24 To Shemaiah the Nehelamite you shall speak , saying , 25 "Thus says the Lord of hosts , the God of Israel , 'Because e you have sent letters in your own name to all the people who are in Jerusalem , and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah , the priest , and to all the priests , saying , 26 "The Lord has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest , to be the overseer in the house of the Lord over every madman who prophesies , to put him in the stocks and in the iron collar , 27 now then, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who prophesies to you? 28 "For he has sent to us in Babylon , saying , 'The exile will be long ; build houses and live in them and plant gardens and eat their produce .' ""' 29 Zephaniah the priest read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet . 30 Then came the word of the Lord to Jeremiah , saying , 31 "Send to all the exiles , saying , 'Thus says the Lord concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite , "Because e Shemaiah has prophesied to you, although I did not send him, and he has made you trust in a lie ," 32 therefore thus says the Lord , "Behold , I am about to punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants ; he will not have anyone living among this people , and he will not see the good that I am about to do to My people ," declares the Lord , "because he has preached rebellion against the Lord .""'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jeremiah 29:24-32
Commentary on Jeremiah 29:20-32
(Read Jeremiah 29:20-32)
Jeremiah foretells judgments upon the false prophets, who deceived the Jews in Babylon. Lying was bad; lying to the people of the Lord, to delude them into a false hope, was worse; but pretending to rest their own lies upon the God of truth, was worst of all. They flattered others in their sins, because they could not reprove them without condemning themselves. The most secret sins are known to God; and there is a day coming when he will bring to light all the hidden works of darkness. Shemaiah urges the priests to persecute Jeremiah. Their hearts are wretchedly hardened who justify doing mischief by having power to do it. They were in a miserable thraldom for mocking the messengers of the Lord, and misusing his prophets; yet in their distress they trespass still more against the Lord. Afflictions will not of themselves cure men of their sins, unless the grace of God works with them. Those who slight the blessings, deserve to lose the benefit of God's word, like Shemaiah. The accusations against many active Christians in all ages, amount to no more than this, that they earnestly counsel men to attend to their true interest and duties, and to wait for the performance of God's promises in his appointed way.