Jeremiah 29:25

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

This is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Because you have sent letters in your own name to all the people in Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, and to all the priests, saying:

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר יְהוָ֧ה צְבָא֛וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר יַ֡עַן אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתָּה֩ שָׁלַ֨חְתָּ בְשִׁמְכָ֜ה סְפָרִ֗ים אֶל־כָּל־הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֔ם וְאֶל־צְפַנְיָ֤ה בֶן־מַֽעֲשֵׂיָה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְאֶ֥ל כָּל־הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים לֵאמֹֽר׃

Transliteration

Kōh-ʾāmar YHWH ṣəbāʾôt ʾĕlōhê Yiśrāʾēl lēʾmōr yaʿan ʾăšer ʾattâ šālaḥtā bə-šimkâ səpārîm ʾel-kol-hā-ʿām ʾăšer bî-Yərûšālaim wə-ʾel-Ṣəpanyâ ben-Maʿăśēyâ ha-kōhēn wə-ʾel kol-ha-kōhănîm lēʾmōr

Grammar Details

• *Kōh*: adverb - thus/so
• *ʾāmar*: perfect, 3rd masculine singular - said/spoke
• *YHWH*: proper noun - LORD/Yahweh
• *ṣəbāʾôt*: noun, feminine plural construct - of hosts/armies
• *ʾĕlōhê*: noun, masculine plural construct - God of
• *Yiśrāʾēl*: proper noun - Israel
• *lēʾmōr*: preposition + infinitive construct - saying
• *yaʿan*: preposition - because
• *ʾăšer*: relative pronoun - who/which
• *ʾattâ*: 2nd person masculine singular independent pronoun - you
• *šālaḥtā*: perfect, 2nd masculine singular - you sent
• *bə-šimkâ*: preposition + noun, masculine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - in your name
• *səpārîm*: noun, masculine plural - letters/books
• *ʾel*: preposition - to
• *kol*: construct noun, masculine singular - all of
• *hā-ʿām*: definite article + noun, masculine singular - the people
• *bî-Yərûšālaim*: preposition + proper noun - in Jerusalem
• *wə-ʾel*: conjunction + preposition - and to
• *Ṣəpanyâ*: proper noun - Zephaniah
• *ben*: construct noun, masculine singular - son of
• *Maʿăśēyâ*: proper noun - Maaseiah
• *ha-kōhēn*: definite article + noun, masculine singular - the priest
• *ha-kōhănîm*: definite article + noun, masculine plural - the priests

Word Meanings

• *yaʿan*: because/on account of
• *šālaḥ*: send/send forth
• *səpārîm*: letters/documents/books
• *kōhēn*: priest/minister

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at usalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: Because you have sent letters in your name to all the people who are at Jerusalem, to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Thus speaketh{H559} Jehovah{H3068} of hosts,{H6635} the God{H430} of Israel,{H3478} saying,{H559} Because thou hast sent{H7971} letters{H5612} in thine own name{H8034} unto all the people{H5971} that are at Jerusalem,{H3389} and to Zephaniah{H6846} the son{H1121} of Maaseiah,{H4641} the priest,{H3548} and to all the priests,{H3548} saying,{H559}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Thus speaketh{H559}{(H8804)} the LORD{H3068} of hosts{H6635}, the God{H430} of Israel{H3478}, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, Because thou hast sent{H7971}{(H8804)} letters{H5612} in thy name{H8034} unto all the people{H5971} that are at Jerusalem{H3389}, and to Zephaniah{H6846} the son{H1121} of Maaseiah{H4641} the priest{H3548}, and to all the priests{H3548}, saying{H559}{(H8800)},

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Thus saieth the LORDE of hoostes the God of Israel: Because thou hast sealed lettres vnder thy name, vnto all the people that is at Ierusalem, & to Sophonias the sonne of Maasia the prest, yee and sent them to all the prestes: where in thou wrytest thus vnto him:

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Thus speaketh the Lorde of hostes, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy Name vnto all the people, that are at Ierusalem, and to Zephaniah the sonne of Maaseiah the Priest, and to all the Priests, saying,

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Thus saith the Lorde of hoastes the God of Israel, Because thou hast sent letters in thine owne name vnto all the people that is at Hierusalem, and to Sophoniah the sonne of Maasiah the priest, yea & sent them to all the priestes, wherin thou writest thus vnto hym:

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that [are] at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Thus speaks Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because you have sent letters in your own name to all the people who are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying,

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, saying, Because that thou hast sent in thy name letters unto all the people who `are' in Jerusalem, and unto Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest, and unto all the priests, saying,

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thine own name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying,

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thine own name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying,

