The Mystery of Ephraim

Chapter 29 involves Jeremiah’s Letter to the Exiles and its Consequences.

Just as certain false prophets had tried to arouse and maintain false hopes among the inhabitants in Jerusalem, there were also certain men who were active among the exiles in Babylon. The result was that a spirit of discontent and restlessness took hold among the captives, which not only increased the bitterness of their affliction, but also tended to be confused who was a true prophet of God and who wasn’t.

Jeremiah therefore, by God’s command, sent a letter to the exiles, in which he reaffirmed them some prophetic insights if they were to accept God’s words that they obey the Chaldeans, not be fostered by false prophets, who urged the people to rebel against their conquerors; but built houses, plant vineyards and be prepared for a long stay in Babylon.

Jeremiah 29

The Contents of the Letter.

¹ Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders who were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon

— now, these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem unto the elders of the exile, to those who had survived the hardships up to that time;

— and to the captives, the priests, prophets and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon, to the congregation of the exiles, disorganized as it was in the conditions of their living situation;

— and the prophets: including one true prophet that was carried captive, and that was Ezekiel, which was granted numerous visions from God and compiled into another prophetic book, Ezekiel, after his name; but of false prophets there were many.

² (after Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem), — after that Jeconiah (Jehoiachin or Jechonias (reign 598–597)), the king, and the queen, Nehushta, the dowager, daughter of Einathan,

— and the eunuchs, the courtiers or chamberlains, high court officers, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, all the artisans and craftsmen of the city, II Kings 24:16, were departed from Jerusalem.

³ by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying:

⁴ “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all who are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon: — the Introduction of the Letter;

⁵ Build ye houses and dwell in them, and plant gardens and eat the fruit of them. — the Contents of the Letter; the exile would be 70 years, not just 2 years! So build houses;

— the endtime iniquite, which could be a form of an exile, of whom Ezekiel was one for “bearing their iniquity” for the house of Israel could be 190 years, and not just 3 and a half years; see Ezekiel 4.

⁶ Take ye wives and beget sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters, that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.

— take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; that is, such as had no wives, who were either bachelors or widowers; not that they were to take wives of the Chaldeans, but of those of their own nation; for intermarriages with heathens were forbidden them; in order to propagate their posterity and keep up a succession.

⁷ And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it; for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace. — and seek the peace of the city; the prosperity and happiness of Babylon, or any other city in Chaldea, where they were placed:

— this they were to do by prayer and supplication to God, and by all other means that might be any ways conducive to the good of the state where they were.

⁸ For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Let not your prophets and your diviners who are in the midst of you deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. — let not your prophets and your diviners that be in the midst of you, deceive you;

— these are false prophets as the Targum says; and there were many; who pretended to foretell future events, and so impose upon others, who were too apt to believe them; these insinuated, that in a little time they should have their liberty, and soon return to their own land, contrary to the prophecies that came from the Lord himself.

⁹ For they prophesy falsely unto you in My name: I have not sent them, saith the Lord.

¹⁰ “For thus saith the Lord: That after seventy years are accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, causing you to return to this place. — for thus saith the Lord, that after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon;

— these seventy years are not to be reckoned from the last captivity under Zedekiah; nor from the present time; nor from the first of Jeconiah’s captivity; but the fourth year of Jehoiakim, and the first of Nebuchadnezzar, when he came up against Jerusalem; Jeremiah 25:1.

¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

¹² Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me and I will hearken unto you. — then shall ye call upon me; when the expected end is about to be drawn near;

— and ye shall go and pray unto me: walk in my ways; or rather ye shall go into your private closets where prayers are made, and there put up your petitions; that they should continue praying without ceasing, until they enjoyed the blessing, and had the expected end given:

— and I will hearken unto you: God is a God hearing Being; he listens to the requests of his people, but answers them in his own time and way; which is no small encouragement to pray unto him.

¹³ And ye shall seek Me and find Me when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.

¹⁴ And I will be found by you, saith the Lord, and I will return you from captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you back into the place from whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

— since the return from captivity is not just from Babylon but “from all the nations” this hint is subtle, “from all the places whither I have driven you” it hints at a prophetic message, and this message is for the endtimes.

