Lexical Summary
Nechelami: Nehelamite
Original Word:נֶחֱלָמִי
Part of Speech:Adjective
Transliteration:Nechelamiy
Pronunciation:neh-kheh-lah-MEE
Phonetic Spelling:(nekh-el-aw-mee')
KJV: Nehelamite
NASB:Nehelamite
Word Origin:[apparently a patronymic from an unused name (apparently passive participle ofH2492 (חָלַם - To dream))]
1. dreamed
2. a Nechelamite, or descendant of Nechlam
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Nehelamite
Apparently a patronymic from an unused name (apparently passive participle ofchalam); dreamed; a Nechelamite, or descendant of Nechlam -- Nehelamite.
see HEBREWchalam
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom an unused name
Definitiondescriptive title for a false prophet
NASB TranslationNehelamite (3).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(noun not found); —
Jeremiah 29:24; also
Jeremiah 29:31;
Jeremiah 29:32 (Where van d. H. ).
see .
Topical Lexicon
IdentificationThe term נֶחֱלָמִי (Nehelamite) is applied solely to Shemaiah in the Book of Jeremiah. It functions as a gentilic, marking him either as a man of a locality named Nehelam or, as some suggest, as a “dreamer,” a fitting irony for one whose claims to revelatory dreams proved false.
Biblical Context
All three occurrences appear inJeremiah 29 (verses 24, 31, 32). The prophet Jeremiah had just dispatched his famous letter to the early exiles in Babylon (Jeremiah 29:1-23), urging them to seek the welfare of the city and to await the full seventy years of captivity. Shemaiah, already in Babylon, vigorously opposed Jeremiah’s message.
Shemaiah’s Opposition to Jeremiah
Shemaiah penned his own letter from Babylon to the priests in Jerusalem, particularly addressing Zephaniah, the successor to Jehoiada in the temple (Jeremiah 29:25-26). He demanded that Jeremiah be silenced and “put in stocks and neck irons” (Jeremiah 29:26). By invoking temple authority against a proven prophet, Shemaiah not only questioned Jeremiah’s authenticity but also attempted to subvert the divine counsel that called the exiles to patient submission.
Divine Response and Judgment
The Lord immediately instructed Jeremiah to counter-write concerning Shemaiah. “Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you—though I did not send him—and has made you trust in a lie … there will be no descendants living among this people, nor will any see the good that I will bring to My people” (Jeremiah 29:31-32). The verdict included (1) the curse of childlessness or eradicated lineage, (2) exclusion from participation in Israel’s eventual restoration, and (3) public exposure of his deception. This oracle stands as a canonical hallmark for how seriously God defends the purity of His word against counterfeit revelation.
Theological Significance
1. Authenticity of Prophetic Revelation
Jeremiah’s confrontation with Shemaiah illustrates the biblical test that a true word from the Lord aligns with earlier revelation and is fulfilled in history (Deuteronomy 18:20-22). God confirms Jeremiah, while Shemaiah’s words collapse under judgment.
2. Protection of the Covenant Community
False prophecy erodes covenant faithfulness. By excising Shemaiah and his progeny, the Lord shields His people from prolonged deception, demonstrating pastoral care for His remnant (John 10:12-13).
3. Sovereignty over Exile and Restoration
The episode reinforces that Israel’s future hinges not on optimistic prognostication but on God’s fixed timetable (Jeremiah 29:10). Attempts to shortcut divine discipline invite severe repercussions.
Ministry Implications
• Discernment: Spiritual leaders must “test all things; hold fast to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
• Accountability: Those who claim to speak for God bear stricter judgment (James 3:1).
• Patience in Suffering: Exiles—and by extension believers facing hardship—are called to trust God’s long-range purposes rather than hasty promises of relief (Romans 8:25).
• Hope of Restoration: The very chapter that condemns Shemaiah also contains the assurance, “I know the plans I have for you … to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11), underscoring that God’s repudiation of false hope paves the way for true hope grounded in His covenant faithfulness.
Lessons for Contemporary Readers
The Nehelamite serves as a cautionary emblem: sincerity and spiritual zeal do not authenticate a message—divine commissioning does. Modern ministries must prize Scripture as the final rule for faith and practice, resist crowd-pleasing narratives, and await the fulfillment of every promise in God’s appointed season (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Forms and Transliterations
הַנֶּחֱלָמִ֑י הַנֶּחֱלָמִ֖י הַנֶּחֱלָמִי֮ הנחלמי han·ne·ḥĕ·lā·mî hannechelaMi hanneḥĕlāmî
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