Chapter 29
The consolations of false prophets
Lecture 1
Liberation after seventy years
29:1 And these are the words of the book which Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remnant of the elders of the exile, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had led from Jerusalem to Babylon,
29:2 after Jekoniah the king had gone forth, and the queen, and the eunuchs, and the princes of Judah, and Jerusalem, and the workman and the engraver, from Jerusalem,
29:3 By the hand of Elasah, the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah, the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah, the king of Judah had sent to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, in Babylon, saying:
29:4 thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have taken from Jerusalem to Babylon:
29:5 build houses and dwell in them, and plant gardens and eat the fruit thereof.
29:6 Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and give wives to your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, and let them bear sons and daughters; and multiply there, and do not be few in number.
29:7 And seek the peace of the city to which I have caused you to remove, and pray for her to the Lord , because in her peace will be your peace.
29:8 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: do not let your prophets and diviners who are in your midst deceive you, and do not attend to your dreams, which you dream.
29:9 For they prophesy falsely to you in my name, and I have not sent them, says the Lord .
29:10 For thus says the Lord : when seventy years shall be fulfilled in Babylon, I shall visit you, and stir up my good word upon you, and lead you back to this place.
29:11 For I know the thought which I think concerning you, says the Lord , thoughts of peace, and not of affliction, that I may give you an end and endurance.
29:12 And you shall call upon me, and go; and you shall worship me, and I will hear you.
29:13 You shall seek me, and you shall find me. When you have sought me with your whole heart,
29:14 I shall be found by you, says the Lord . And I shall bring back your captivity, and I shall gather you from all the nations, and from all the places to which I drove you, says the Lord . And I shall cause you to return from the place to which I made you to remove.
29:15 For you said, ‘The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon.’
29:16 For thus says the Lord to the king who sits upon the throne of David, and to all the people who inhabit this city, and to your brothers who have not gone forth with you into exile.
147 . Here, he excludes the false consolations of the prophets who were consoling the captives in Babylonia.
First, he excludes their false consolations;
second, he inveighs against the false consolers themselves, at thus says the Lord (Jer 29:21).
Concerning the former, there are two points.
First, he gives the title of the prophecy, in which he marks out three things.
Namely, the manner of prophesying, that it is by way of a letter: the words of the book , that is, of the letter. Now, therefore, go in and write upon a box, and note it diligently in a book, and it shall be on the last days as a testimony forever (Isa 30:8).
The time of the prophecy: after Jekoniah had gone forth ; as in 2 Kings 24. Behold, the sovereign Lord of hosts shall take away from Jerusalem and from Judah, the valiant and the strong, every strength of bread, and every strength of water; and the strong man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet (Isa 3:1–2).
And the messenger of the prophesy: by the hand of Elasah, the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah, the son of Hilkiah , whom he sent to make peace with the Chaldeans, terrified as they were by the death of the false consoler Hananiah and by the threat of Jeremiah. When the wicked man is scourged, the fool shall be wiser (Prov 19:25).
Second, he gives the content of the prophecy: thus says the Lord . And concerning this, there are two points.
First, he gives them good and advantageous advice, that they should give their attention to those things which pertain to the demands of necessity: build houses , which they were neglecting to do, believing that they would return quickly, according to the promises of the false prophets. They have sown fields, and planted vineyards, and made the fruit of birth (Ps 106:37).
Also, that they should attend to those things which pertain to the production of children, take wives . Increase and multiply, and fill the earth (Gen 1:22).
And that they attend to those things which pertain to the tranquility of peace: and seek peace . Pray for the life of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and for the life of Balthasar his son (Bar 1:11). I ask first of all that prayers, supplications and thanksgivings be made for all men, for all kings, and for all who are established on high, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life, in all piety and chastity (1 Tim 2:1–2).
Second, he excludes their false and useless counsel: for thus says the Lord .
First, he excludes the vain confidence which they had conceived by the promises of the prophets;
second, he excludes foolish repentance, at for thus says the Lord (Jer 29:16).
Concerning the former, there are three points.
First, he excludes the utterance of the prophets, who were promising a speedy liberation: do not let your prophets deceive you , who speak to you in the name of the Lord, and diviners , who furnish the responses of demons. Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit, and see nothing (Ezek 13:3).
Second, he speaks of the time of liberation, with regard to consolation: for thus says the Lord , I shall visit you , when I console you, and afflict the enemy. As it says above: when the seventy years shall be accomplished, I shall visit upon the king of Babylon and upon that people, says the Lord , their iniquity (Jer 25:12). And with regard to the restitution to their native land: and stir up —I will fulfill. Stir up the prophecies, which the former prophets spoke in your name (Sir 36:17).
Third, he gives the manner of their liberation.
