Jeremiah 29:28 (KJV)

Passage

For therefore he sent unto us in Babylon, saying, This captivity is long: build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.

Nearby Context

Jeremiah 29:26 The LORD hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the LORD, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks.

Jeremiah 29:27 Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which maketh himself a prophet to you?

Jeremiah 29:28 For therefore he sent unto us in Babylon, saying, This captivity is long: build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.

Jeremiah 29:29 And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.

Jeremiah 29:30 Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "therefore", "sent", "babylon", "saying", "captivity", "long", "build", and "houses". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "therefore" and "sent", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 27's "Now therefore why hast thou not reproved..." into verse 29's "And Zephaniah the priest read this letter...", so "therefore" and "sent" belong inside that flow. In Jeremiah context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "therefore" and "sent" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.