Jeremiah 29:16

[Know] that thus saith the LORD of the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth in this city, [and] of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;

Know that thus saith {H559} the LORD {H3068} of the king {H4428} that sitteth {H3427} upon the throne {H3678} of David {H1732}, and of all the people {H5971} that dwelleth {H3427} in this city {H5892}, and of your brethren {H251} that are not gone forth {H3318} with you into captivity {H1473};

But here is what ADONAI says about the king occupying David's throne and about all the people living in this city, your kinsmen who did not go into exile with you -

this is what the LORD says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all the people who remain in this city, your brothers who did not go with you into exile—

thus saith Jehovah concerning the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and concerning all the people that dwell in this city, your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;

Commentary

Jeremiah 29:16 is a stern prophetic word from the Lord, delivered through the prophet Jeremiah, concerning the fate of those who remained in Jerusalem after the first wave of Babylonian captivity. This verse is part of a longer letter Jeremiah sent to the Jewish exiles already in Babylon.

Context

In 597 BC, King Jehoiachin, along with many of Judah's elite, craftsmen, and leading citizens, including the prophet Ezekiel, were taken into exile by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Jeremiah remained in Jerusalem, continuing to prophesy to the remnant who were left behind under King Zedekiah, Jehoiachin's uncle. This letter (Jeremiah 29:1-23) was crucial because false prophets, both in Babylon and Jerusalem, were spreading messages of a swift return from exile, offering a false sense of hope. Jeremiah's message countered these lies, emphasizing that the captivity would be long, around 70 years, and that God's judgment was still unfolding upon those who remained in Jerusalem.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment: The verse unequivocally states God's judgment upon King Zedekiah (who "sitteth upon the throne of David") and the people still in Jerusalem. This was a direct consequence of their continued idolatry and rejection of God's warnings.
  • Authentic Prophecy: Jeremiah's word stands in stark contrast to the deceptive prophecies of false prophets. This verse, along with others in the chapter, serves to validate Jeremiah's authority as God's true messenger, as his prophecies about Jerusalem's destruction eventually came to pass.
  • Consequences of Disobedience: The fate described for those in Jerusalem highlights the severe consequences of persistent disobedience to God's covenant and His revealed will.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "thus saith the LORD" (Hebrew: כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה, koh amar Yahweh) emphasizes the divine authority behind Jeremiah's words. It is not merely Jeremiah's opinion but a direct declaration from God Himself. This authoritative declaration sets the tone for the grim prophecy concerning those still in Jerusalem, contrasting sharply with the message of hope and future restoration given to the exiles in Jeremiah 29:11.

Related Scriptures

  • For the historical context of the Babylonian captivity and the kings of Judah, see 2 Kings 24-25.
  • Jeremiah explicitly warns against false prophets in Jeremiah 29:8-9, a message directly relevant to the context of verse 16.
  • The mention of the "throne of David" points back to the Davidic covenant found in 2 Samuel 7:12-16, where God promised an eternal dynasty. However, this promise was conditional upon the obedience of David's descendants, which King Zedekiah failed to uphold.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 29:16 serves as a powerful reminder that God's word is true, whether it brings a message of comfort or judgment. It teaches us the importance of discerning true prophetic messages from false ones, especially when they offer easy solutions that contradict God's revealed will. Furthermore, it underscores that disobedience has consequences, and even those in positions of power ("the king that sitteth upon the throne of David") are not exempt from divine judgment. This verse encourages believers to ground their hope not in wishful thinking or popular opinion, but in the certain and often challenging truth of God's inspired Word, even when it calls for endurance or difficult realities.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 38:17 (3 votes)

    Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:

  • Jeremiah 38:23 (3 votes)

    So they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the Chaldeans: and thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire.

  • Jeremiah 38:2 (3 votes)

    Thus saith the LORD, He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.

  • Jeremiah 38:3 (3 votes)

    Thus saith the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which shall take it.

  • Ezekiel 22:31 (2 votes)

    Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.

  • Ezekiel 6:1 (2 votes)

    ¶ And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

  • Ezekiel 6:9 (2 votes)

    And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.