Translation
King James Version
And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
KJV (with Strong's)
And I will be found H4672 of you, saith H5002 the LORD H3068: and I will turn away H7725 your captivity H7622 H7622, and I will gather H6908 you from all the nations H1471, and from all the places H4725 whither I have driven H5080 you, saith H5002 the LORD H3068; and I will bring you again H7725 into the place H4725 whence I caused you to be carried away captive H1540.
Complete Jewish Bible
and I will let you find me,' says ADONAI. 'Then I will reverse your exile. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have driven you,' says ADONAI, 'and bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.'
Berean Standard Bible
I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore you from captivity and gather you from all the nations and places to which I have banished you, declares the LORD. I will restore you to the place from which I sent you into exile.”
American Standard Version
And I will be found of you, saith Jehovah, and I will turn again your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith Jehovah; and I will bring you again unto the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
World English Bible Messianic
I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will turn again your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD; and I will bring you again to the place from where I caused you to be carried away captive.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And I wil be found of you, saith the Lord, and I will turne away your captiuitie, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places, whither I haue cast you, saith the Lord, and will bring you againe vnto the place, whence I caused you to be caryed away captiue.
Young's Literal Translation
And I have been found of you--an affirmation of Jehovah; and I have turned back to your captivity, and have gathered you out of all the nations, and out of all the places whither I have driven you--an affirmation of Jehovah--and I have brought you back unto the place whence I removed you.
See also
In the KJVVerse 19,650 of 31,102
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Commentary on Jeremiah 29 verses 8–14
8 ¶ For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.
9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.
10 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.
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
To make the people quiet and easy in their captivity,
I. God takes them off from building upon the false foundation which their pretended prophets laid, Jer 29:8, Jer 29:9. They told them that their captivity should be short, and therefore that they must not think of taking root in Babylon, but be upon the wing to go back: "Now herein they deceive you," says God; "they prophesy a lie to you, though they prophesy in my name. But let them not deceive you, suffer not yourselves to be deluded by them." As long as we have the word of truth to try the spirits by it is our own fault if we be deceived; for by it we may be undeceived. Hearken not to your dreams, which you cause to be dreamed. He means either the dreams or fancies which the people pleased themselves with, and with which they filled their own heads (by thinking and speaking of nothing else but a speedy enlargement when they were awake they caused themselves to dream of it when they were asleep, and then took that for a good omen, and with it strengthened themselves in their vain expectations), or the dreams which the prophets dreamed and grounded their prophecies upon. God tells the people, They are your dreams, because they pleased them, were the dreams that they desired and wished for. They caused them to be dreamed; for they hearkened to them, and encouraged the prophets to put such deceits upon them, desiring them to prophesy nothing but smooth things, Isa 30:10. They were dreams of their own bespeaking. False prophets would not flatter people in their sins, but that they love to be flattered, and speak smoothly to their prophets that their prophets may speak smoothly to them.
II. He gives them a good foundation to build their hopes upon. We would not persuade people to pull down the house they have built upon the sand, but that there is a rock ready for them to rebuild upon. God here promises them that, though they should not return quickly, they should return at length, after seventy years be accomplished. By this it appears that the seventy years of the captivity are not to be reckoned from the last captivity, but the first. Note, Though the deliverance of the church do not come in our time, it is sufficient that it will come in God's time, and we are sure that that is the best time. The promise is that God will visit them in mercy; though he had long seemed to be strange to them, he will come among them, and appear for them, and put honour upon them, as great men do upon their inferiors by coming to visit them. He will put an end to their captivity, and turn away all the calamities of it. Though they are dispersed, some in one country and some in another, he will gather them from all the places whither they are driven, will set up a standard for them all to resort to, and incorporate them again in one body. And though they are at a great distance they shall be brought again to their own land, to the place whence they were carried captive, Jer 29:14. Now, 1. This shall be the performance of God's promise to them (Jer 29:10): I will perform my good word towards you. Let not the failing of those predictions which are delivered as from God lessen the reputation of those that really are from him. That which is indeed God's word is a good word, and therefore it will be made good, and not one iota or tittle of it shall fall to the ground. Hath he said, and shall he not do it? This will make their return out of captivity very comfortable, that it will be the performance of God's good word to them, the product of a gracious promise. 