Upon this, Jeremiah received a special revelation, announcing dire punishment to Shemaiah and his family (according to the principle of the Divine government described in Exodus 20:5). Zephaniah, however, was not the man for whom Shemaiah took him, and read the letter to the intended victim.

26) to put a stop to Jeremiah's bold agitation. Accordingly one of them, named Shemaiah, wrote letters to the Jews at home, and especially to a high official called Zephaniah (see on ver. Great excitement had been caused among the so-called prophets in Babylon by the emphatic language of Jeremiah. A threatening oracle against the false prophet Shemaiah. Lastly, there is in their rendering no clue to the contents of “the letter” of Jeremiah 29:29.

Moreover, they are obliged in Jeremiah 29:27 both to omit the negative and to make Jeremiah speak of himself in the 3rd person. Thus for “saying … to Jerusalem” ( Jeremiah 29:25) they substitute (suggested apparently by Jeremiah 29:31) “I did not send thee in my name,” as though it were a Divine utterance addressed to Shemaiah. The LXX fail, either from the defective condition of the Hebrew text or otherwise, to see that Jeremiah 29:26-28 consist of Shemaiah’s letter from Babylon. It is thus of the nature of the figure of speech called anacoluthon, and is taken up again by the “Because” of Jeremiah 29:31, a sentence which is carried by the “therefore, etc.” of Jeremiah 29:32 to its logical conclusion. The charge brought by Jeremiah is introduced by the “Because” of Jeremiah 29:25, and continuing to the end of Jeremiah 29:28, remains incomplete. It is clearly one of the additions made by Baruch or by later hands. in fact describes it as exhibiting utter confusion, resulting from successive modifications. Its form, it is true, leaves much to be desired, and Du. The narrative forms an interesting supplement to the earlier part of the ch. This suggestion, however, Zephaniah is so far from following that he shews the letter to the prophet, who writes again to Babylon, this time for the purpose of condemning Shemaiah’s conduct in the severest terms, and announcing its penalty. On the arrival at Babylon of Jeremiah’s letter, which ends with Jeremiah 29:23, there is much indignation on the part of the false prophets, and one of them, Shemaiah by name, writes to Zephaniah the acting high-priest, urging upon him that he should take severe measures to silence Jeremiah as a madman. Shemaiah the Nehelamite rebuked and threatened. The Nehelamite] The place or family referred to is not otherwise known.Ģ4–32. For therefore, rather, because, he sent unto us in Babylon - See Jeremiah 29:5.Ĭambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 24. The prophets and inspired persons were often accused of madness, or of being possessed with an evil spirit, by their enemies. The second priest officiated as substitute of the high-priest, in case of absence or indisposition, and perhaps was always invested with subordinate authority.” That ye should be officers, &c., for every man that is mad, &c.

But who then, it may be asked, was Jehoiada? “Perhaps,” says Blaney, “he was one that had been superseded in his office of second priest, for being remiss in his duty and therefore Zephaniah may have been here reminded of him, by way of intimation that, as they had been both appointed for the same purposes, so Zephaniah might expect the same fate as his predecessor, if he copied the example of his negligence. Because thou hast sent letters to Zephaniah, (see Jeremiah 21:1,) saying, The Lord hath made thee priest - Shemaiah directs his letter to Zephaniah in the first place, as being next in order to the high-priest, and therefore called the second priest, Jeremiah 52:24, and tells him that God has appointed him to supply the place of the high- priest, being probably absent at that time, who was either Azariah, or Seraiah his son. The prophet, it seems, was commanded to send this message to Shemaiah after the messengers who delivered the forementioned writing to the captives at Babylon were returned home, who brought along with them Shemaiah’s letter, mentioned in the following verse. The termination, however, rather shows it to be a word expressing Shemaiah’s family or country, and we find such a place as Helam mentioned, 2 Samuel 10:16-17. Thus shalt thou speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite - Or, the dreamer, as the word הנחלמי, is rendered in the margin: see Jeremiah 29:8.

Book of shemaiah