First, he promises that they will enjoy the state of their original prosperity, with regard to the tranquility of peace: for I know as no other. The things which are of God no one knows except the Spirit of God (1 Cor 2:11). Eye has not seen, apart from you, what you have prepared for those who wait for you (Isa 64:4). Thoughts of peace , which I am preparing for you; an end , of captivity; endurance , of hardships, that you may bear them more easily. They speak peace with their neighbor, but evil is in their hearts (Ps 27:3).
And with regard to the hearing of prayer: you shall call , with your mouth; and you shall go , with your mind; you shall worship , with your body. Or, you shall go , to the temple. At the sound of your cry, as soon as he shall hear it, he shall answer you (Isa 30:19). Another text has: you shall call upon me, and you shall live; and you shall pray to me, and I will hear you . The sense is plain.
And with regard to the assistance of divine protection: you shall seek , by desire and prayers, and you shall find , ready to help; it is as though he were saying, “I offer myself.” He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and I will reveal myself to him (John 14:21). Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near (Isa 55:6).
Second, he promises them the place of their birth: and I shall bring back . I shall surely take you from the nations, and I shall gather you from all the lands, and I shall lead you to your own land (Ezek 36:24).
For you said —it is as though he were saying, “It was not necessary to write to you, because you trusted in false prophets.”
Lecture 2
Death for those in Jerusalem
29:17 Thus says the Lord of hosts: behold, I shall send the sword among them, and famine, and pestilence; and I shall make them like bad figs, which cannot be eaten, because they are bad.
29:18 And I shall follow them with the sword, and with famine, and with pestilence; and I shall make them a vexation to all the kingdoms of the earth, as a curse, and as an astonishment, and as a hissing, and as a reproach to all the nations to which I have driven them.
29:19 Because they did not listen to my words, says the Lord , which I sent to them through my servants the prophets, arising by night and sending them; and you did not listen, says the Lord .
29:20 Therefore, listen to word of the Lord , all you exiles, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon.
148 . Here, he excludes false repentance, for they could, because of their long captivity, come to regret that they had given themselves up when they saw others still remaining in Jerusalem; and therefore those who remained are threatened with the grave punishment of death: behold, I shall send . As it says above: he who shall dwell in this city shall die by the sword, and the famine, and the plague; but he who shall go out and flee over to the Chaldeans, who besiege you, shall live (Jer 21:9). And of affliction: I shall make , that is, they shall not find favor with me, neither with those by whom they are held captive, just as bad figs do not please those who gather them. As it says above: as the bad figs, which cannot be eaten, because they are bad, thus says the Lord : so shall I make Zedekiah, the king of Judah, and his princes, and the remnant of Jerusalem, who remain in this city, and who dwell in the land of Egypt (Jer 24:8).
And he gives the reason: because they did not listen , namely, that they should give themselves up to Nebuchadnezzar and cease from their sins. As it says above: rising early, I warned them, and said: listen to my voice. But they did not listen, nor did they incline their ear, but turned away, each one in the depravity of his own evil heart (Jer 11:7–8).
Next, he introduces the intended conclusion: therefore, listen to the word of the Lord , lest you surely suffer punishment, because you obeyed me in this. Hear, O sons, the discipline of your father (Prov 4:1).
Lecture 3
False prophets’ punishment
29:21 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to Ahab, the son of Koliah, and to Zedekiah, the son of Maasiah, who prophesies to you falsely in my name: behold, I shall give them over into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and he shall strike them before your eyes.
29:22 And of them a curse shall be taken up by all the exiles of Judah, who are in Babylon, saying, ‘May the Lord make you as Zedekiah, and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in fire.’
149 . Here, he inveighs against the false prophets themselves:
first, against certain advocates of falsehood;
second, against a certain attacker of the truth, at and to Shemaiah (Jer 29:24).
Concerning the former, there are three points.
First, he threatens a punishment;
second, he reproves their fault, at because they committed folly in Israel (Jer 29:23);
third, he reproves the justice of their judgment, at I am judge, and witness (Jer 29:23).
Concerning the former, there are three points.
First, their descent into guilt is spoken of: I shall give them over , so that he may have an occasion of punishing those whom he had in his power at first. The Lord has given me into a hand from which I shall not be able to flee (Lam 1:14).
Second, the infliction of the punishment: and he shall strike . As it says below: your breach is incurable, your wound very grievous (Jer 30:12).
Third, the resultant curse: and of them shall be taken up .
Now the Hebrews say that these are the two elders of whom Daniel 13 speaks. Whence, from this section they wish to show that the other is fictitious. For there, they are said to have been killed by the people; but here, by Nebuchadnezzar.
And furthermore, there, they are said to have been stoned; but here, burned with fire.
With regard to the first point, it must be said that both may be true, because Nebuchadnezzar killed by his authority those condemned by Daniel; and the people killed by executing the sentence.
