Jeremiah 29:24–32

²⁴To Shemaiah the Nehelamite you are to say, ²⁵“This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: You ^xin your own name have sent out letters to all the people of Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah ^yson of Maaseiah, and to all the priests, saying: ²⁶‘The Lord has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada the priest to be the chief officer ^zin the temple of the Lord, responsible for every madman ^awho acts like a prophet. You must confine him in the stocks ^band an iron collar. ²⁷So now, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who has been acting like a prophet among you? ^c28For he has sent word to us in Babylon, claiming, “The exile will be long. Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat their produce.” ’ ” ^d

²⁹Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet.

A Message about Shemaiah

³⁰Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ³¹“Send a message to all the exiles, saying: This is what the Lord says concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite. Because Shemaiah prophesied to you, though I did not send him, and made you trust a lie, ^e32this is what the Lord says: I am about to punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants. There will not be even one of his descendants living among these people, ^fnor will any ever see the good that I will bring to My people”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“for he has preached rebellion against the Lord.” ^g