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Shemaiah the Nehelamite sent a letter in his name to Zephaniah, the son of Maaseiah the priest, saying,

• World English Bible (2000)

  Thus speaks Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, saying, Because you have sent letters in your own name to all the people who are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying,

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  that the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel has a message for him. Tell him,‘On your own initiative you sent a letter to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah and to all the other priests and to all the people in Jerusalem. In your letter you said to Zephaniah,

Referenced Verses

• Jer 29:29 : 29 Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet.
• Jer 37:3 : 3 King Zedekiah sent Jehucal son of Shelemiah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah to the prophet Jeremiah with this message: "Please pray to the LORD our God for us."
• Jer 52:24 : 24 Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the deputy priest, and the three doorkeepers.
• Acts 9:2 : 2 He requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
• 1 Kgs 21:8-9 : 8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city. 9 In those letters she wrote, 'Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people.' 10 Then seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them accuse him, saying, 'You have cursed God and the king.' Then take him out and stone him to death. 11 So the elders and nobles of this city, who lived there, carried out Jezebel’s instructions, just as she had written in the letters she sent them. 12 They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth in a prominent place among the people. 13 Two worthless men came and sat opposite Naboth. They testified against him before the people, saying, 'Naboth has cursed God and the king.' So they took him outside the city, stoned him to death, and he died.
• 2 Kgs 10:1-7 : 1 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria, and Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to the guardians of Ahab’s children, saying: 2 When this letter reaches you, since your master’s sons are with you, and you have chariots, horses, a fortified city, and weapons, 3 select the best and most upright of your master’s sons, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house. 4 But they were extremely afraid and said, "Look, two kings could not stand against him, so how can we stand?" 5 So the one in charge of the palace, the one in charge of the city, the elders, and the guardians sent a message to Jehu, saying, "We are your servants, and we will do everything you tell us. We will not make anyone king; do whatever seems best to you." 6 Then Jehu wrote them a second letter, saying, "If you are on my side and will obey me, take the heads of your master’s sons and come to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow." Now the king’s sons, seventy in all, were being raised by the prominent men of the city. 7 When the letter reached them, they took the king’s sons, slaughtered all seventy of them, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.
• 2 Kgs 19:9 : 9 Now the king of Assyria heard concerning Tirhakah king of Cush, who had set out to fight against him. So he sent messengers again to Hezekiah, saying,
• 2 Kgs 19:14 : 14 Hezekiah received the letters from the messengers, read them, went up to the Lord's house, and spread them out before the Lord.
• 2 Kgs 25:18-21 : 18 The captain of the guard arrested Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the deputy priest, and the three keepers of the threshold. 19 From the city, he took a court official who was in charge of the men of war, five men from those who advised the king, the secretary of the commander of the army who was responsible for conscripting the people of the land, and sixty men from the people of the land found in the city. 20 Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 21 The king of Babylon struck them down and executed them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah went into exile away from its land.
• 2 Chr 32:17 : 17 Sennacherib also wrote letters to ridicule the LORD, the God of Israel, and to say against Him, "Just as the gods of the nations of other lands did not deliver their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my hand."
• Ezra 4:7-9 : 7 And during the reign of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates wrote to Artaxerxes, king of Persia. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated. 8 Rehum, the commander, and Shimshai, the scribe, wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes, as follows: 9 Then Rehum, the commander, Shimshai, the scribe, and the rest of their associates—the judges and officials, the Tarpelites, the Apharsathchites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites, 10 and the rest of the peoples whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the city of Samaria and in the rest of the region beyond the River—now, 11 this is a copy of the letter they sent to him: "To King Artaxerxes: From your servants, the men of the region beyond the River, and now. 12 Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have arrived in Jerusalem. They are rebuilding the rebellious and wicked city, completing the walls and repairing its foundations. 13 Now let it be known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, they will not pay tribute, taxes, or customs, and the king’s treasury will suffer. 14 Now, because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not fitting for us to witness the king’s dishonor, we are sending this message to inform the king. 15 So let a search be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will find in the records and learn that this city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces, and that rebellion has been stirred up in it since ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed. 16 We are informing the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, then you will have no control over the region beyond the River.
• Neh 6:5 : 5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me a fifth time with the same message, and in his hand was an open letter.
• Neh 6:17 : 17 Also in those days, the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah were coming to them.
• Neh 6:19 : 19 Moreover, they kept reporting his good deeds to me and sharing my words with him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.
• Jer 21:1-2 : 1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD when King Zedekiah sent Pashhur son of Malkijah and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest to him, saying, 2 Inquire, please, of the LORD on our behalf, since Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is fighting against us. Perhaps the LORD will deal with us according to all His wonderful works, so that he may withdraw from us.