Jeremiah 29:25

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,

📖 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

• 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:

• 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,

• 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 And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet.
• Jer 37:3 : 3 And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal, the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah, the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, 'Pray now to the LORD our God for us.'
• Jer 52:24 : 24 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:
• Acts 9:2 : 2 And requested letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
• 1 Kgs 21:8-9 : 8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who were in his city, dwelling with Naboth. 9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: 10 And set two men, worthless fellows, before him to bear witness against him, saying, You blasphemed God and the king. And then carry him out and stone him, that he may die. 11 And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants of his city, did as Jezebel had sent to them, and as it was written in the letters she had sent to them. 12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. 13 And two men, worthless fellows, came in and sat before him; and the men bore witness against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth blasphemed God and the king. Then they carried him out of the city and stoned him with stones, so that he died.
• 2 Kgs 10:1-7 : 1 And 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 those who raised Ahab's children, saying, 2 As soon as this letter comes to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fortified city also, and armor; 3 Select the best and most suitable of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house. 4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings did not stand before him: how then shall we stand? 5 And he who was over the house, and he who was over the city, the elders also, and those who raised the children, sent to Jehu, saying, We are your servants, and will do all that you bid us; we will not make any king: do what is good in your eyes. 6 Then he wrote a second letter to them, saying, If you are mine, and if you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me at Jezreel by tomorrow at this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who raised them. 7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and killed seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezreel.
• 2 Kgs 19:9 : 9 And when he heard it said of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he has come out to fight against you: he sent messengers again to Hezekiah, saying,
• 2 Kgs 19:14 : 14 And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.
• 2 Kgs 25:18-21 : 18 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers: 19 And out of the city he took an officer who was in charge of the men of war, and five men of those who were in the king's presence, found in the city, and the principal scribe of the army, who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land found in the city: 20 And Nebuzaradan captain of the guard took these, and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah: 21 And the king of Babylon struck them and killed them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away out of their land.
• 2 Chr 32:17 : 17 He also wrote letters to insult the LORD God of Israel and to speak against Him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver His people out of my hand.
• Ezra 4:7-9 : 7 And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian language, and interpreted in the Syrian language. 8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this way: 9 Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites, 10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side of the river, and at such a time. 11 This is the copy of the letter that they sent to him, even to Artaxerxes the king; Your servants the men on this side of the river, and at such a time. 12 Be it known to the king, that the Jews who came up from you to us are come to Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls and joined the foundations. 13 Be it known now to the king, that, if this city is built, and the walls set up again, then they will not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so you will harm the revenue of the kings. 14 Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not proper for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore we have sent and certified the king; 15 That search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers: so you shall find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause this city was destroyed. 16 We certify the king that, if this city is built again, and the walls set up, by this means you will have no portion on this side of the river.
• Neh 6:5 : 5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;
• Neh 6:17 : 17 Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came to them.
• Neh 6:19 : 19 Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.
• Jer 21:1-2 : 1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashur the son of Melchiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, saying, 2 Please inquire of the LORD for us, for Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, makes war against us, perhaps the LORD will deal with us according to all His wondrous works, that he may depart from us.