With regard to the second point, it must be said that any punishment is called fire because of the pain, and this especially because of its likeness to the sin of adultery. All adulterers are like an oven heated by the baker (Hos 7:4). It is a fire devouring even to destruction, and roots up all things which sprout (Job 31:12).
Lecture 4
False prophets’ guilt
29:23a Because they committed folly in Israel, and adultery with the wives of their friends, and spoke a word in my name falsely, which I did not send to them.
150 . Here, he speaks of their guilt:
first, of adultery: folly , that is, a foolish thing; and adultery . Thus you would do to the daughters of Israel, and they for fear would speak with you (Dan 13:57). As it says above: each one neighing at the wife of his neighbor (Jer 5:8).
Second, the lie: and they spoke a word in my name falsely , for they were saying that liberation was near, and that the Christ was to be born from them, so that they might in this way beguile the women into committing adultery. As it says above: I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied (Jer 23:21).
Lecture 5
God is judge and witness
29:23b I am judge and witness, says the Lord .
151 . Here, he speaks of the justice of the judgment: judge , to inflict punishment; witness , to convict of guilt—because by divine assent, they were miraculously found out. The Lord stirred up the spirit of a young boy, whose name was Daniel (Dan 13:45).
Lecture 6
Rebuke of Shemaiah
29:24 And to Shemaiah the Nehalamite, you shall say:
29:25 thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: because you sent books in my name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah, the son of Maasiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying:
29:26 the Lord has made you a priest in the place of Jehoiada the priest, that you may be the ruler in the house of the Lord over every madman and prophet, that you may put them in the stocks and in prison.
29:27 And now, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah the Anathothite, who prophesies unto you?
29:28 For concerning this, he has sent to us in Babylon saying: it shall be long. Build houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruits thereof.
29:29 Zephaniah the priest, therefore, read this book in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.
152 . Here, he inveighs against an attacker of the truth, because, insomuch as he was a false prophet and promised the people that liberation was at hand, he was angry with Jeremiah because of the letter that he had sent to Babylon, and he wrote a letter to Jerusalem, to the high priest, against Jeremiah.
Concerning this, there are two points.
First, the attack against the truth is given;
second, the threat against him, at and the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah (Jer 29:30).
Concerning the former, there are two points.
First, he gives the sense of the letter: because you sent . It is an incomplete statement; as though saying, “You will allow it,” because he will speak after interposing certain things.
In the letter, he makes three points.
First, he recalls the example of his predecessor: the Lord has made you a priest in the place of Jehoiada , who slew the false prophets, as you should do to Jeremiah the false prophet (2 Kgs 11:18).
Second, he recalls his duty: that you may be the ruler in the house of the Lord over every madman , who, caught up by an unclean spirit, usurps the function of the prophet. For it pertained to the office of the priest to discern between spirits. Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they be of God; for many false prophets have gone forth into the world (1 John 4:1).
Third, he also reproaches certain things: for concerning this, he has sent to us in Babylon , because he is not content for us to preach evil things. They have hated the one who rebuked in the gate, and have abhorred the one who speaks perfectly (Amos 5:10). I hate him, because he does not prophesy good to me, but evil, Micah, the son of Imla (1 Kgs 22:8).
Second, he shows how the prophet came to be aware of this: Zephaniah the priest, therefore, read this book in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet , that he might reproach him. As it says above: the word of the Lord has become a reproach to me, and a derision all the day (Jer 20:8).
Lecture 7
Threat against Shemaiah
29:30 And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying:
29:31 send to all the exiles saying: thus says the Lord to Shemaiah the Nehalamite: because Shemaiah prophesied unto you, and I did not send him, and he made you to trust in a lie;
29:32 therefore, thus says the Lord : behold, I shall visit this upon Shemaiah, and upon his seed, that there be not a man left to him dwelling in the midst of this people, and that he may not see the good which I will do for my people, says the Lord , for he has spoken rebellion against the Lord .
153 . Here, he speaks of the threat against him.
First, he reproves Shemaiah’s guilt: because Shemaiah prophesied . We have set a lie as our hope, and by a lie are we protected (Isa 28:15). His oration is directed against the captives by some other letter.
Second, he threatens punishment: therefore, thus says the Lord .
First, with regard to the sons: there be not a man left to him ; it is as though he were saying, “He will not leave a survivor among the people.” I am the Lord your God, the Mighty One, the Jealous One , visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me (Exod 20:5).
Second, with regard to Shemaiah: and he may not see the good which I will do for my people . As it says above: for he shall be like a tamarisk in the desert, and shall not see when good comes (Jer 17:6).
Third, he resumes his case: for he has spoken rebellion against the Lord , because with his words he had rebelled against the Lord when he spoke, and promised prosperous times, when God had predicted the contrary. Shall he who contends with God, so easily become quiet? (Job 39:32).