Jeremiah 29:24
A Response to the Letter and a Subsequent Letter
29:24 The Lord told Jeremiah, “Tell 1 Shemaiah the Nehelamite 2
Jeremiah 29:31-32
29:31 “Send a message to all the exiles in Babylon. Tell them, ‘The Lord has spoken about Shemaiah the Nehelamite. “Shemaiah has spoken to you as a prophet even though I did not send him. He is making you trust in a lie. 3
29:32 Because he has done this,” 4 the Lord says, “I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his whole family. There will not be any of them left to experience the good things that I will do for my people. I, the Lord, affirm it! For he counseled rebellion against the Lord.”’” 5
1 tn The words “The Lord told Jeremiah” are not in the text. They are supplied in the translation here to indicate the shift in topic and the shift in addressee (the imperative “tell” is second singular). The introduction supplied in the translation here matches that in v. 30 where the words are in the text.
2 tn It is unclear whether this is a family name or a place name. The word occurs nowhere else in the Hebrew Bible.
3 tn Or “is giving you false assurances.”
4 tn Heb “Therefore.”
5 sn Compare the same charge against Hananiah in Jer 28:16 and see the note there. In this case, the false prophesy of Shemaiah is not given but it likely had the same tenor since he wants Jeremiah reprimanded for saying that the exile will be long and the people are to settle down in Babylon.