Jeremiah 29:2

(After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;) THE QUEEN - Nehushta, the queen-mother, daughter of Elnathan (; ). (Elnathan, her father, perhaps is the same as the one .) She reigned jointly with her son. THE PRINCES. All the men of authority were taken away, lest they should organize a rebellion. Jeremiah wrote his letter, while the calamity was still recent, to console the captives under it....

He mentions the time when the book was sent, even after the calamity which had happened, when King Jeconiah and his mother were driven into exile, and Zedekiah, his successor, was made governor in his place, as we shall presently see. It was then during these beginnings of a change that Jeremiah wrote. All things were then in such a ferment, that some feared more than what was necessary, and others entertained vain hopes, as the case usually is in a disordered state of things. It was then after this fresh calamity that Jeremiah wrote, as his words most especially shew. He might indeed, as in other instances, have mentioned the year; but as he plainly declares that this happened after the departure of Jeconiah, his purpose is sufficiently evident, even that he wished in due time to give some relief to their sorrow, who might have succumbed under it, had not God in a manner stretched forth...

1-7 The written word of God is as truly given by inspiration of God as his spoken word. The zealous servant of the Lord will use every means to profit those who are far off, as well as those who are near him. The art of writing is very profitable for this end; and by the art of printing it is rendered most beneficial for circulating the knowledge of the word of God. God's sending to the captives by this letter would show that he had not forsaken them, though he was displeased, and corrected them. If they live in the fear of God, they may live comfortably in Babylon. In all conditions of life, it is our wisdom and duty not to throw away the comfort of what we may have, because we have not all we would have. They are directed to seek the good of the country where they were captives. While the king of Babylon protected them, they must live quiet and peaceable lives under him, in all godline...

THE QUEEN - The queen-mother....

EXPOSITION Despised and rejected at home, Jeremiah turned his thoughts to those distant brethren in captivity, whom he had already likened to "good figs, very good" (Jeremiah 24:3, Jeremiah 24:5). He had heard with sorrow that they could not readily submit to their altered circumstances; Judah, with its consecrated associations, was still too near to them in spirit. Probably a rumor of the expected confederacy (Jeremiah 27:3) had troubled their minds, and the discontent was increased by the pernicious discourses of prophets and sooth sayers similar to that Hananiah of whom we have just heard. Two of these in particular are mentioned, and a terrible fate is held out to them. The appendix (verses 24-32) de

AFTER THAT JECONIAH THE KING,.... Of Judah; the same with Jehoiachin, who was carried captive into Babylon when he had reigned but three months: AND THE QUEEN; not Jeconiah's wife, for he had none; but his mother, whose name was Nehushta, and who was carried captive with him, 2 Kings 24:8; AND THE EUNUCHS; or "chamberlains" to the queen; the Targum calls them princes; these were of the king's household, his courtiers; and such persons have been everywhere, and in all ages, court favourites: AND THE PRINCES OF JUDAH AND JERUSALEM; the noblemen and grandees of the nation: AND THE CARPENTERS, AND THE SMITHS, WERE DEPARTED FROM JERUSALEM; whom Nebuchadnezzar took with him, partly for his own use in his own country; and partly that the Jews might be deprived of such artificers, that could assist in fortify

JEREMIAH 29. THE FUTURE OF THE EXILES IN BABYLON (_c_. 595). Jeremiah sends a letter by royal messengers to tell the exiles in Babylon to settle down there for a lengthy stay, and not to be deceived by those who say otherwise (Jeremiah 29:1). After seventy years (see on Jeremiah 25:11), they shall be restored in accordance with Yahweh's declared purpose (Jeremiah 24:4) and goodwill (Jeremiah 29:1). At this point, an insertion seems to have been made in the original letter. Most of 14 (after I will be found of you) is rightly omitted in LXX; the reference to all the nations does not suit the destination of this particula

JECONIAH: i.e. Jehoiachin. THE QUEEN. the queen-mother, Nehushta, the wife of Jehoiakim. Compare Jeremiah 13:18. See 2 Kings 24:12; 2 Kings 24:15. EUNUCHS. chamberlains. CARPENTERS. artificers, smiths. Compare Jeremiah 24:1....

The letter appears to have been later than ch. 24, to which it plainly alludes more than once. Cp. Jeremiah 29:17 with Jeremiah 24:2; Jeremiah 24:8, and Jeremiah 29:18 with Jeremiah 24:9. _the queen-mother_ Nehushta. See on ch. Jeremiah 13:18. _the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the craftsmen, and the smiths_ Cp. ch. Jeremiah 24:1, with note on "smit

III. CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE CAPTIVES Jeremiah 29:1-32 Judging from the contents of chapter 29, the Jews in captivity in Babylon were free to correspond with their relatives and friends back in Palestine. This chapter contains two (possibly three) letters which Jeremiah sent to Babylon and alludes to several letters which were sent from Jews in Babylon to those in Jerusalem. Jeremiah like other prophets regarded the exile in Babylon as a punishment for the sins of the nation. Yet once that exile had begun in 605 B.C. and still in greater measure in 597 B.C. Jeremiah deemed it his duty to offer encouragement to the exiles. Prophets had arisen in Babylon who were predicting a speedy end to the captivity. While Jeremiah wished to encourage those Jews in Babylon yet he was a realist. He could not allow those Jews to go on deluding themselves. As long as they thought the exile to Baby