Letters to the Exiles (29:1-32) 353
dreams," which may come from Deut I3:2-6[Eng I3:I-5]. The H-stem parti-
ciple, mabfemfm, has also troubled commentators and led to more emenda-
tion, but with the other change it can be left intact and read simply "cause to
dream" (Kimi.ii, following T). Soggin (p. 240) says: "According to this text the
dreamers and probably the prophets and diviners as well were subjected to a
serious moral blackmail ... : public opinion demanded a message from them
which would announce imminent return to those who had been deported."
On dreamers and dreams in the ancient world, see Note for 23:25.
- For by a lie they are prophesying to you in my name. A recurring refrain in
chaps. 23, 27, and 29, on which see Note for 23:25. Hebrew be8eqer ("by a lie")
can also be translated "falsely" (cf. 3:IO). A few Heb MSS, LXX, S, and T omit
the be. The LXX has adika ("a wrong").
I have not sent them. On this disclaimer by Yahweh, see Note for 23:32.
IO. When Babylon has completed seventy years before me. I.e., when Babylon
has served Yahweh as a world power for 70 years. The specified period, which
is a round number and no more, refers neither to Judah's exile in Babylon nor
to Jerusalem's uninhabitation, both of which were considerably shorter (see
Note for 2 5: I I). The number 70 takes on particular importance here, in that
Hananiah predicted an end to Babylonian suzerainty within two years (28:3,
I I). This was the real difference between his prophecy and that of Jeremiah. It
is not that Jeremiah was a doom prophet and Hananiah with the other prophets
championed peace, freedom, and hope. This is way too simplistic. Jeremiah's
opponents were saying that Judah's exile would be brief; Jeremiah was saying it
would be long. Jeremiah, after all, during this same period was delivering ora-
cles of judgment against Babylon (51:59-64). Calvin is impressed here that
God's thoughts are not always hidden: Babylon's status as a world power, says
God quite openly, will be ended after 70 years.
When Babylon has completed. Hebrew kf le.pf melo>t lebabel is, lit., "when
according to the completion for Babylon." KB^3 translates Zepf melt/t: "as soon
as the time has passed." On the infinitive melc/t in the feminine form, which
occurs also in 25:I2, see GKC §74h.
I will attend to you and confirm upon you my good word to bring you back to
this place. For Yahweh to "confirm" (qD.m H-stem) his good word means he
will fulfill it. On the verb pqd, which here means "attend to, take account," in
a positive sense (cf. I5:I5; 27:22), see Note for 5:9.
my good word. I.e., my promise (Calvin). Hebrew debarf hatt6b. The LXX
has "my words," plural, and omits "good." The MT reading, which is supported
by CL, T, S, and Vg, is preferable to what is here a generally bad LXX text
(Giesebrecht). Compare Ps 45:2[Eng 45:I]: "my heart is stirred with a good
word ( dabar tab)."
I I. For I, I know the plans that I am planning concerning you ... plans of
welfare and not for evil. Now Jeremiah is speaking of shalom for the city of
shalom, but it will be some years off The LXX omits "I know the plans that
I" (yadaet-hammaflasabot > aser > anokf), which is an obvious loss due to
haplography, as Rudolph, Janzen (I 973: I I 8), and Carroll recognize
