Jeremiah 29

اقرأ هذا الفصل بقصد

Jeremiah 29 is a letter from the prophet in Jerusalem to the Jews already deported to Babylon. Against prophets promising a quick return, Jeremiah tells the exiles to build houses, plant gardens, marry, raise families, and seek the welfare of the city that holds them captive, because the exile will last seventy years. Then comes the verse the world knows, "I know the plans I have for you," followed by the promise that those who seek God with all their heart will find him and be brought home. The rest of the letter pronounces judgment on the false prophets in Babylon and on Shemaiah, who wrote back demanding that Jeremiah be put in stocks.

فتح تفسير الإصحاح

Jeremiah 29 is a letter, and it is worth reading as one. The prophet in Jerusalem writes to the elders, priests, prophets, and people already carried off to Babylon, people who had lost everything and were being told by popular preachers that they would be home in two years. Jeremiah tells them the truth. Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry, have children, see your children married. Seek the welfare of Babylon, and pray for it, because your welfare is tied to its welfare. The exile will last seventy years. Only then does the letter reach the verse printed on a million cards: I know the plans I have for you, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future and a hope. In its place, the verse is not a promise of a short exile but a promise inside a long one, and it is followed by the letter's real invitation: you will call on me and I will listen, you will seek me and find me when you search with all your heart. The rest of the chapter shows what the letter cost. Prophets in Babylon who preached lies would be executed; a man named Shemaiah wrote back to Jerusalem demanding that Jeremiah be put in stocks for saying the exile would be long, and Jeremiah's reply is the last word of the chapter. The comfortable message was the false one. The hard message was the one with the future in it.

مقاطع رئيسية

Jeremiah 29:4-7 Jeremiah 29:10-14 Jeremiah 29:24-32 Jeremiah 28:1-4 Daniel 9:2

Historical and literary context

The letter follows the deportation of 597 BC, when King Jeconiah, the queen mother, officials, and craftsmen were carried to Babylon. A decade of Judah's existence remained before the final destruction in 586. Prophets on both sides of the exile were promising that Babylon's power would soon break; chapter 28 records Hananiah announcing a return within two years. Jeremiah's letter, carried by royal envoys, contradicts them with a timeline of seventy years and a theology of exile as God's own doing, to be lived in rather than escaped.

How the chapter unfolds

Verses 1 to 3 describe the letter, its recipients, and its carriers. Verses 4 to 9 give the instructions: settle, build, plant, marry, multiply, seek the city's welfare, and ignore the prophets and diviners. Verses 10 to 14 give the promise: after seventy years God will restore them, he knows his plans for their welfare, and they will seek and find him. Verses 15 to 19 warn that those left in Jerusalem, whom the exiles might envy, face sword, famine, and plague. Verses 20 to 23 condemn the prophets Ahab and Zedekiah for lies and adultery. Verses 24 to 32 record Shemaiah's letter demanding Jeremiah's punishment and God's sentence on Shemaiah.

Why this chapter matters

Jeremiah 29 gave the people of God a way to live faithfully in a place they did not choose, which is why it has been read by every displaced and minority community since. "Seek the prosperity of the city" became a charter for engagement with the surrounding culture rather than withdrawal from it. Verse 11 is one of the most quoted verses in the Bible, and its context, seventy years of exile, is what gives it its weight: it is a promise spoken into a hard season, not a promise that the season will be short. Verse 13, "You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart," is the letter's spiritual center.

Interpretive tension to watch

Verse 11 is addressed to a community in the plural and promises restoration to their grandchildren's generation. Applying it to individuals today requires care: the character of God it reveals carries over, the specific promise of return does not. The chapter also raises the question of how to tell true prophets from false ones when both speak in God's name; Jeremiah's answer is that the true word is the one that came to pass, and that the comfortable word is not always the true one.

أسئلة لهذا الفصل

The exiles are told to pray for the city that captured them. What would it mean to seek the welfare of a place you did not choose and cannot leave?
Verse 11 is usually quoted alone. How does reading verses 4 to 14 together change what it promises?
Shemaiah wanted Jeremiah punished for saying the exile would be long. Why is a hard true word harder to accept than a comforting false one?