2. This shall be in pursuance of God's purposes concerning them (Jer 29:11): I know the thoughts that I think towards you. Known unto God are all his works, for known unto him are all his thoughts (Act 15:18) and his works agree exactly with his thoughts; he does all according to the counsel of his will. We often do not know our own thoughts, nor know our own mind, but God is never at any uncertainty within himself. We are sometimes ready to fear that God's designs concerning us are all against us; but he knows the contrary concerning his own people, that they are thoughts of good and not of evil; even that which seems evil is designed for good. His thoughts are all working towards the expected end, which he will give in due time. The end they expect will come, though perhaps not when they expect it. Let them have patience till the fruit is ripe, and then they shall have it. He will give them an end, and expectation, so it is in the original. (1.) He will give them to see the end (the comfortable termination) of their trouble; though it last long, it shall not last always. The time to favour Zion, yea, the set time, will come. When things are at the worst they will begin to mend; and he will give them to see the glorious perfection of their deliverance; for, as for God, his work is perfect. He that in the beginning finished the heavens and the earth, and all the hosts of both, will finish all the blessings of both to his people. When he begins in ways of mercy he will make an end. God does nothing by halves. (2.) He will give them to see the expectation, that end which they desire and hope for, and have been long waiting for. He will give them, not the expectations of their fears, nor the expectations of their fancies, but the expectations of their faith, the end which he has promised and which will turn for the best to them. 3. This shall be in answer to their prayers and supplications to God, Jer 29:12-14. (1.) God will stir them up to pray: Then shall you call upon me, and you shall go, and pray unto me. Note, When God is about to give his people the expected good he pours out a spirit of prayer, and it is a good sign that he is coming towards them in mercy. Then, when you see the expected end approaching, then you shall call upon me. Note, Promises are given, not to supersede, but to quicken and encourage prayer: and when deliverance is coming we must by prayer go forth to meet it. When Daniel understood that the 70 years were near expiring, then he set his face with more fervency than ever to seek the Lord, Dan 9:2, Dan 9:3. (2.) He will then stir up himself to come and save them (Psa 80:2): I will hearken unto you, and I will be found of you. God has said it, and we may depend upon it, Seek and you shall find. We have a general rule laid down (Jer 29:13): You shall find me when you shall search for me with all your heart. In seeking God we must search for him, accomplish a diligent search, search for directions in seeking him and encouragements to our faith and hope. We must continue seeking, and take pains in seeking, as those that search; and this we must do with our heart (that is, in sincerity and uprightness), and with our whole heart (that is, with vigour and fervency, putting forth all that is within us in prayer), and those who thus seek God shall find him, and shall find him their bountiful rewarder, Heb 11:6. He never said to such, Seek you me in vain.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 8–14. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verse 14 and following) And I will restore your captivity, and gather you from all the nations and from all the places to which I have driven you, declares the Lord. And I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile. For you have said, 'The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon.' Thus says the Lord concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who live in this city, your fellow countrymen who did not go with you into exile. Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will send against them the sword, famine, and pestilence, and I will make them like rotten figs that cannot be eaten, because they are so bad. And I will pursue them with the sword, famine, and pestilence, and I will give them as a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, a terror, a hissing, and an object of scorn among all the nations where I have driven them, because they did not listen to my words, declares the Lord, that I persistently sent to them by my servants the prophets, but you would not listen, declares the Lord. So hear the word of the Lord, all the exiles whom I sent from Jerusalem to Babylon. + Up to this point, it is not found in the seventy, which I have marked with asterisks. For the rest, in which either individual verses or a few words have been omitted, I did not want to note, so as not to make the reading tedious. But the Lord promises to those who were in exile that after seventy years of captivity he will make them return from all the nations and from all the places to which he has driven them, and after the captivity has been ended, they will regain their former state and homeland. And when I, says he, shall do these things of my own accord, and shall surely return to you at a certain time, you are being