For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
For thus saith {H559} the LORD {H3068}, That after {H6310} seventy {H7657} years {H8141} be accomplished {H4390} at Babylon {H894} I will visit {H6485} you, and perform {H6965} my good {H2896} word {H1697} toward you, in causing you to return {H7725} to this place {H4725}.
"For here is what ADONAI says: 'After Bavel's seventy years are over, I will remember you and fulfill my good promise to you by bringing you back to this place.
For this is what the LORD says: “When Babylon’s seventy years are complete, I will attend to you and confirm My promise to restore you to this place.
For thus saith Jehovah, After seventy years are accomplished for Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
-
Zechariah 7:5
Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh [month], even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, [even] to me? -
Daniel 9:2
In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. -
Jeremiah 24:6
For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull [them] down; and I will plant them, and not pluck [them] up. -
Jeremiah 24:7
And I will give them an heart to know me, that I [am] the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart. -
Jeremiah 27:22
They shall be carried to Babylon, and there shall they be until the day that I visit them, saith the LORD; then will I bring them up, and restore them to this place. -
Jeremiah 32:42
For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them. -
Jeremiah 32:44
Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal [them], and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 29:10 stands as a pivotal prophetic declaration, offering a beacon of hope and a precise timeline to the Jewish exiles suffering in Babylon. This verse assures them that their period of captivity is not indefinite, but divinely ordained with a specific end.
Context of the Prophecy
The prophet Jeremiah delivered this message to the Jewish people who had been forcibly removed from their homeland, Judah, and exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. This occurred in stages, with a significant deportation in 597 BC. Many exiles were struggling with false prophets who promised an immediate return to Jerusalem. Jeremiah's letter (which includes this verse) served to counteract these false hopes, instructing the exiles to settle down in Babylon, build homes, and pray for the peace of their captors (Jeremiah 29:7), because their welfare was tied to Babylon's. This verse, therefore, provides a realistic, yet ultimately hopeful, long-term perspective on their future.
Key Themes and Messages
Linguistic Insights
Practical Application and Reflection
Jeremiah 29:10 offers timeless lessons for believers today. It reminds us that even during periods of difficulty, waiting, or apparent silence from God, He is actively at work, orchestrating events according to His perfect timeline. We are called to trust in His sovereignty and the certainty of His promises, even when the immediate circumstances seem bleak. Just as God had a plan to bring the Israelites back to Jerusalem, He has a good plan for His people today, promising ultimate restoration and a glorious future for those who trust in Him. This verse encourages patience, perseverance, and unwavering faith in God's faithfulness to "perform His good word."