By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,
This letter was delivered by Elasah (son of Shaphan) and Gemariah (son of Hilkiah), who were sent by King Zedekiah of Judah as messengers to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon.
This verse explains how Jeremiah's important letter to the Jewish exiles was delivered - through official messengers sent by the king.
📚 Historical Context
During the Babylonian exile in the 6th century BC, Judah was under the control of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon after Jerusalem's conquest, and King Zedekiah was installed as a vassal ruler. Zedekiah sent messengers, including Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, to Babylon as part of diplomatic efforts, and these men carried a letter from the prophet Jeremiah to the exiled Jews. This letter was meant to provide divine instruction for the exiles to settle in Babylon and live faithfully until God's timing for restoration.
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