Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This command to marry and multiply isn't about settling in Babylon forever, but about trusting God's promise of future restoration. By taking these steps, the exiles were acting in faith, multiplying the seed of Abraham in a foreign land, which would ultimately serve as the foundation for their return.
Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is writing to the exiles in Babylon, many of whom are clinging to false hopes of a quick return. This letter, sent by royal messengers, instructs them to settle into their new reality, build homes, plant crops, and start families, signifying a long-term presence in exile. The prophet's aim is to counter deceptive prophecies and guide them toward patient obedience, assuring them that God's promises still stand, even amidst their chastisement.
Imagine being uprooted from your home, your land, your life. God's command here seems counterintuitive: 'Settle down and start families.' How can you plan for a future in a place you're meant to leave?
The exiles in Babylon were told to 'take wives and have sons and daughters' and arrange marriages for their children. This wasn't a call to forget their homeland or their hope of return. Instead, it was a command to live fully, responsibly, and with purpose within their present circumstances.
Embracing the Present:
God instructed them to build houses, plant vineyards, and raise families. This meant engaging in the daily rhythms of life, taking responsibility for their well-being, and establishing order. It was about faithfully living out their days in exile, trusting God's timing for their deliverance.
A Sign of Hope:
Far from being a sign of resignation, this command was a profound act of hope. By multiplying and not decreasing, they were obeying God's promise to preserve Abraham's seed. It showed faith that God's plan for them would continue, even in a foreign land, and that their descendants would one day return.
Why did God emphasize having children and continuing the family line while in exile? It wasn't just about population numbers; it was deeply theological.
The instruction to 'take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters' served a crucial purpose in the midst of exile.
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Preserving God's Promise:
God's covenant with Abraham included the promise of a great nation and descendants as numerous as the stars. The exile threatened to cut off this lineage. By commanding them to continue having children, God affirmed that His covenant promises were still in effect and that the seed of Abraham would not fail.
Living Hope for Return:
This focus on future generations was a tangible expression of hope. It meant they weren't to see themselves as a dying people whose story ended in Babylon. Instead, they were to raise children who would one day see the fulfillment of God's promise to return them to their land. It was a message that their story was far from over.
This instruction to multiply and settle in Babylon runs counter to the exiles' immediate hopes for a quick return, highlighting God's long-term plan and the need for patience amidst judgment.
597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar deports King Jehoiachin and many of Jerusalem's elite, including Ezekiel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian Exile.
c. 594 BC— this verse
Jeremiah Sends Letter to Exiles
Jeremiah, at God's command, sends a letter by the hand of royal envoys to the Jewish exiles in Babylon, instructing them to settle down and build lives there.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Second Deportation
Jerusalem is destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, and more Judeans are deported to Babylon. This event underscores the severity of God's judgment.
c. 582 BC
Third Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar carries out a final deportation of Judeans to Babylon after a period of unrest.
c. 539 BC
Fall of Babylon to Persia
Babylon is conquered by Cyrus the Great of Persia, ending Babylonian rule.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus and Return of Exiles
Cyrus issues an edict allowing the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.
This verse echoes the creation mandate given to humanity to 'be fruitful and multiply,' showing God's continued desire for His people to grow and flourish, even in challenging circumstances.
Deuteronomy 28:4Jeremiah's instruction to multiply in exile stands in stark contrast to the curses in Deuteronomy, which include the curse of not being able to find wives or bear children, highlighting God's redemptive work even in judgment.
Psalm 105:24This psalm recounts how God 'made his people very strong' in Egypt, a parallel to Jeremiah's command for the exiles to multiply, showing God's consistent pattern of preserving and increasing His people despite oppression.
Ezra 1:1-4While Jeremiah instructs the exiles to settle and multiply in Babylon, this passage shows the eventual fulfillment of God's promise of return, illustrating the temporary nature of their assignment to build families in exile.
calvinJeremiah 29:3-6: "By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,"
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.
Accipite uxores et generate filios et filias; et accipite filiis vestris uxores, et filias vestras date n…
pooleJeremiah 29:6: "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."
That is, Be not uneasy in your minds, not resolving what to do, through the prophecies of the false prophets, that tell you the captivity shall be but two years, or at least very short; but do all things which you would do if Babylon were to be your fixed habitation (as it is li…
This command to marry and multiply isn't about settling in Babylon forever, but about trusting God's promise of future restoration. By taking these steps, the exiles were acting in faith, multiplying the seed of Abraham in a foreign land, which would ultimately serve as the foundation for their return.
Jeremiah is writing to the exiles in Babylon, many of whom are clinging to false hopes of a quick return. This letter, sent by royal messengers, instructs them to settle into their new reality, build homes, plant crops, and start families, signifying a long-term presence in exile. The prophet's aim is to counter deceptive prophecies and guide them toward patient obedience, assuring them that God's promises still stand, even amidst their chastisement.
Jeremiah is writing to the exiles in Babylon, many of whom are clinging to false hopes of a quick return. This letter, sent by royal messengers, instructs them to settle into their new reality, build homes, plant crops, and start families, signifying a long-term presence in exile. The prophet's aim is to counter deceptive prophecies and guide them toward patient obedience, assuring them that God's promises still stand, even amidst their chastisement.
"Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease." — This command to marry and multiply isn't about settling in Babylon forever, but about trusting God's promise of future restoration. By taking these steps, the exiles were acting in faith, multiplying…
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Last reviewed October 2026