Jeremiah 29:6

Marriage

⁴ This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles who were carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon:

⁵ “Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat their produce.

Take wives and have sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease.

⁷ Seek the prosperity of the city to which I have sent you as exiles. Pray to the LORD on its behalf, for if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

⁸ For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Do not be deceived by the prophets and diviners among you, and do not listen to the dreams you elicit from them.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Take wives and have sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease.
KJV: 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.
WEB: Take wives and father sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there, and don’t be diminished.
ASV: 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; and multiply ye there, and be not diminished.
DARBY: Take 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; and multiply there, and be not diminished.
BLB: Take wives and beget sons and daughters, and take for your⁺ sons wives, and your⁺ daughters give to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters and multiply there, so that you⁺ shall not decrease.

ÅB: Ta dere hustruer og få sønner og døtre, og ta hustruer til deres sønner og gift bort deres døtre, så de kan få føde sønner og døtre; bli tallrike der, og bli ikke færre!
OTB: Ta koner og få sønner og døtre; finn koner til sønnene deres og gi døtrene deres bort i ekteskap, slik at de også kan få sønner og døtre. Bli mange der og bli ikke færre.
B1930: Ta eder hustruer og få sønner og døtre, og ta hustruer til eders sønner og gift bort eders døtre, så de kan få føde sønner og døtre; bli tallrike der, og bli ikke færre!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Judges 12:9
He had thirty sons, as well as thirty daughters whom he gave in marriage to men outside his clan; and for his sons he brought back thirty wives from elsewhere. Ibzan judged Israel seven years.
Read in context
Genesis 24:51
Rebekah is here before you. Take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, just as the LORD has decreed.”
Read in context
Genesis 21:21
And while he was dwelling in the Wilderness of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
Read in context
Genesis 24:3–4
and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling,
Read in context
Genesis 29:19
Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.”
Read in context
Genesis 28:1–4
So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. “Do not take a wife from the Canaanite women,” he commanded.
Read in context
1 Timothy 5:14
So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander.
Read in context
Judges 14:2
So he returned and told his father and mother, “I have seen a daughter of the Philistines in Timnah. Now get her for me as a wife.”
Read in context