For that is why he has sent to us at Babylon, saying: “It is long drawn out! Build houses and inhabit them, and plant gardens and eat their fruitage,—”’”’”​—Jer. 29:24-28; compare Jeremiah 29:4-6.

18. How was Shemaiah trying to run ahead of Jehovah, with what consequences to himself and his offspring?

¹⁸ Shemaiah in Babylon did not want to wait upon Jehovah to bring deliverance to the Jewish exiles, of whom he was one. He did not believe the earlier prophecy of Isaiah 44:28 through 45:4 about Khoresh, or Cyrus the Persian, who was to overthrow Babylon and restore the Jewish exiles to their homeland. Hence, Shemaiah wanted to run ahead of Jehovah. He schemed to work out salvation for himself and fellow exiles in his own way. He favored a course that would bring a “yoke of iron” from the king of Babylon upon the neck of the vassal Kingdom of Judah. (Jer. 28:13, 14)