Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;
This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all the people who were taken as prisoners from Jerusalem to Babylon—people I allowed to be taken away:
God is speaking directly to His people who have been taken into exile, acknowledging that He allowed this difficult situation to happen.
📚 Historical Context
This verse introduces God's letter to the Jewish exiles who were deported to Babylon around 597-586 BC when Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem. The prophet Jeremiah sent this message from Jerusalem to encourage the displaced Israelites living in a foreign land. God explicitly states that He was ultimately in control of their exile, which would have been both sobering and comforting to the displaced people.
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