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.
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}.
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.'
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.”
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.
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Jeremiah 30:3
For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. -
1 Chronicles 28:9
And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. -
Ezekiel 36:1
¶ Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD: -
Ezekiel 36:38
As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I [am] the LORD. -
Jeremiah 16:14
¶ Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be said, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; -
Jeremiah 16:15
But, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers. -
Jeremiah 50:4
In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God.
Jeremiah 29:14 is a powerful declaration of God's unwavering commitment to His people, delivered to the Jewish exiles in Babylon. Following a period of judgment and exile, this verse offers a profound promise of restoration, emphasizing God's active role in reversing their fortunes and bringing them back to their homeland.
Context
This verse is part of a letter sent by the prophet Jeremiah from Jerusalem to the Jewish community that had been deported to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar (around 597 BC). This letter, found in Jeremiah chapter 29, was crucial because it directly addressed the false hopes propagated by other prophets who claimed the exile would be short-lived. Jeremiah, in contrast, instructed them to settle down in Babylon, build houses, and seek the welfare of the city, for their captivity would last seventy years. Amidst this long-term perspective, verses 11-14 serve as a beacon of hope, revealing God's ultimate plan for their future, a future of peace and restoration, not disaster.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The Hebrew verb for "turn away" or "turn back" (שׁוּב - shuv) is key. While it often means "to return" or "to repent" when referring to humans, here, when God is the subject, it signifies His act of reversing a situation, specifically "turning away their captivity" or "restoring their fortunes." This emphasizes God's active intervention in bringing about their deliverance. The phrase "I will be found of you" (נִמְצֵאתִי לָכֶם - nimtseti lakhem) implies God's readiness to reveal Himself and respond when His people genuinely seek Him, as outlined in the preceding verses.
Practical Application
Jeremiah 29:14 offers timeless encouragement for believers today. Just as God promised to restore Israel, He remains faithful to His promises to us. In times of personal "captivity" – whether spiritual struggles, difficult circumstances, or feelings of being lost – this verse reminds us that:
This verse serves as a profound reminder of God's enduring love, His power to restore, and His readiness to be found by those who seek Him diligently.