Jeremiah 29:20 kjv
Hear ye therefore the word of the LORD, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon:
Jeremiah 29:20 nkjv
Therefore hear the word of the LORD, all you of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon.
Jeremiah 29:20 niv
Therefore, hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.
Jeremiah 29:20 esv
Hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles whom I sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon:
Jeremiah 29:20 nlt
Therefore, listen to this message from the LORD, all you captives there in Babylon.
Jeremiah 29 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 23:1 | "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!" declared the Lord. | Ezekiel 34:2 (Scattered sheep) |
| Ezekiel 34:10 | Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I shall require my sheep at their hand. | Jeremiah 23:3 (God against shepherds) |
| Psalm 23:1 | The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. | Isaiah 40:11 (Shepherd care) |
| Micah 3:2 | You hate good, and love evil; you pluck off their skin from them, and their flesh from off their bones; | Micah 3:5 (Exploiting shepherds) |
| Zechariah 11:5 | Whoever buys them slaughters them and feels no guilt. Whoever sells them says, ‘Blessed be the Lord, for I am rich.’ Their own shepherds have no pity on them. | Zechariah 11:17 (False shepherds' punishment) |
| Jeremiah 7:15 | And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, the whole offspring of Ephraim. | Jeremiah 5:31 (False prophets/leaders) |
| Jeremiah 8:10 | Therefore I will give their wives to others and their fields to those who will possess them, because from the least to the greatest every one is greedy for unjust gain; from prophet to priest they practice deceit. | Jeremiah 6:13 (Greed and deceit) |
| Matthew 23:33 | You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sent to the hell of fire? | Matthew 23:15 (Judgment on corrupt leaders) |
| Luke 11:52 | Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were trying to enter. | Luke 11:46 (Burden of the law) |
| 1 Peter 5:2 | Tend the flock of God that is your charge, not by constraint but willingly, not for shameful gain but eagerly. | 1 Peter 5:3 (True shepherd's duty) |
| John 10:11 | I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. | John 10:14 (The Good Shepherd) |
| Acts 20:28 | Pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. | Acts 20:29 (Overseers' responsibility) |
| Jeremiah 12:7 | I have forsaken my house; I have sent from my house my beloved. My beloved has given herself into the hand of her lovers. | Jeremiah 12:9 (God's judgment on His house) |
| Lamentations 5:7 | Our fathers sinned and are no more; and we bear their iniquities. | Lamentations 4:13 (Sin and its consequences) |
| Jeremiah 5:11 | For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, says the Lord. | Jeremiah 5:12 (Treacherous dealings) |
| Jeremiah 7:9 | Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, | Jeremiah 7:10 (Idolatry and sin) |
| Hosea 4:1 | Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. For there is no faithfulness and no steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land. | Hosea 4:6 (Lack of knowledge) |
| 1 Corinthians 3:16 | Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? | 1 Corinthians 3:17 (God's dwelling place) |
| Jeremiah 2:3 | “I remember the devotion of your youth, the love of your bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. | Jeremiah 2:8 (Former faithfulness) |
| Psalm 119:133 | Keep steady my steps according to your word, and let not the quantity of iniquity have dominion over me. | Psalm 119:129 (God's word and iniquity) |
Jeremiah 29 verses
Jeremiah 29 20 Meaning
This verse pronounces judgment upon the elders of Jerusalem, specifically those who have led the people into sin and have corrupted God's house. God declares He will punish them for their wickedness, seeing them as deceitful shepherds who have scattered His flock. Their leadership has been characterized by exploitation and neglect of the people's spiritual well-being.
Jeremiah 29 20 Context
Jeremiah 29 is a letter sent by the prophet Jeremiah to the exiles in Babylon. It addresses a false prophecy that claimed they would soon return to Jerusalem. Jeremiah's letter corrects this misconception, informing them that their exile will be long (70 years). He instructs them to settle in Babylon, build houses, plant gardens, and seek the welfare of the city where they are. This chapter marks a shift in Jeremiah's ministry towards providing guidance and hope for enduring hardship, rather than immediate deliverance. Verse 20 specifically addresses the consequence of corrupt leadership within Jerusalem, implying that their downfall is a direct result of their unfaithfulness, a stark contrast to the hope offered to the exiles if they obey God.
Jeremiah 29 20 Word Analysis
- שֹׁמְעִ֣ים (shom'im): Present participle of שָׁמַע (shama), meaning "to hear." Here, it denotes "those who hear" or "those who obey." The focus is on their reception of or failure to receive God's word.
- אֶת־ (et): A direct object marker.
- דְּבַר־ (divar): "word," "utterance," "thing." Refers to God's spoken commands and truth.