Study with context

Use this as a chapter guide, then press deeper into the text itself. The goal is to slow down observation, notice structure, and ask better questions before jumping to conclusions.

أضف للملاحظات

1 هَذَا كَلَامُ ٱلرِّسَالَةِ ٱلَّتِي أَرْسَلَهَا إِرْمِيَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ مِنْ أُورُشَلِيمَ إِلَى بَقِيَّةِ شُيُوخِ ٱلسَّبْيِ، وَإِلَى ٱلْكَهَنَةِ وَٱلْأَنْبِيَاءِ، وَإِلَى كُلِّ ٱلشَّعْبِ ٱلَّذِينَ سَبَاهُمْ نَبُوخَذْنَاصَّرُ مِنْ أُورُشَلِيمَ إِلَى بَابِلَ، 2 بَعْدَ خُرُوجِ يَكُنْيَا ٱلْمَلِكِ وَٱلْمَلِكَةِ وَٱلْخِصْيَانِ وَرُؤَسَاءِ يَهُوذَا وَأُورُشَلِيمَ وَٱلنَّجَّارِينَ وَٱلْحَدَّادِينَ مِنْ أُورُشَلِيمَ، 3 بِيَدِ أَلْعَاسَةَ بْنِ شَافَانَ، وَجَمَرْيَا بْنِ حِلْقِيَّا، ٱللَّذَيْنِ أَرْسَلَهُمَا صِدْقِيَّا مَلِكُ يَهُوذَا إِلَى نَبُوخَذْنَاصَّرَ مَلِكِ بَابِلَ إِلَى بَابِلَ قَائِلًا: 4 «هَكَذَا قَالَ رَبُّ ٱلْجُنُودِ إِلَهُ إِسْرَائِيلَ لِكُلِّ ٱلسَّبْيِ ٱلَّذِي سَبَيْتُهُ مِنْ أُورُشَلِيمَ إِلَى بَابِلَ: 5 اِبْنُوا بُيُوتًا وَٱسْكُنُوا، وَٱغْرِسُوا جَنَّاتٍ وَكُلُوا ثَمَرَهَا. 6 خُذُوا نِسَاءً وَلِدُوا بَنِينَ وَبَنَاتٍ وَخُذُوا لِبَنِيكُمْ نِسَاءً وَأَعْطُوا بَنَاتِكُمْ لِرِجَالٍ فَيَلِدْنَ بَنِينَ وَبَنَاتٍ، وَٱكْثُرُوا هُنَاكَ وَلَا تَقِلُّوا. 7 وَٱطْلُبُوا سَلَامَ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ ٱلَّتِي سَبَيْتُكُمْ إِلَيْهَا، وَصَلُّوا لِأَجْلِهَا إِلَى ٱلرَّبِّ، لِأَنَّهُ بِسَلَامِهَا يَكُونُ لَكُمْ سَلَامٌ. 8 لِأَنَّهُ هَكَذَا قَالَ رَبُّ ٱلْجُنُودِ إِلَهُ إِسْرَائِيلَ: لَا تَغُشَّكُمْ أَنْبِيَاؤُكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ فِي وَسَطِكُمْ وَعَرَّافُوكُمْ، وَلَا تَسْمَعُوا لِأَحْلَامِكُمُ ٱلَّتِي تَتَحَلَّمُونَهَا. 9 لِأَنَّهُمْ إِنَّمَا يَتَنَبَّأُونَ لَكُمْ بِٱسْمِي بِٱلْكَذِبِ. أَنَا لَمْ أُرْسِلْهُمْ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ. 10 «لِأَنَّهُ هَكَذَا قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ: إِنِّي عِنْدَ تَمَامِ سَبْعِينَ سَنَةً لِبَابِلَ، أَتَعَهَّدُكُمْ وَأُقِيمُ لَكُمْ كَلَامِي ٱلصَّالِحَ، بِرَدِّكُمْ إِلَى هَذَا ٱلْمَوْضِعِ. 