Devine Scripture

Jeremiah 29:5–7

What does Jeremiah 29:5–7 mean?

A plain-English look at Jeremiah 29:5–7 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Jeremiah 29:5–7 means

Jeremiah 29:5

Against the popular hope among exiles for an imminent return, God's command here through Jeremiah is striking: "Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them." Rather than preparing for a quick departure, the exiles were told to establish permanent residency. This instruction fostered a mindset of long-term settlement and active participation in their new environment, encouraging them to find stability and sustenance where they were, contradicting the false prophets' promises of a speedy return.

Jeremiah 29:6

Continuing the theme of long-term settlement, God instructs the exiles to "Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters: and multiply ye there, and be not diminished." This command to marry and have children underscores the long duration of their captivity. It was a charge to preserve their community and identity, ensuring that the covenant people of Israel would not disappear but would thrive even in a foreign land, fulfilling God’s promise to multiply His people.

Jeremiah 29:7

This command challenges the natural human desire for revenge or separation from oppressors. God instructs the exiles to "seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray unto Jehovah for it; for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace." They were not to resist or undermine Babylon, but to actively work and pray for its prosperity. This surprising directive reveals that their well-being was inextricably linked to that of their captors, demonstrating God’s sovereign ability to work His purposes even through pagan nations and for His people's good.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them. Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters: and multiply ye there, and be not diminished. And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray unto Jehovah for it; for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them. Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters: and multiply ye there, and be not diminished. And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray unto Jehovah for it; for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Go on building houses and living in them, and planting gardens and using the fruit of them; Take wives and have sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may have sons and daughters; and be increased in number there and do not become less. And be working for the peace of the land to which I have had you taken away prisoners, and make prayer to the Lord for it: for in its peace you will have peace.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

Build ye houses, and abide; and plant ye gardens, and eat their fruit; Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take for your sons wives, and your daughters give to husbands, and they bear sons and daughters; and multiply there, and ye are not few; And seek the peace of the city whither I have removed you, and pray for it unto Jehovah, for in its peace ye have peace.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Build ye houses, and dwell in them: and plant orchards, and eat the fruit of them. Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters: and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, and let them bear sons and daughters: and be ye multiplied there, and be not few in number. And seek the peace of the city, to which I have caused you to be carried away captives; and pray to the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall be your peace.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

Build houses, and dwell in them, and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them. Take wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there, and be not diminished. And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray unto Jehovah for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.

Context

v.5This verse delivers the first practical instruction from God to the exiles, directly countering widespread false hopes of a quick return. It commands them to settle down and invest in their new surroundings. This directive sets the stage for further instructions about their conduct in Babylon, emphasizing that their time there would be extended, not brief.

v.6Building on the previous command to build and plant, this verse further illustrates the expected duration of the exile. It shifts from individual settlement to community reproduction, urging the exiles to maintain their population. This instruction deepens the message that their stay in Babylon would be extended, requiring them to think generationally rather than just temporarily.

v.7Following the commands to settle and multiply, this verse introduces a profound and counter-intuitive directive: praying for their captors. This is a pivotal instruction, moving beyond mere survival to active participation in their new society's welfare. It reinforces the idea of an extended stay and provides a unique theological perspective on how God’s people should relate to hostile governments.

v.4Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all the captivity, whom I have caused to be carried away captive from Jerusalem unto Babylon:

v.5–7This passage

v.8For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Let not your prophets that are in the midst of you, and your diviners, deceive you; neither hearken ye to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Ezekiel 28:26

    And they shall dwell securely therein; yea, they shall build houses, and plant vineyards, and shall dwell securely, when I have executed judgments upon all those that do them despite round about them; and they shall know that I am Jehovah their God.

  • Jeremiah 29:10

    For thus saith Jehovah, After seventy years are accomplished for Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

  • Jeremiah 29:28

    forasmuch as he hath sent unto us in Babylon, saying, The captivity is long: build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them?

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