Thus hath the Lord of hosts the God of Israel spoken unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have [a]caused to be carried away captives from Jerusalem unto Babel:

Build you houses to dwell in, and plant you gardens, and eat the fruits of them.

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

And seek the prosperity of the city, whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and [b]pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall you have peace.

¶ For thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel, Let not your prophets, and your soothsayers that be among you, deceive you, neither give ear to your dreams, which you dream.

For they prophesy you a lie in my Name: I have not sent them, saith the Lord.

10 But thus saith the Lord, that after seventy years be accomplished at Babel, I will visit you, and perform my good promise toward you, and cause you to return to this place.

11 For I know the thoughts, that I have thought towards you, saith the Lord, even the thoughts of peace, and not of trouble, to give you an end, and your hope.

12 Then shall you cry unto me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hear you,

13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, because ye shall seek me with all [c]your heart.

14 And I will be found of you, saith the Lord, and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places, whither I have cast you, saith the Lord, and will bring you again unto the place, whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 29:4 To wit, the Lord, whose work this was.
  2. Jeremiah 29:7 The Prophet speaketh not this for the affection that he bare to the tyrant, but that they should pray for the common rest and quietness, that their troubles might not be increased, and that they might with more patience and less grief wait for the time of their deliverance, which God had appointed most certain: for else not only the Israelites, but all the world, yea, and the insensible creatures should rejoice when these tyrants should be destroyed, as Isa. 14:4.
  3. Jeremiah 29:13 When your oppression shall be great, and your afflictions cause you to repent your disobedience, and also when the seventy years of your captivity shall be expired, 2 Chron. 36:22; Ezra 1:1; Jer. 25:12; Dan. 9:2.

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