11 لِأَنِّي عَرَفْتُ ٱلْأَفْكَارَ ٱلَّتِي أَنَا مُفْتَكِرٌ بِهَا عَنْكُمْ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ، أَفْكَارَ سَلَامٍ لَا شَرٍّ، لِأُعْطِيَكُمْ آخِرَةً وَرَجَاءً. 12 فَتَدْعُونَنِي وَتَذْهَبُونَ وَتُصَلُّونَ إِلَيَّ فَأَسْمَعُ لَكُمْ. 13 وَتَطْلُبُونَنِي فَتَجِدُونَنِي إِذْ تَطْلُبُونَنِي بِكُلِّ قَلْبِكُمْ. 14 فَأُوجَدُ لَكُمْ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ، وَأَرُدُّ سَبْيَكُمْ وَأَجْمَعُكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ٱلْأُمَمِ وَمِنْ كُلِّ ٱلْمَوَاضِعِ ٱلَّتِي طَرَدْتُكُمْ إِلَيْهَا، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ، وَأَرُدُّكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْمَوْضِعِ ٱلَّذِي سَبَيْتُكُمْ مِنْهُ. 15 «لِأَنَّكُمْ قُلْتُمْ: قَدْ أَقَامَ لَنَا ٱلرَّبُّ نَبِيِّينَ فِي بَابِلَ، 16 فَهَكَذَا قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ لِلْمَلِكِ ٱلْجَالِسِ عَلَى كُرْسِيِّ دَاوُدَ، وَلِكُلِّ ٱلشَّعْبِ ٱلْجَالِسِ فِي هَذِهِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ، إِخْوَتِكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يَخْرُجُوا مَعَكُمْ فِي ٱلسَّبْيِ: 17 هَكَذَا قَالَ رَبُّ ٱلْجُنُودِ: هَأَنَذَا أُرْسِلُ عَلَيْهِمِ ٱلسَّيْفَ وَٱلْجُوعَ وَٱلْوَبَأَ، وَأَجْعَلُهُمْ كَتِينٍ رَدِيءٍ لَا يُؤْكَلُ مِنَ ٱلرَّدَاءَةِ. 18 وَأُلْحِقُهُمْ بِٱلسَّيْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَٱلْوَبَإِ، وَأَجْعَلُهُمْ قَلَقًا لِكُلِّ مَمَالِكِ ٱلْأَرْضِ، حِلْفًا وَدَهَشًا وَصَفِيرًا وَعَارًا فِي جَمِيعِ ٱلْأُمَمِ ٱلَّذِينَ طَرَدْتُهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ، 19 مِنْ أَجْلِ أَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَسْمَعُوا لِكَلَامِي، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ، إِذْ أَرْسَلْتُ إِلَيْهِمْ عَبِيدِي ٱلْأَنْبِيَاءَ مُبَكِّرًا وَمُرْسِلًا وَلَمْ تَسْمَعُوا، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ. 20 «وَأَنْتُمْ فَٱسْمَعُوا كَلِمَةَ ٱلرَّبِّ يَا جَمِيعَ ٱلسَّبْيِ ٱلَّذِينَ أَرْسَلْتُهُمْ مِنْ أُورُشَلِيمَ إِلَى بَابِلَ. 21 هَكَذَا قَالَ رَبُّ ٱلْجُنُودِ إِلَهُ إِسْرَائِيلَ عَنْ أَخْآبَ بْنِ قُولَايَا، وَعَنْ صِدْقِيَّا بْنِ مَعْسِيَّا، ٱللَّذَيْنِ يَتَنَبَّآنِ لَكُمْ بِٱسْمِي بِٱلْكَذِبِ: هَأَنَذَا أَدْفَعُهُمَا لِيَدِ نَبُوخَذْرَاصَّرَ مَلِكِ بَابِلَ فَيَقْتُلُهُمَا أَمَامَ عُيُونِكُمْ. 