One parallel passage from Ezekiel 6:

² “Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them — Son of man, set thy face towards the mountains of Israel… or cities of Israel, the future inhabitants of them; not the ancient ten tribes, for they had been carried captive long before this time, even in the times of Hezekiah; but far more likely, into the far future unless it can be thought that this prophecy is designed to show the reason of their captivity, which isn’t.

³ and say: ‘Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God. Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains and to the hills, to the rivers and to the valleys: Behold I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places. — this message to the “mountains of Israel;” these mountains refer to the United States, UK and France… “and to the hills, to the rivers and to the valleys;” the hills: Ireland, Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries: Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, Finland, and Iceland; and the valleys, the low countries: Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg;

— and to the rivers; where during the nineteenth century, the British Royal Navy were known to “Rule the Waves;” and the United States having been plowing up and down the five oceans with her Seven Fleets since the British left the scene.

¹⁵ “Because ye have said, ‘The Lord hath raised us up prophets in Babylon’ — the Lord hath raised us up prophets in Babylon; this is meant to be false prophets who foretold nothing but peace and prosperity;

— there is no need of other prophets if they have listened to those in Judea and in Jerusalem; but these are false prophets; yet, being such that prophesied to them things that could be agreeable, who speak smoothly, foretold nothing but peace and prosperity; and as such, considered themselves as prophets sent by God, when they are not.

¹⁶ know that thus saith the Lord of the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth in this city, and of your brethren who have not gone forth with you into captivity;

— these are those that refused to go into Babylon, saith the Lord, and be well with them; but those who refused to go are actually disobeying God.

¹⁷ thus saith the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs that cannot be eaten, they are so evil. — when they are actually disobeying God, they could expect to face the consequences; and that is “the sword, the famine and the pestilence.”

¹⁸ And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse and an astonishment and a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations whither I have driven them,

— and I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence; or “follow after them” such as their escape out of the city and go into Egypt or other countries for shelter and safety; should be pursued by the vengeance of God and should fall by sword, famine or pestilence.

¹⁹ because they have not hearkened to My words, saith the Lord, which I sent unto them by My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith the Lord.

— because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the Lord; words which were spoken to them by the prophets; not hearkening to them, but despising them, a contempt of God and his words, were the cause of their ruin.

²⁰ “Hear ye therefore the word of the Lord, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon. — all ye of the captivity; some parts of this letter are directed to one region of the captives, and others to another part; some being good men, some bad;

²¹ Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a lie unto you in My name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes.

— Ahab, the son of Kolaiah, and Zedekiah, the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy a lie unto you: two false prophets, of whom we have no account anywhere else but only here; and are, no doubt, false prophets, that they of the captivity boasted of that God had raised unto them in Babylon.

²² And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah who are in Babylon, saying, ‘The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire,’

— “taken up a curse” or “burnt them” not at once, but with a slow fire; burning persons with fire, and casting them into a fiery furnace, were ways used by the Chaldeans in putting persons to death, Daniel 3:6.

²³ because they have committed villainy (wicked or criminal behaviour) in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and have spoken lying words in My name which I have not commanded them. Indeed I know, and am a witness, saith the Lord.”

²⁴ Thus shalt thou also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying, — or, Shemaiah “the dreamer” because he pretended to have dreams from the Lord;

— or because what he delivered as prophecies were mere dreams; as that the captives should quickly return to their own land; so the Targum, paraphrasing “who was of Halem;” he was another of the false prophets in Babylon.

²⁵ “Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people who are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,

— this is an example of taking God’s name in vain, by not giving credit to God; he was ignoring God as originator of the message, even if he was writing in the Lord’s name; this is from MSG

And this is the Message for Shemaiah the Nehelamite: “God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel, says: You took it on yourself to send letters to all the people in Jerusalem and to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah and the company of priests. In your letter you told Zephaniah that God set you up as priest replacing priest Jehoiadah. He’s put you in charge of God’s Temple and made you responsible for locking up any crazy fellow off the street who takes it into his head to be a prophet.

— there is no authorisaton such as “Thus saith the Lord to me:” Jeremiah 27:2; or “The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah . . . which Jeremiah the prophet spoke unto all the people of Judah,” Jeremiah 25:1-2; or, “Thus saith the Lord: “Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word,” Jeremiah 22:1

²⁶ ‘The Lord hath made thee priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the Lord for every man that is mad and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks.