deceived in vain, and you think you have prophets in Babylon who promise you false things. So you should know that you should by no means hope for a return now: but build houses, plant orchards, take wives, and give birth to children, and multiply in number, and wait for the promised time. Hear what the Lord speaks to Zedekiah, who now reigns in Jerusalem, and to all the inhabitants of his city, that is, to your brothers, who did not want to obey my advice, and to migrate to Babylon with you, because they can by no means escape captivity, but will die by sword, and hunger, and pestilence. And I will set them like a basket of bad figs, which Theodotio interpreted as rotten figs: the second worst: Symmachus, the last: which in Hebrew are called Suarim (), but due to the mistake of the scribes, instead of the middle syllable or letter Alpha, the Greek Delta is written: so instead of Suarim, it is read as Sudrim. However, just as a basket or a crate, which had good figs, is said to have had first figs: likewise, the other basket, which had bad figs, is written to have had last figs. And I will pursue, he says, those who now dwell in the city of Jerusalem, with sword, famine, and pestilence: so that as soon as they are able to break through the siege and escape, they may be scattered throughout all lands, and may be an example to all of curse, shame, hissing, and reproach: to whom I will cast out (Ah, you), because they did not listen to my words, says the Lord, which I spoke to them through my servants, rising up early and sending them: and I have never ceased warning them, that they should imitate you who now enjoy peaceful leisure in exile, until the promise of the Lord is fulfilled. But you, who have obeyed my command and handed yourselves over to the Babylonian king, listen to what I have to say. And in this place, a delusional Interpreter dreams of the downfall of heavenly Jerusalem and suspects that the prophecy is directed to those who dwell in the region of Babylon in this world: that they willingly descend into these bodies and build homes in the land of the Chaldeans, plant orchards, take wives, bear children, and through good works be restored after seventy years to their original place and to heavenly Jerusalem. But those who refuse of their own will to descend to earthly matters will suffer these things that the Lord threatens to Zedekiah and his people. Those who refuse to imitate their brothers and come to Babylon will be struck by the sword, famine, and pestilence, that is, a scarcity of all things, and they will be like the worst figs that cannot be eaten; and they will be pursued by an eternal sword, and will be a vexation to all the kingdoms of the earth, so that they will not become humans, but demons, aerial powers, and they will be among all the Angels who preside over each province as a curse, astonishment, hissing, and reproach to all nations. And this they will endure for this reason, because they refused to listen to the words of the Prophets in heavenly Jerusalem, who urged them to descend to earthly things and assume a humble body; and after true Sabbath observance, to possess the original place through acts of repentance. He said these things. When his disciples hear them, and the refuse of the Grunnian family, they think they hear divine mysteries. And we who despise these things are regarded as mere animals and called 'mud people,' because being formed in the mud of this body, we are unable to perceive heavenly things.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 29:14 serves as a profound divine declaration of restoration and intimate presence, delivered to the Judean exiles in Babylon. This verse encapsulates God's unwavering commitment to reveal Himself to His people, reverse their state of bondage, meticulously gather them from every nation where they were scattered, and ultimately bring them back to their promised homeland. It stands as a powerful testament to God's sovereign faithfulness, transforming a period of judgment and displacement into a future filled with hope and the comprehensive fulfillment of His covenant promises.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 29:14 is rich in literary devices that amplify its message of divine promise. The most prominent is Anaphora and Repetition of the first-person divine pronoun "I" and the verb "will" ("I will be found... I will turn away... I will gather... I will bring"). This repeated structure powerfully emphasizes God's sovereign initiative and active involvement in the restoration process, leaving no doubt that this is His work alone. The phrase "saith the LORD" (Hebrew: ne'um YHWH) serves as a Divine Oracle Formula, appearing twice in the verse, lending ultimate authority and certainty to the pronouncements. There is also a strong sense of Contrast and Reversal: God, who "drove" them out, now promises to "gather" them; the state of "captivity" is "turned away," and they are brought back to the "place whence I caused you to be carried away captive." This highlights God's power to reverse judgment and restore. The verse also employs Hyperbole or Totalization in the phrase "from all the nations, and from all the places," emphasizing the complete and comprehensive nature of the gathering, no matter how widespread the dispersion, ensuring no one is forgotten.