"You, therefore, hearthe wordof the LORD,allyou exiles,whomI have sentawayfrom Jerusalemto Babylon.
"Thussaysthe LORDGodof Israel,'Like thesegoodfigs,soI will regardas goodthe captivesof Judah,whomI have sentout of thisplace[into] the landof the Chaldeans.
Now theseare the wordsof the letterwhichJeremiahthe prophetsentfrom Jerusalemto the restof the eldersof the exile,the priests,the prophetsand allthe peoplewhomNebuchadnezzarhad takeninto exilefrom Jerusalemto Babylon.
(This was afterKingJeconiahand the queenmother,the courtofficials,the princesof Judahand Jerusalem,the craftsmenand the smithshad departedfrom Jerusalem.)
"Sendto allthe exiles,saying,'Thussaysthe LORDconcerningShemaiahthe Nehelamite,"BecauseShemaiahhas prophesiedto you, although I did not sendhim, and he has made you trustin a lie,"
"And I will bringyou out of the midstof the city and deliveryou into the handsof strangersand executejudgmentsagainst you.
"Goto the exiles,to the sonsof your people,and speakto them and tellthem, whetherthey listenornot, 'Thussaysthe LordGOD.'"
Then I cameto the exileswho livedbesidethe riverChebarat Tel-abib,and I sattheresevendayswherethey were living,causingconsternationamongthem.
"Writheand laborto givebirth,Daughterof Zion,Like a woman in childbirth;For nowyou will goout of the city,Dwellin the field,And goto Babylon.Thereyou will be rescued;Therethe LORDwill redeemyou From the handof your enemies.