²⁷ Now therefore, why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, who maketh himself a prophet to you? — now therefore why hast thou not reproved (reprimand) Jeremiah of Anathoth; this must be another Jeremiah, the original true one is “Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin,” Jeremiah 1:1;

— or, he was Shemaiah “the dreamer” writing as “Jeremiah of Anathoth,” resembling closely to “Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah” the true prophet.

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.’” — for therefore he sent unto us in Babylon, saying; “this captivity is long; build ye houses and dwell in them . . .”

— this, even where “Jeremiah of Anathoth,” didn’t change Jeremiah’s message, it is unacceptable in God’s sight!

— and this is from MSG

“So why haven’t you done anything about muzzling Jeremiah of Anathoth, who’s going around posing as a prophet? He’s gone so far as to write to us in Babylon, ‘It’s going to be a long exile, so build houses and make yourselves at home. Plant gardens and prepare Babylonian recipes.’” — this is pilgarising Jeremiah’s message without giving due credits; and it is a sin.

²⁹ And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet. — in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet: to let him know who were his enemies abroad; who normally stir up trouble against him; in pretence of proceeding equitably with him; not different in his message, or brought up any accusation and charge against him.

³⁰ Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying, — this Word is to “Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah” the true prophet.

³¹ “Send to all those of the captivity, saying, ‘Thus saith the Lord concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not and he caused you to trust in a lie, — this message is to Shemaiah the liar; or Nehelamite “the dreamer”

³² therefore thus saith the Lord: Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people, neither shall he behold the good that I will do for My people, saith the Lord, because he hath taught rebellion against the Lord.’”

— behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite “the dreamer” and his seed; not him only, but his posterity also: thus God sometimes visits the sins of parents on their children, they being, as it were, a part of themselves, and often times partners with them in their iniquities:

— he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; either at Babylon, or at Jerusalem, whither he had promised a speedy return:

— neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the Lord; by returning them, after seventy years captivity, to their own land, and to the enjoyment of all their privileges, civil and religious.

For more into another Captivity: see Ezekiel Timeline – 190/40 Years

Jeremiah 30

The Targum is another source of the Bible, much like the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint; and to dismiss it as another testimony, as many Churches do, is a disgrace. The Targum was started by Ezra for those returning from the Babylon exile and for these returnees they could only understand the Scriptures in Aramaic. Hence the Targum is as if Ezra is speaking to us from the Hebrew Bible quoted.

¹ The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

² “Thus speaketh the Lord God of Israel, saying: ‘Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book. — saying, write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book; being issues of consequence, that they might remain to after ages; and be read to the use, study and for edification of the Lord’s people in times to come.

³ For lo, the days come,’ saith the Lord, ‘that I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,’ saith the Lord; ‘and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.’”

— and God will cause them to return to the land that he gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it; the land of Canaan, given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; and which shall be again by the Jews and Israelites their posterity; for, we see may not mediate how we can understand this and other prophecies.

⁴ And these are the words that the Lord spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah: — and these are the words that the Lord spake concerning Israel, and concerning Judah. Which follow in this chapter and the next; first concerning Israel, the ten tribes; and then concerning the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin,

— even concerning all Israel; whereas, if this prophecy only respects the return from the captivity in Babylon, there is very little in it which concerns the ten tribes, or but a very few of them. The words may be rendered, “unto Israel, and unto Judah” as being the persons to whom they were directed, as well as were the subjects of them.

⁵ “For thus saith the Lord: ‘We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear and not of peace. — we have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace;

— which is to be understood, of the fear and dread injected into them by the Babylonians when they besieged their city, and burned that, and their Temple; nor of the fear and dread which came upon the Babylonians at the taking of their city by Cyrus, upon which followed the deliverance of the Jews.

⁶ Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? Why do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?

— wherefore do I see every man with his hands his loins, as a woman in travail; the usual posture of women in such a condition, trying hereby to abate their pain, and ease themselves. This metaphor is made use of, both to express the sharpness and shortness of this distress; as the pains of a woman in travail are very sharp, yet short, and, when over, quickly forgotten;

— and so it wilt be at this time; it will be a sharp trial of the church and people of God; but it will last but for a short time; and the joy and happy times that will follow will soon cause it to be forgotten.

