You asked

how did the exiles in babylon view their new city, and why was this command so radical for them?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

Jeremiah 29:7

“Seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to Yahweh for it; for in its shalom you will have shalom.”

This verse comes from a letter sent by the prophet Jeremiah to the Jewish people who had been exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. They were far from home and their temple, facing a long period of captivity.

What does 'seeking the peace' of a place you didn't choose to be in look like in your life today?

Keep thinking

Behind the textwhat did 'peace' or 'shalom' mean to people in jeremiah's time in this context?
Across the Biblehow does this command compare with the israelites' attitude towards egypt in earlier biblical stories?
For todayhow can one contribute to the 'shalom' of a place while also acknowledging its flaws or injustices?

Read alongside it

Psalm 137:1-4
This Psalm expresses the deep grief and resistance of the exiles to sing praises in a foreign land.
Romans 13:1
This New Testament passage encourages submission to governing authorities, echoing a theme of living well within an existing system.

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