Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.
Get married and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons and husbands for your daughters, so they can have children too. This way your numbers will grow in that place, not decrease.
God is telling the exiled people to build families and settle down for the long term, planning for growth rather than just survival.
📚 Historical Context
In the 6th century BC, the Israelites were exiled to Babylon after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian Empire, marking a period of forced displacement and hardship. Jeremiah, a prophet speaking for God, wrote a letter to the exiles encouraging them to adapt to their new circumstances, as their stay in Babylon would last about seventy years according to God's plan. This verse specifically urges them to build families and multiply to ensure their community thrives and does not diminish during this long exile.
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