Now these are the wordsof the letterthatJeremiahthe prophetsentfrom Jerusalemuntothe residueof the elderswhich were carried away captives, and tothe priests, and tothe prophets, and toallthe peoplewhomNebuchadnezzarhad carried away captivefrom Jerusalemto Babylon; (After thatJeconiahthe king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princesof Judahand Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departedfrom Jerusalem;) By the handof Elasahthe sonof Shaphan, and Gemariahthe sonof Hilkiah, ( whomZedekiahkingof Judahsentunto BabylontoNebuchadnezzarkingof Babylon) saying, Thussaiththe LORDof hosts, the Godof Israel, unto allthat are carried away captives, whomI have caused to be carried awayfrom Jerusalemunto Babylon; Buildye houses, and dwell in them ; and plantgardens, and eatthe fruitof them; Takeye wives, and begetsonsand daughters; and takewivesfor your sons, and giveyour daughtersto husbands, that they may bearsonsand daughters; that ye may be increasedthere, and notdiminished. And seekthe peaceof the citywhitherI have caused you to be carried away captives, and prayuntothe LORDforit: forin the peacethereof shall ye havepeace. Forthussaiththe LORDof hosts, the Godof Israel; Let notyour prophetsand your diviners, that be in the midstof you, deceiveyou, neitherhearkentoyour dreamswhichyecause to be dreamed. Fortheyprophesyfalselyunto you in my name: I have notsentthem, saiththe LORD. Forthussaiththe LORD, Thatafterseventyyearsbe accomplishedat BabylonI will visityou, and performmy goodwordtowardyou, in causing you to returntothisplace. ForIknowthe thoughtsthatIthinktowardyou, saiththe LORD, thoughtsof peace, and notof evil, to giveyou an expectedend. Then shall ye call uponme, and ye shall goand prayuntome, and I will hearkenuntoyou. And ye shall seekme, and find me , whenye shall search forme with allyour heart. And I will be foundof you, saiththe LORD: and I will turn awayyour captivity, and I will gatheryou from allthe nations, and from allthe placeswhitherI have drivenyou, saiththe LORD; and I will bring you againintothe placewhenceI caused you to be carried away captive. Becauseye have said, The LORDhath raised us upprophetsin Babylon; Know thatthussaiththe LORDofthe kingthat sittethuponthe throneof David, and ofallthe peoplethat dwellethin thiscity, and of your brethrenthatare notgone forthwithyou into captivity; Thussaiththe LORDof hosts; Behold, I will sendupon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will makethem like vilefigs, thatcannotbe eaten, they are so evil. And I will persecutethem with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliverthem to be removedto allthe kingdomsof the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and a hissing, and a reproach, among allthe nationswhitherI have driventhem: Becausethey have nothearkenedtomy words, saiththe LORD, whichI sentuntothem by my servantsthe prophets, rising up earlyand sending them ; but ye would nothear, saiththe LORD. Hearyetherefore the wordof the LORD, allye of the captivity, whomI have sentfrom Jerusalemto Babylon: Thussaiththe LORDof hosts, the Godof Israel, ofAhabthe sonof Kolaiah, and ofZedekiahthe sonof Maaseiah, which prophesya lieunto you in my name; Behold, I will deliverthem into the handof Nebuchadnezzarkingof Babylon; and he shall slaythem before your eyes; And ofthem shall be taken upa curseby allthe captivityof Judahwhich are in Babylon, saying, The LORDmakethee like Zedekiahand like Ahab, whomthe kingof Babylonroastedin the fire; Becausethey have committedvillainyin Israel, and have committed adulterywiththeir neighbors' wives, and have spokenlyingwordsin my name, whichI have notcommandedthem; even Iknow, and am a witness, saiththe LORD. Thus shalt thou also speaktoShemaiahthe Nehelamite, saying, Thusspeakeththe LORDof hosts, the Godof Israel, saying, Becausethouhast sentlettersin thy nameuntoallthe peoplethat are at Jerusalem, and toZephaniahthe sonof Maaseiahthe priest, and toallthe priests, saying, The LORDhath madethee priestin the stead ofJehoiadathe priest, that ye should beofficersin the houseof the LORD, for everyman that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest puthim inprison, and inthe stocks. Nowtherefore whyhast thou notreprovedJeremiahof Anathoth, which maketh himself a prophetto you? Forthereforehe sentuntous in Babylon, saying, This captivity is long: buildye houses, and dwell in them ; and plantgardens, and eatthe fruitof them. And Zephaniahthe priestreadthisletterin the earsof Jeremiahthe prophet. Then camethe wordof the LORDuntoJeremiah, saying, Sendtoallthem of the captivity, saying, Thussaiththe LORDconcerningShemaiahthe Nehelamite; Becausethat Shemaiahhath prophesiedunto you, and Isenthim not, and he caused you to trustina lie: Thereforethussaiththe LORD; Behold, I will punishShemaiahthe Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall nothavea manto dwellamongthispeople; neithershall he beholdthe goodthatIwill dofor my people, saiththe LORD; becausehe hath taughtrebellionagainstthe LORD.