Jer 29:32 | KingComments | STEP | There is also a word for Shemaiah, the Nehelamite ( ). This man wrote letters in his own name and sent them from Babylon to Jerusalem. In those letters he addresses the people and the priests ( ). In particular, he addresses the priest Zephaniah to take charge of his task as overseer in the house of the LORD, a task he has been given in place of the priest Jehoiada ( ). He points out to the priests that, because of their responsibility, they are obligated to throw into prison anyone who has the insane notion of being a prophet (cf. ) and to chain him in such a way that it is impossible for him to speak to the people. If this is so, why do they let this madman Jeremiah roam free ( )? That man pretends to be a prophet who, by the way, dared to send a letter to them in Babylon saying that they should stay there for a long time and build houses and gardens to eat their produce ( ). Surely such a man must be gagged so that he cannot continue to spread his falsehood. The priest Zephaniah reads the letter to Jeremiah ( ). Why he does this is not clear. Is it to intimidate him, or is it to warn him? After this word of a man the word of the LORD comes to Jeremiah ( ). Jeremiah is to send a new message on His behalf to all the exiles, this time about Shemaiah ( ). In it the LORD declares how it really is. Shemaiah prophesied, but did so on his own initiative. The content of his prophecy is falsehood and its effect is that the people trust in falsehood and not in the word of the LORD. The LORD declares that He will punish Shemaiah and also his descendants ( ). The punishment is severe. He will have no one who belongs to and is a part of God’s people. He himself will “not see the good” that the LORD will do to His people. This “good” is explained in more detail in the following chapters, Jeremiah 30-33. Shemaiah himself is completely out of it, as well as his descendants. The way away from God you never go alone. His descendants share in that fate because they themselves chose to heed their father’s call to apostasy from the LORD.

‏ Jeremiah 29:32

Judgment on Shemaiah

There is also a word for Shemaiah, the Nehelamite (Jer 29:24). This man wrote letters in his own name and sent them from Babylon to Jerusalem. In those letters he addresses the people and the priests (Jer 29:25). In particular, he addresses the priest Zephaniah to take charge of his task as overseer in the house of the LORD, a task he has been given in place of the priest Jehoiada (Jer 29:26). He points out to the priests that, because of their responsibility, they are obligated to throw into prison anyone who has the insane notion of being a prophet (cf. Hos 9:7b) and to chain him in such a way that it is impossible for him to speak to the people.

If this is so, why do they let this madman Jeremiah roam free (Jer 29:27)? That man pretends to be a prophet who, by the way, dared to send a letter to them in Babylon saying that they should stay there for a long time and build houses and gardens to eat their produce (Jer 29:28). Surely such a man must be gagged so that he cannot continue to spread his falsehood. The priest Zephaniah reads the letter to Jeremiah (Jer 29:29). Why he does this is not clear. Is it to intimidate him, or is it to warn him?

After this word of a man the word of the LORD comes to Jeremiah (Jer 29:30). Jeremiah is to send a new message on His behalf to all the exiles, this time about Shemaiah (Jer 29:31). In it the LORD declares how it really is. Shemaiah prophesied, but did so on his own initiative. The content of his prophecy is falsehood and its effect is that the people trust in falsehood and not in the word of the LORD.

The LORD declares that He will punish Shemaiah and also his descendants (Jer 29:32). The punishment is severe. He will have no one who belongs to and is a part of God’s people. He himself will “not see the good” that the LORD will do to His people. This “good” is explained in more detail in the following chapters, Jeremiah 30-33. Shemaiah himself is completely out of it, as well as his descendants. The way away from God you never go alone. His descendants share in that fate because they themselves chose to heed their father’s call to apostasy from the LORD.