22 وَتُؤْخَذُ مِنْهُمَا لَعْنَةٌ لِكُلِّ سَبْيِ يَهُوذَا ٱلَّذِينَ فِي بَابِلَ، فَيُقَالُ: يَجْعَلُكَ ٱلرَّبُّ مِثْلَ صِدْقِيَّا وَمِثْلَ أَخْآبَ ٱللَّذَيْنِ قَلَاهُمَا مَلِكُ بَابِلَ بِٱلنَّارِ. 23 مِنْ أَجْلِ أَنَّهُمَا عَمِلَا قَبِيحًا فِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، وَزَنَيَا بِنِسَاءِ أَصْحَابِهِمَا، وَتَكَلَّمَا بِٱسْمِي كَلَامًا كَاذِبًا لَمْ أُوصِهِمَا بِهِ، وَأَنَا ٱلْعَارِفُ وَٱلشَّاهِدُ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ. 24 «وَكَلِّمْ شِمْعِيَا ٱلنِّحْلَامِيِّ قَائِلًا: 25 هَكَذَا تَكَلَّمَ رَبُّ ٱلْجُنُودِ إِلَهُ إِسْرَائِيلَ قَائِلًا: مِنْ أَجْلِ أَنَّكَ أَرْسَلْتَ رَسَائِلَ بِٱسْمِكَ إِلَى كُلِّ ٱلشَّعْبِ ٱلَّذِي فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ، وَإِلَى صَفَنْيَا بْنِ مَعْسِيَّا ٱلْكَاهِنِ، وَإِلَى كُلِّ ٱلْكَهَنَةِ قَائِلًا: 26 قَدْ جَعَلَكَ ٱلرَّبُّ كَاهِنًا عِوَضًا عَنْ يَهُويَادَاعَ ٱلْكَاهِنِ، لِتَكُونُوا وُكَلَاءَ فِي بَيْتِ ٱلرَّبِّ لِكُلِّ رَجُلٍ مَجْنُونٍ وَمُتَنَبِّئٍ، فَتَدْفَعُهُ إِلَى ٱلْمِقْطَرَةِ وَٱلْقُيُودِ. 27 وَٱلْآنَ لِمَاذَا لَمْ تَزْجُرْ إِرْمِيَا ٱلْعَنَاثُوثِيَّ ٱلْمُتَنَبِّئَ لَكُمْ. 28 لِأَنَّهُ لِذَلِكَ أَرْسَلَ إِلَيْنَا إِلَى بَابِلَ قَائِلًا: إِنَّهَا مُسْتَطِيلَةٌ. ٱبْنُوا بُيُوتًا وَٱسْكُنُوا، وَٱغْرِسُوا جَنَّاتٍ وَكُلُوا ثَمَرَهَا». 29 فَقَرَأَ صَفَنْيَا ٱلْكَاهِنُ هَذِهِ ٱلرِّسَالَةَ فِي أُذُنَيْ إِرْمِيَا ٱلنَّبِيِّ. 30 ثُمَّ صَارَ كَلَامُ ٱلرَّبِّ إِلَى إِرْمِيَا قَائِلًا: 31 «أَرْسِلْ إِلَى كُلِّ ٱلسَّبْيِ قَائِلًا: هَكَذَا قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ لِشِمْعِيَا ٱلنِّحْلَامِيِّ: مِنْ أَجْلِ أَنَّ شِمْعِيَا قَدْ تَنَبَّأَ لَكُمْ وَأَنَا لَمْ أُرْسِلْهُ، وَجَعَلَكُمْ تَتَّكِلُونَ عَلَى ٱلْكَذِبِ. 32 لِذَلِكَ هَكَذَا قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ: هَأَنَذَا أُعَاقِبُ شِمْعِيَا ٱلنِّحْلَامِيَّ وَنَسْلَهُ. لَا يَكُونُ لَهُ إِنْسَانٌ يَجْلِسُ فِي وَسْطِ هَذَا ٱلشَّعْبِ، وَلَا يَرَى ٱلْخَيْرَ ٱلَّذِي سَأَصْنَعُهُ لِشَعْبِي، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ، لِأَنَّهُ تَكَلَّمَ بِعِصْيَانٍ عَلَى ٱلرَّبِّ».