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 29:14 is a cornerstone text for understanding God's character as both righteous judge and faithful redeemer. It underscores the profound theological truth that even in the midst of divine discipline and the consequences of sin, God's ultimate plan for His people is one of hope, restoration, and flourishing. This promise reveals a God who actively seeks to be found by His people, who intervenes to reverse their fortunes, and who meticulously gathers them from every corner of their dispersion. It speaks to the enduring nature of God's covenant love, demonstrating that His promises are steadfast, even when His people are unfaithful. The verse provides a powerful testament to God's sovereignty over history, showing that He orchestrates both judgment and salvation, always working towards His ultimate redemptive purposes for His chosen people, ensuring that their future is ultimately secure in His hands and that His purposes will prevail.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 29:14 offers profound spiritual nourishment for believers navigating their own seasons of "captivity" or displacement. Just as God promised to restore ancient Israel, this verse assures us of His enduring faithfulness and active presence in our lives, even when circumstances feel overwhelming or we are far from where we desire to be. It reminds us that our current struggles, whether spiritual dryness, emotional hardship, or challenging life circumstances, are not God's final word. He is sovereignly at work, orchestrating a future of hope and restoration. The promise "I will be found of you" is a powerful invitation to seek Him diligently, assuring us that He is accessible and responsive to those who pursue Him with their whole heart. This passage encourages us to trust in God's power to reverse our personal captivities, gather the scattered pieces of our lives, and bring us back to a place of peace, purpose, and renewed relationship with Him, knowing that His plans for us are always for our good and His glory. It calls us to patient endurance, confident that God's redemptive work will ultimately triumph in our lives.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "I will be found of you" mean in this context?
Answer: "I will be found of you" (Hebrew: nimtseti lakhem) signifies God's active self-revelation and accessibility. It means that God, who had seemed distant and unresponsive due to Israel's sin and subsequent exile, promises to make Himself available and responsive to His people once again. This promise is intrinsically linked to the preceding verse, Jeremiah 29:13, where God states, "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Thus, God's "being found" is a divine response to a sincere, wholehearted seeking on the part of His people, indicating a restoration of intimate relationship, communication, and divine favor.
Was the return from Babylonian captivity the complete fulfillment of this prophecy?
Answer: While the historical return of the Jewish exiles to Judah under Cyrus the Great (as recorded in books like Ezra and Nehemiah) was a significant and tangible fulfillment of Jeremiah 29:14, biblical scholars often view this as a partial or initial fulfillment. The comprehensive nature of the promise—"gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you"—suggests a broader, more ultimate restoration that encompasses not just the Babylonian exiles but all of Israel scattered throughout history. This prophecy points forward to a spiritual and eschatological gathering, ultimately fulfilled in the New Covenant and the Kingdom of God, where God's people from all nations are gathered into Christ. It anticipates a comprehensive restoration that transcends a single historical event.
Why does God say "whither I have driven you" and "whence I caused you to be carried away captive"?
Answer: These phrases emphasize God's absolute sovereignty over history and His direct role in their exile. It explicitly states that their captivity was not a random misfortune or a sign of Babylon's superior power, but a direct, intentional act of divine judgment for their disobedience to His covenant. By acknowledging that He was the one who "drove" them and "caused them to be carried away captive," God takes responsibility for the discipline, underscoring His justice and holiness. This also powerfully highlights the certainty of His subsequent promise: the same omnipotent God who scattered them is the one powerful enough to gather them, demonstrating His ultimate control over their destiny and His ability to reverse even the most severe consequences of sin, always working towards His redemptive purposes.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 29:14 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who embodies God's promise to be found, to turn away captivity, and to gather His people. The "being found" of God, which was partially experienced by the returning exiles, is fully realized in Christ, who is the radiance of God's glory and the exact imprint of His nature and through whom God has fully revealed Himself. In Him, humanity truly finds God, for He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him. Furthermore, the spiritual "captivity" of sin and death, far more pervasive than any physical exile, is definitively "turned away" by Christ's atoning work on the cross. He delivers us from the dominion of darkness and transfers us to the kingdom of His beloved Son and proclaims liberty to the captives. Finally, the promise to "gather you from all the nations" finds its grand fulfillment in the church, the new Israel, comprised of believers from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation whom Christ, the Good Shepherd, gathers into His one flock. He is the ultimate "place" of return and rest, the true homeland for all who were once scattered and lost, bringing them into eternal communion with God in the new heavens and new earth.