The Meaning of Jeremiah 29:11 Explained

Jeremiah 29:11

KJV: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

YLT: For I have known the thoughts that I am thinking towards you -- an affirmation of Jehovah; thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give to you posterity and hope.

Darby: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you in your latter end a hope.

ASV: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For I know  the thoughts  that I think  toward you, saith  the LORD,  thoughts  of peace,  and not of evil,  to give  you an expected  end. 

What does Jeremiah 29:11 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord"s plans for His people were for their ultimate welfare, not endless calamity. They would have a future beyond the Exile, so they could have hope.

Context Summary

Jeremiah 29:1-32 - Shepherds That Mislead God's Flock
It is God's purpose to care for His people through shepherds (pastors) who are responsible to Him. Jesus our Lord is the Branch into which we may be grafted. He is our King who saves us and clothes us with His own spotless righteousness. God finds us in Him, Philippians 3:9. Because He reigns, we are saved and dwell in safety. When we are brought into contact with false shepherds, whether the failure be in doctrine or example, let us ask for the broken heart of Jeremiah 23:9.
God is everywhere present; as the latter paragraph indicates, He is near at hand to overhear the blasphemy of those who deride religion, and to be a very present help in time of trouble. If He fills heaven and earth, can He not fill thy heart? If His Word is like fire, let it cleanse thee! If it is as a hammer, let it pulverize thy pride! Let those of us who essay to teach and preach, not steal our words from our neighbors, or utter our own, but receive them from the source of all truth. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 29

1  Jeremiah sends a letter to the captives in Babylon to be quiet there,
8  and not to believe the dreams of their prophets;
10  and that they shall return with grace after seventy years
15  He foretells the destruction of the rest for their disobedience
20  He shows the fearful end of Ahab and Zedekiah, two false prophets
24  Shemaiah writes a letter against Jeremiah
30  Jeremiah foretells his doom

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 29:11 mean?

For I know - the thoughts that think toward you says Yahweh thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you a future and a hope
כִּי֩ אָנֹכִ֨י יָדַ֜עְתִּי אֶת־ הַמַּחֲשָׁבֹ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֧ר חֹשֵׁ֥ב עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם נְאֻם־ יְהוָ֑ה מַחְשְׁב֤וֹת שָׁלוֹם֙ וְלֹ֣א לְרָעָ֔ה לָתֵ֥ת לָכֶ֖ם אַחֲרִ֥ית וְתִקְוָֽה

יָדַ֜עְתִּי  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַמַּחֲשָׁבֹ֗ת  the  thoughts 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַחֲשָׁבָה  
Sense: thought, device.
אֲשֶׁ֧ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
חֹשֵׁ֥ב  think 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: חָשַׁב 
Sense: to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count.
עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם  toward  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
נְאֻם־  says 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נְאֻם  
Sense: (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet).
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מַחְשְׁב֤וֹת  thoughts 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מַחֲשָׁבָה  
Sense: thought, device.
שָׁלוֹם֙  of  peace 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֹום  
Sense: completeness, soundness, welfare, peace.
וְלֹ֣א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
לְרָעָ֔ה  of  evil 
Parse: Preposition-l, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
לָתֵ֥ת  to  give 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אַחֲרִ֥ית  a  future 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַחֲרִית  
Sense: after part, end.
וְתִקְוָֽה  and  a  hope 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: תִּקְוָה 
Sense: cord.