Jeremiah 29:24

“[Thus] shalt thou speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, etc.] Or, “the dreamer”f563; because he pretended to have dreams from the Lord; or because what he delivered as prophecies were mere dreams; as that the captives should quickly return to their own land; so Kimchi: but Jarchi takes it to be the name of a place, from whence he was so called; perhaps the place of his birth, or habitation formerly; so the Targum, paraphrasing “who was of Halem;” he was, another of the false prophets in Babylon. This latter part of the chapter is of a later date than the former; and refers to what was done after the above letter of Jeremiah came to the captives in Babylon; and after, the return of the messengers…”

“A second communication which Jeremiah sent to Babylon, after the messenger who carried his first letter had brought a letter from the false prophet Shemaiah to Zephaniah, &c., condemning Jeremiah and reproving the authorities for not having apprehended him. Nehelamite--a name derived either from his father or from a place: alluding at the same time to the Hebrew meaning, "a dreamer" (compare Jer 29:8).”

“A narrative showing the effects of Jeremiah’s letter. Shemaiah the leader of the false prophets wrote to Zephaniah, urging him to restrain the prophet’s zeal with the prison and the stocks. Jeremiah 29:24 To Shemaiah - Rather, concerning. The Nehelamite - Not as in the margin; but one belonging to the village of Nehlam (unknown). Jeremiah 29:26 Officers - Deputy high priests who had the oversight of the temple. Mad - See 2 Kings 9:11 note. Many of the symbolic actions of the prophets, such as that of Jeremiah going about with a yoke on his neck, would be mocked at by the irreverent as passing the line between prophecy and madness. Prisons - Rather, the stocks Jeremiah 20:2. The stocks -…”

“Nehelamite - It is probable there was such a place as Nehelam, from whence he was. Jeremiah 29:26”

“29:24-32 A prophet in Babylon named Shemaiah took issue with Jeremiah’s written advice that the exiles should accept a long exile (29:4-23). Shemaiah sent a letter to a leading priest in Jerusalem, urging him to take action against Jeremiah; Jeremiah responded with a letter to the exiles that condemned Shemaiah.”

“Shemaiah: Jer 29:31, Jer 29:32 Nehelamite: or, dreamer, Jer 29:8 Jeremiah 29:25”

“Threatening against the false prophet Shemaiah. - Jeremiah's letter to the exiles (vv. 1-23) had excited great indignation among the false prophets in Babylon, who predicted speedy restoration. One of them, named Shemaiah, wrote accordingly letters to Jerusalem addressed to the people, and especially to the priest Zephaniah, who held the highest place in the management of the temple, insisting that he should immediately take steps to punish Jeremiah and check his labours ( Jer 29:24-28). When Zephaniah read this letter to Jeremiah, the latter received from God the commission to tell the pseudo-prophet of the punishment awaiting him, that and his race should perish and not survive Israel's…”