Study Desk

Now you shall speak to ^(C1)Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying,

"This is what the LORD of armies, the God of Israel says: 'Because you have sent ^(C1)letters in your own name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to ^(C2)the priest Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, and to all the priests, saying,

"The LORD has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, to be the ^(F1)(C1)overseer of the house of the LORD for every ^(C2)insane person who ^(C3)prophesies, to ^(C4)put him in the stocks and in the iron collar.

"So now, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of ^(C1)Anathoth who prophesies to you,

seeing that he has ^(C1)sent word to us in Babylon, saying, '^(F1)The exile will be ^(C2)long; ^(C3)build houses and live in them, and plant gardens and eat their ^(F2)produce'?"'"

Now ^(C1)Zephaniah the priest read this letter ^(F1)to Jeremiah the prophet.

Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying,

"Send word to ^(C1)all the exiles, saying, 'This is what the LORD says concerning ^(C2)Shemaiah the Nehelamite: "Because Shemaiah has ^(C3)prophesied to you, although I did not send him, and he has ^(C4)made you trust in a lie,"

therefore this is what the LORD says: "Behold, I am going to ^(C1)punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his ^(F1)descendants; he will ^(C2)not have anyone living among this people, ^(C3)and he will not see the good that I am going to do for My people," declares the LORD, "because he has ^(C4)spoken falsely against the LORD."'"