Matthew Henry on Jeremiah 29:24–end
We have perused the contents of Jeremiah's letter to the captives in Babylon, who had reason, with a great deal of thanks to God and him, to acknowledge the receipt of it, and lay it up among their treasures. But we cannot wonder if the false prophets they had among them were enraged at it; for it gave them their true character. Now here we are told concerning one of them,
I. How he manifested his malice against Jeremiah. this busy fellow is called Shemaiah the Nehelamite, the dreamer (so the margin reads it), because all his prophecies he pretended to have received from God in a dream. He had got a copy of Jeremiah's letter to the captives, or had heard it read, or information was given to…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 29:28
Referring to Jeremiah's first letter to Babylon (Jer 29:5).
John Gill on Jeremiah 29:28
For therefore he sent unto us in Babylon, saying,.... That is, Jeremiah the prophet; and this was the reason, because his mouth was not stopped, and he restrained from prophesying; so that Shemaiah lays all the blame on Zephaniah, and his brethren the priests; who, had they done their duty, would have prevented Jeremiah's letter to the captives, as he suggests; the purport of which was,
this captivity is long; so Kimchi, Abarbinel, and Ben Melech, supply it; or, "it is long" (m); it will be a long time before the captives shall return to their own land; and therefore they should not think of it, or provide for it; but, on the contrary, for their continuance in Babylon; giving the following…
Read the whole note in the consoleJohn Calvin on Jeremiah 29:28-29
Jeremiah 29:28-29
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.
28. Nempe quia misit (vel, quia ideo, ad verbum, quia ob id, vel, propterea) ad nos in Babylonem, dicendo, Longum est (tempus exilii,) aedificate domos et habitate, plantate hortos et comedite fractum eorum.
29. And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.
29. Legerat autem Zephania epistolam hanc in auribus Jeremiae prophetae.
The crime ascribed to Jeremiah was, -- that he rendered the captives indifferent, so that they cast off every hope of deliverance, and disregarded their…
