Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the LORD; because he hath taught rebellion against the LORD.
Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the LORD; because he hath taught rebellion against the LORD. This verse pronounces divine judgment on Shemaiah, a false prophet who opposed Jeremiah's message and incited rebellion against God's revealed will. "I will punish" translates the Hebrew paqad (פָּקַד), meaning to visit, attend to, or reckon with—often used for divine visitation in judgment. The punishment is comprehensive: Shemaiah's line will be cut off ("his seed... shall not have a man to dwell among this people") and he personally will miss the restoration God planned for the exiles.
"Neither shall he behold the good that I will do" is particularly severe—Shemaiah would not witness the return from exile and restoration promised in Jeremiah 29:10-14. Having rejected God's true word, he forfeits participation in God's future blessing. The indictment is clear: "he hath taught rebellion" (sarah, סָרָה, meaning turning away, defection, apostasy) "against the LORD." False prophecy isn't merely mistaken prediction—it actively leads people away from God's will and constitutes rebellion against divine authority.
This judgment illustrates Scripture's consistent principle: those who lead God's people astray face severe accountability (Matthew 18:6, James 3:1). Shemaiah's false optimism contradicted God's revealed plan, potentially causing exiles to resist God's purposes and miss His ultimate blessing through submission to judgment.
Historical Context
Jeremiah 29 contains Jeremiah's letter to the Babylonian exiles (597 BCE deportation), instructing them to settle in Babylon for seventy years rather than expect imminent return. This counsel contradicted popular false prophets who promised quick deliverance, creating intense opposition to Jeremiah.
Shemaiah the Nehelamite, mentioned only in Jeremiah 29:24-32, was among these false prophets in Babylon. He sent letters to Jerusalem demanding that Zephaniah the priest arrest Jeremiah for prophesying that exile would be lengthy. Shemaiah's 'prophecy' aligned with what people wanted to hear—immediate restoration—but contradicted God's actual plan. This made him popular but dangerous, as exiles who believed him might resist Babylon's authority (bringing further destruction) or fail to build the communities God commanded.
The judgment on Shemaiah fulfilled God's word through Moses concerning false prophets (Deuteronomy 13:1-5, 18:20-22). His punishment—being cut off from his people and missing the restoration—demonstrates the seriousness of claiming to speak for God falsely. History vindicated Jeremiah: the seventy-year exile proceeded as prophesied, and the next generation returned to rebuild Jerusalem, while Shemaiah's line disappeared from record.
Questions for Reflection
What distinguishes false prophecy that 'teaches rebellion against the LORD' from honest error?
Why is the punishment for false prophets particularly severe in Scripture?
How does Shemaiah's fate illustrate the principle that rejecting God's revealed will leads to missing His blessing?
In what ways might religious leaders today teach 'rebellion against the LORD' by contradicting Scripture?
What responsibility do believers have to discern true from false teaching about God's purposes?
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Analysis & Commentary
Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the LORD; because he hath taught rebellion against the LORD. This verse pronounces divine judgment on Shemaiah, a false prophet who opposed Jeremiah's message and incited rebellion against God's revealed will. "I will punish" translates the Hebrew paqad (פָּקַד), meaning to visit, attend to, or reckon with—often used for divine visitation in judgment. The punishment is comprehensive: Shemaiah's line will be cut off ("his seed... shall not have a man to dwell among this people") and he personally will miss the restoration God planned for the exiles.
"Neither shall he behold the good that I will do" is particularly severe—Shemaiah would not witness the return from exile and restoration promised in Jeremiah 29:10-14. Having rejected God's true word, he forfeits participation in God's future blessing. The indictment is clear: "he hath taught rebellion" (sarah, סָרָה, meaning turning away, defection, apostasy) "against the LORD." False prophecy isn't merely mistaken prediction—it actively leads people away from God's will and constitutes rebellion against divine authority.
This judgment illustrates Scripture's consistent principle: those who lead God's people astray face severe accountability (Matthew 18:6, James 3:1). Shemaiah's false optimism contradicted God's revealed plan, potentially causing exiles to resist God's purposes and miss His ultimate blessing through submission to judgment.