Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 29:28
For therefore he sent unto us [in] Babylon, saying, This [captivity is] long: build ye houses, and dwell [in them]; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
The matter of fact was true, as appeared Jer 29:5,6, but it was false that this was the effect of phrensy, or that he spake this of his own head without commission from God; for he wrote nothing of this nature but by order from God, as appeareth from Jer 29:4, where he began his letter with, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
28. Referring to Jeremiah’sfirst letter to Babylon (Jer 29:5).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For therefore he sent unto us [in] Babylon, saying,…. That is, Jeremiah the prophet; and this was the reason, because his mouth was not stopped, and he restrained from prophesying; so that Shemaiah lays all the blame on Zephaniah, and his brethren the priests; who, had they done their duty, would have prevented Jeremiah’s letter to the captives, as he suggests; the purport of which was,
this [captivity] is long; so Kimchi, Abarbinel, and Ben Melech, supply it; or, “it [is] long” m; it will be a long time before the captives shall return to their own land; and therefore they should not think of it, or provide for it; but, on the contrary, for their continuance in Babylon; giving the following advice:
build ye houses, and dwell [in them]; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; referring to Jeremiah’s letter;
[See comments on Jer 29:5].
m “longum est”, Pagninus, Cocceius, Schmidt.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The crime ascribed to Jeremiah was, — that he rendered the captives indifferent, so that they cast off every hope of deliverance, and disregarded their own country. But the design of Jeremiah was far different; it was, that the people might not by too much haste anticipate the promises of God, and that he might also extend their hope to the end, prefixed. As there are two causal particles here found, כי על-כן, ki ol-ken, some give this rendering, “For for this cause,” that is, because he claimed the name of a Prophet. The simpler meaning however is, that he gives a reason why Shemaiah blamed the neglect of the priest, even because he (Jeremiah) had habituated the captives to bear their exiles. But he reproached the holy man, as though he had made them indifferent through long delay. Jeremiah had indeed said that the time would be long; but this particular phrase, It is long, means a different thing, as though Jeremiah wished to bury in oblivion the hope of a return, because it would have been foolish to languish so long.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(28) This captivity is long . . .As the italics show, there is no word corresponding to captivity in the Hebrew, and some commentators render the words, It is far off . . . as though Jeremiah had counted on the distance of Babylon as enabling him to write the letter with impunity, or possibly in all the emphasis of abruptness. All is a long way offthe end of your exile, your present distance from your native land, and haste, therefore, is but folly.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 29:28 For therefore he sent unto us [in] Babylon, saying, This [captivity is] long: build ye houses, and dwell [in them]; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
Ver. 28. For therefore he sent to us in Babylon. ] And is this all the thank he hath for his friendly counsel? Haec est merces mundi. This is the recompence of the world.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 29:1-10
Reciprocal: Jer 8:3 – in all Jer 29:5 – General Eze 28:26 – build Zec 5:11 – unto
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 29:28. Shemaiah correctly reported the contents of Jeremiah’s letter although he did not like it because of his own falsifying prophecies to the captives.