Jeremiah (1-31) 29:24 Commentary and Bible Study

A special warning is given to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, the leader of them all, an activist among the false prophets, and a man zealous for a bad cause. Nehelamite may refer to an unknown place, or its meaning ‘he of the dream’ may be significant. This man knows about Jeremiah’s letter to those in Babylon (verse 28) where he lives. He is not content simply to contradict the prophet’s message; he actively goes after Jeremiah and, being a man of some power and influence, he takes it upon him to influence the leaders in Jerusalem where Jeremiah is, and he writes to them and urges them to arrest Jeremiah, along with any other true prophets who are still there. He derisively dismisses the true prophets as mad, and needing to be locked up to silence them and keep them away from the people. He does not want anymore letters come from Jerusalem to Babylon. His complaint against Jeremiah is that he has taught that the Jews in Babylon should settle down in Babylon and building houses and farm the land and prepare for a long stay there. Shemiah’s letter arrives in Jerusalem, sent to the Zephaniah the second, deputy, priest (Jeremiah 21:24). Shemaiah tells him, probably to flatter him, that he is in the place of Jehoiada, possibly a reference to the high priest in the days of Joash (2 Kings 11:4). This man read Shamaiah’s letter to Jeremiah, presumably by way of threatening him. But these details of what had happened form part of a message from Jeremiah to this false prophet and he is charged with all this scheming to undermine the Lord’s prophet. The judgment of God on Shemaiah follows.