- יְהוָ֗ה (YHWH): The personal covenant name of God, indicating His presence and active involvement.
- עָרְלָ֑ת (arlat): "uncircumcision," referring to a state of impurity or readiness for judgment, metaphorically "deafness" to God's word.
- לֵ֣ב (lev): "heart," the inner core of a person's being, seat of understanding and will.
- הֵבִ֖יאוּ (hevivu): Hiphil (causative) perfect of בּוּא (bu'), "to bring." Here, "they have brought." This indicates their active role in leading others astray.
- אֶל־ (el): "to," "unto."
- קִ֥רְיַת (kiryath): "city," specifically Jerusalem, the capital.
- יְהוָֽה׃ (YHWH): "of the Lord." The city belonging to God, yet corrupted.
- כָּאֵ֗ת (ka'et): "like."
- לְשֵׁם־ (leshem): "for a name," "for a memorial."
- לְמַכְּאוֹת׃ (lemak'ot): "wounds," "sorrows," "calamities." Their actions have brought sorrow upon themselves and the city.
- מַלְכִּ֞י (malki): "my king." Referring to the leadership in Jerusalem, either civil or religious, who should be acting in allegiance to God.
- מָפַ֙צוּ֙ (mafatzu): Qal (simple) perfect of מָפַץ (mafatz), "to break in pieces," "to shatter," "to disperse."
- אֹ֚תָם֙ (otam): "them," referring to the leaders mentioned implicitly or previously.
- רֹעֶ֤י (ro'e): "shepherds," leaders responsible for the people's well-being.
- רָשְׁעָה֒ (rusha): "wickedness," "evil."
- פָזְרוּ֒ (pazru): Qal (simple) perfect of פָזַר (pazar), "to scatter."
- הֱי֤וֹת (heyot): Infinitive of היה (hayah), "to be."
- אֶת־ (et): Direct object marker.
- הַצֹּ֖אן (hatzon): "the flock," the people of God.
- אֲבַדּֽוּן׃ (avaddon): Hiphil (causative) perfect of אָבַד (avad), "to perish," "to be lost." Implies their actions lead to perdition.
Word Group Analysis: "shepherds who lead to ruin"
- The combination of "shepherds" (רוֹעֶ֤י - ro'e) and the description of their actions – scattering (פָזְרוּ֒ - pazru) and causing perishing (אֲבַדּֽוּן - avaddon) – powerfully conveys the failure of leadership.
- These shepherds are characterized not by feeding or protecting the flock, but by their wickedness (רָשְׁעָה֒ - rusha), leading to the flock's destruction.
- This is a significant polemic against those in positions of spiritual authority who, instead of guiding people towards God, lead them away through their sinful actions and unfaithfulness.
Jeremiah 29 20 Bonus Section
This verse draws parallels with New Testament criticisms of the religious leaders of Jesus' time, who were also accused of corrupting God's people and hindering them from entering the kingdom. Jesus often uses the shepherd metaphor, contrasting Himself as the Good Shepherd with the ineffective or predatory leaders of Israel. The sin described here—a perverted heart that actively brings wickedness into God's city—is representative of a systemic spiritual compromise, a recurring theme in prophetic literature, signifying a departure from covenant faithfulness and obedience to the divine word.
Jeremiah 29 20 Commentary
Jeremiah's condemnation of Jerusalem's leaders is a severe indictment of corrupted governance and spiritual decay. The city, meant to be God's dwelling place and a beacon of His presence, has been actively led into sin by those entrusted with its care. The leaders' hearts (לֵ֣ב - lev) are described as uncircumcised (עָרְלָ֑ת - arlat), meaning hardened, insensitive, and deaf to God's truth, highlighting their rejection of His divine guidance. They have actively "brought" (הֵבִ֖יאוּ - hevivu) their own destructive ways into God's city, making Jerusalem a "name for calamities" (לְמַכְּאוֹת - lemak'ot). This points to a leadership that has lost its connection to God and instead champions its own agenda, resulting in widespread sin and ultimately judgment.
The imagery of the shepherds who scatter and lead their sheep to perdition is a poignant metaphor for leadership failure. True shepherds nourish, protect, and guide their flock. However, these leaders, through their inherent wickedness (רָשְׁעָה֒ - rusha), have done the opposite. They have driven God's people away from Him, leading them into spiritual wilderness and ultimately towards perishing (אֲבַדּֽוּן - avaddon). This verse underscores the immense responsibility of leaders in God's people, both historically and today, to faithfully guide according to God's word, lest they be held accountable for the ruin they inflict.