce.

'Take ^(C1)wives and father sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may give birth to sons and daughters; and grow in numbers there and do not decrease.

'^(C1)Seek the ^(F1)prosperity of the city where I have sent you into exile, and ^(C2)pray to the LORD in its behalf; for ^(F2)in its ^(F1)prosperity will be your ^(F1)prosperity.'

"For this is what the LORD of armies, the God of Israel says: 'Do not let your ^(C1)prophets who are in your midst or your diviners ^(C2)deceive you, and do not listen to their interpretations of ^(C3)your dreams which you dream.

'For they ^(C1)prophesy falsely to you in My name; ^(C2)I have not sent them,' declares the LORD.

"For this is what the LORD says: 'When ^(C1)seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My ^(C2)good word to you, to bring you back to this place.

'For I know the ^(C1)plans that I ^(F1)have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for ^(F2)(C2)prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a ^(C3)hope.

'Then you will ^(C1)call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will ^(C2)listen to you.

'And you will ^(C1)seek Me and find Me when you ^(C2)search for Me with all your heart.

'I will let Myself be ^(C1)found by you,' declares the LORD, 'and I will ^(C2)restore your fortunes and ^(C3)gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you,' declares the LORD, 'and I will ^(C4)bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.'