rsv Jeremiah:29:1-23 SEEK
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These are the words of the letter which Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the elders of the exiles ,
and to the priests ,
the prophets ,
and all the people ,
whom Nebuchadnez '
zar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon .
*
This was after King Jeconi '
ah ,
and the queen mother ,
the eunuchs ,
the princes of Judah and Jerusalem ,
the craftsmen ,
and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem .
*
The letter was sent by the hand of Ela '
sah the son of Shaphan and Gemari '
ah the son of Hilki '
ah ,
whom Zedeki '
ah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnez '
zar king of Babylon .
It said :
* "
Thus says the LORD of hosts ,
the God of Israel ,
to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon :
*
Build houses and live in them ;
plant gardens and eat their produce .
*
Take wives and have sons and daughters ;
take wives for your sons ,
and give your daughters in marriage ,
that they may bear sons and daughters ;
multiply there ,
and do not decrease .
*
But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile ,
and pray to the LORD on its behalf ,
for in its welfare you will find your welfare .
*
For thus says the LORD of hosts ,
the God of Israel :
Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you ,
and do not listen to the dreams which they dream ,
*
for it is a lie which they are prophesying to you in my name ;
I did not send them ,
says the LORD .
* "
For thus says the LORD :
When seventy years are completed for Babylon ,
I will visit you ,
and I will fulfil to you my promise and bring you back to this place .
*
For I know the plans I have for you ,
says the LORD ,
plans for welfare and not for evil ,
to give you a future and a hope .
*
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me ,
and I will hear you .
*
You will seek me and find me ;
when you seek me with all your heart ,
*
I will be found by you ,
says the LORD ,
and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you ,
says the LORD ,
and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile .
* "
Because you have said , `
The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon ,'--
*
Thus says the LORD concerning the king who sits on the throne of David ,
and concerning all the people who dwell in this city ,
your kinsmen who did not go out with you into exile :
* `
Thus says the LORD of hosts ,
Behold ,
I am sending on them sword ,
famine ,
and pestilence ,
and I will make them like vile figs which are so bad they cannot be eaten .
*
I will pursue them with sword ,
famine ,
and pestilence ,
and will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth ,
to be a curse ,
a terror ,
a hissing ,
and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them ,
*
because they did not heed my words ,
says the LORD ,
which I persistently sent to you by my servants the prophets ,
but you would not listen ,
says the LORD .'--
*
Hear the word of the LORD ,
all you exiles whom I sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon :
* `
Thus says the LORD of hosts ,
the God of Israel ,
concerning Ahab the son of Kola '
iah and Zedeki '
ah the son of Ma-asei '
ah ,
who are prophesying a lie to you in my name :
Behold ,
I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrez '
zar king of Babylon ,
and he shall slay them before your eyes .
*
Because of them this curse shall be used by all the exiles from Judah in Babylon : "
The LORD make you like Zedeki '
ah and Ahab ,
whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire ,"
*
because they have committed folly in Israel ,
they have committed adultery with their neighbors '
wives ,
and they have spoken in my name lying words which I did not command them .
I am the one who knows ,
and I am witness ,
says the LORD .'"