⁷ Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it. It is even the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. — the “time of Jacob’s trouble” could parallel Ezekiel 4 – 390/40 Years (or Ezekiel Timeline – 190/40 Years).

⁸ “‘For it shall come to pass in that day,’ saith the Lord of hosts, ‘that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more be served by him.

⁹ But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them. — and David their king; not literally, but one who shall be raised up from the dead, and reign over them.

¹⁰ “‘Therefore fear thou not, O My servant Jacob,’ saith the Lord; ‘neither be dismayed, O Israel; for lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid. — this is prophetic, into our times, their return are “from afar” whereas Babylon is nearby comparatively.

¹¹ For I am with thee,’ saith the Lord, ‘to save thee; though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee; but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.’

— though I will make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee; a full end has been made of the Assyrians, Chaldeans and Egyptians; these people and their names are no more;

— the destruction of the national life of the heathen nations on whom judgement was to fall should be complete and irreversible, so that Moab, Ammon and Edom, should no more have a place in the history of the world;

— the Targum says, “in destroying I will not destroy thee.”

¹² “For thus saith the Lord: ‘Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous.

¹³ There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up; thou hast no healing medicines.

¹⁴ All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one for the multitude of thine iniquity, because thy sins were increased.

— all thy lovers have forgotten thee… the Egyptians and Assyrians were historic, but Japan, the Philippines, Turkey, Germany, Italy, Spain and Mexico could be futuristic, whom they sought unto for help, and entered into an alliance with, and who promised them great things; but forgot their promises and forsook them (more at the end)

¹⁵ Why criest thou for thine affliction? Thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee.

¹⁶ Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured, and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that despoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey. — and all thine adversaries, everyone of them, as were the Assyrians, Egyptians, Chaldeans, Grecians, Romans and the Papacy, shall also go into destruction; Revelation 13:10.

¹⁷ For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds,’ saith the Lord, ‘because they called thee an outcast, saying, “This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.”’

¹⁸ “Thus saith the Lord: ‘Behold, I will bring back from captivity Jacob’s tents, and have mercy on his dwelling places; and the city shall be built upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof.

— and have mercy on his dwelling places; by restoring the full house of Israel or Jacob’s posterity, to their dwelling places in Jerusalem, and other places rebuilt by them and for them;

— the Targum says, “I will have mercy on his cities.”

¹⁹ And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry; and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.

²⁰ Their children also shall be as in former time, and their congregation shall be established before Me, and I will punish all that oppress them.

²¹ And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto Me; for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto Me?’ saith the Lord.

²² ‘And ye shall be My people, and I will be your God.’”

²³ Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind; it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked.

²⁴ The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return, until He has done it, and until He has performed the intents of His heart; in the latter days ye shall consider it.

— in the latter days ye shall consider it; and in the latter day you shall understand it; and see it wholly and fully accomplished. The eyes of his shepherd will finally be opened; thus that means that today’s shepherd are blind, naked and wretched!

~~~

More about “all thy lovers have forgotten thee” Jeremiah 30:14 with a parallel verse in Ezekiel 16:37

Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated. I will even gather them round about against thee and will uncover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness Ezekiel 16:37:

— when the going gets tough, the tough gets going and American allies (Germany, Italy, Turkey and Spain; Brazil, Argentina and Mexico; South Africa, Algeia and Egypt; Saudi Arabia, India and Pakistan; S Korea, the Philippines and Japan?) will take their own interests first, team up with other enemies of the United States (Venezuela, Iran, N Korea, Russia and China) and will turn against the United States.

And this is not these countries’ doings, but it is God’s will that will cause these allies to be against the United States, and it is again God’s will through His Spirits that will trap the United States in a snare “And I will spread My net upon him, and he shall be taken in My [not China’s nor Russia’s] snare,” Ezekiel 17:20; and he will be like a beast caught in a cage squealing away to no avail, then uncover her nakedness, American nakedness.

For more on the enemy from the South, see A Sword from the South!
For more about the South, a prophecy of Esau or Edom, see Obadiah

For more into another Captivity: see Ezekiel Timeline – 190/40 Years

~ by Joel Huan on February 28, 2023.

Posted in Jeremiah