¹ And these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto^▵ the remnant of the elders of the exile, and to^▵ the priests, and to^▵ the prophets, and to^▵ all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar^* had exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon,

² after Jeconiah the king, and the great·​·lady, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the craftsmen, and the smiths, were gone·​·out from Jerusalem,

³ by the hand of Eleasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to^▫ Babylon to^▵ Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon) saying:

⁴ Thus says Jehovah of Armies, the God of Israel, to all those of the exile, whom I exiled from Jerusalem to^▫ Babylon:

⁵ build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;

⁶ take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to men^◦, that they may give·​·birth·​·to sons and daughters; that you may be multiplied there, and not be·​·a·​·few.

⁷ And inquire after the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be exiled, and pray to^▵ Jehovah for^▫ her; for in her peace shall you have^◦ peace.

⁸ For thus says Jehovah of Armies, the God of Israel: Let not your prophets who are among you, and your diviners, beguile you, and hearken not to^▵ your dreams which you^◦ caused to be dreamed.

⁹ For they^◦ prophesy with falsity to you in My name; I have not sent them, says^◦ Jehovah.

¹⁰ For thus says Jehovah, When^◦, at^◦ My mouth, seventy years are·​·fulfilled at^◦ Babylon, I will visit you, and raise·​·up My good word on you, to cause you to return to^▵ this place.

¹¹ For I^▵ know the thoughts that I^▵ think upon you, says^◦ Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope^◦.

¹² And you shall call·​·upon Me, and you shall go^◦ and pray to^▵ Me, and I will hearken unto^▵ you.

¹³ And you shall seek Me, and find Me, when^◦ you shall inquire·​·after Me with all your heart.

¹⁴ And I will be found of you, says^◦ Jehovah; and I will turn·​·back your captivity, and I will bring· you ·together from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have cast· you ·out^◦, says^◦ Jehovah; and I will return you to^▵ the place whence I exiled you.

¹⁵ For you have said, Jehovah has raised·​·up prophets for us in Babylon.

¹⁶ For thus says Jehovah to^▵ the king sitting upon the throne of David, and to^▵ all the people dwelling in this city, to your brothers who have not gone·​·out with you into the exile;

¹⁷ thus says Jehovah of Armies: Behold, I will send upon^◦ them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will put^◦ them like^◦ horrid figs, that cannot be eaten for badness.

¹⁸ And I will pursue after them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will put^◦ them in turmoil before^▫ all the kingdoms of the earth, for an oath, and for astonishment, and for a hissing, and a reproach, among^◦ all the nations whither I have expelled them;

¹⁹ because they have not hearkened to^▵ My words, says^◦ Jehovah, which I sent unto^▵ them by My servants the prophets, getting·​·up·​·early and sending them; but you would not hearken, says^◦ Jehovah.

²⁰ And hear ye^◦ the word of Jehovah, all ye of the exile, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to^▫ Babylon;

²¹ thus says Jehovah of Armies, the God of Israel, to^▵ Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and to^▵ Zedekiah^◦ the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy falsely to^▵ you in My name: Behold, I will give them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall smite them before your eyes;

²² and from them^◦ shall be taken a reviling for all the exiles of Judah who are in Babylon, saying, Jehovah set thee as Zedekiah^◦ and as Ahab, whom the king of Babylon parched in the fire,

²³ because they have done folly in Israel, and have committed·​·adultery with^◦ the wives of their companions, and have spoken false words in My name, which I have not commanded them; and I^▵ know, and am a witness, says^◦ Jehovah.

²⁴ And thou shalt say to^▵ Shemaiah^◦ the Nehelamite, saying,

²⁵ Thus says Jehovah of Armies, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou^◦ hast sent letters in thy name to^▵ all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to^▵ Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to^▵ all the priests, saying,

²⁶ Jehovah has given thee to be a priest instead·​·of Jehoiada the priest, that you should be overseers of the house of Jehovah, over every man^◦ who is mad and prophesies, that thou shouldest put^◦ him into^▵ prison^▵, and into^▵ the stocks^◦.

²⁷ And now why hast thou not rebuked Jeremiah^◦ of·​·Anathoth, who prophesies to you?

²⁸ For therefore he sent unto^▵ us in Babylon, saying, This^◦ captivity is long; build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.

²⁹ And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah^◦ the prophet.

³⁰ And the word of Jehovah was to^▵ Jeremiah^◦, saying,

³¹ Send to all those of the exile, saying, Thus says Jehovah to^▵ Shemaiah the Nehelamite; Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, and I^◦ sent him not, and he caused you to trust in falsity,

³² therefore thus says Jehovah: Behold, I will visit Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed; he shall not have^◦ a man^◦ to dwell in the midst of this people; neither shall he see the good that I will do for My people, says^◦ Jehovah, for he has spoken revolt against Jehovah.