The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of (A)Shaphan and Gemariah the son of (B)Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. It said: “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: (C)Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce.

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