Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 29:1-7

We are here told, I. That Jeremiah wrote to the captives in Babylon, in the name of the Lord. Jeconiah had surrendered himself a prisoner, with the queen his mother, the chamberlains of his household, called here the eunuchs, and many of the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, who were at that time the most active men; the carpenters and smiths likewise, being demanded, were yielded up, that those who remained might not have any proper hands to fortify their city or furnish themselves with weapons... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 29:8-14

To make the people quiet and easy in their captivity, I. God takes them off from building upon the false foundation which their pretended prophets laid, Jer. 29:8, 9. They told them that their captivity should be short, and therefore that they must not think of taking root in Babylon, but be upon the wing to go back: ?Now herein they deceive you,? says God; ?they prophesy a lie to you, though they prophesy in my name. But let them not deceive you, suffer not yourselves to be deluded by them.?... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 29:4

Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel ,.... For the letter was written by the order of the Lord, was endited by him, and was sent in his name, the prophet was only his amanuensis; and the titles which the Lord here takes are worthy of notice: "the Lord of hosts": of the armies above and below, that does according to his pleasure in heaven and in earth, with whom nothing is impossible; who could easily destroy the enemies of his people, and deliver them, either immediately by his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 29:5

Build ye houses, and dwell in them ,.... Intimating hereby that they must not expect a return into their own land in any short time, but that they should continue many years where they were; suggesting also, that as they had ability, so they should have liberty, of building themselves houses; nor should they be interrupted by their enemies; nor would their houses be taken from them, when built; but they should dwell peaceably and quietly in them, as their own; which they might assure... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 29:6

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; and this they were to do, in order to propagate their posterity, and keep up a succession: and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands ; or "men" F19 לאנשים "viris", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 29:7

And seek the peace of the city ,.... The prosperity and happiness of Babylon, or any other city in Chaldea, were 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: whither I have caused you to be carried away captives ; and as long as they continued so; for being under the protection of the magistrates of it, though Heathens, they owed them submission, and were under... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 29:8

For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel ,.... See Gill on Jeremiah 29:4 ; let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you ; their false prophets, as the Targum; and there were many such in the captivity; see Ezekiel 13:2 ; and such who pretended to divine and foretell future things, and so impose upon the people, who were too apt to believe them; these insinuated, that in a little time they should have their liberty, and return to their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 29:9

For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name ,.... They pretended to have the authority of God for what they said; that their prophecies and dreams were from him, and as such they delivered them in his name; though they were false ones; that they might be the better received by the people: I have not sent them, saith the Lord ; they had no mission or commission from the Lord, no warrant or authority from him; they set up themselves; and ran without being sent; and prophesied out of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 29:10

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 precise present time; nor from the first of Jeconiah's captivity; but the fourth year of Jehoiakim, and the first of Nebuchadnezzar, when he first came up against Jerusalem; see Jeremiah 25:1 ; I will visit you ; in a way of mercy, by stirring up Cyrus king of Persia to grant them their liberty: and perform... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord ,.... The purposes and resolutions of his heart concerning their welfare, particularly the restoration of them to their own land; these were within him, and known to him, and him only; they were remembered by him, and continued with him, as the "thoughts of his heart are to all generations"; and so would not fail of being performed; men think and forget what they have thought of, and so it comes to nothing; but thus it is not... read more

Group of Brands