You asked

how might jeremiah's audience have initially reacted to this command, given their circumstances?

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 peace you will have peace.”

This verse is part of a letter Jeremiah, a prophet in Jerusalem, sent to the Jewish exiles living in Babylon in the late 7th to early 6th century BCE. They had been forcibly removed from their homeland and were hoping for a quick return. Jeremiah is telling them to settle in for the long haul and contribute to the well-being of their new, foreign city.

What does it mean to seek the well-being of a place you didn't choose, especially when it feels like an enemy?

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

Psalm 137:1-6
This psalm expresses the deep sorrow and longing for Jerusalem felt by the exiles in Babylon, contrasting with Jeremiah's message to engage with Babylon.
Daniel 2:17-18
Daniel and his friends, also exiles in Babylon, engaged with the Babylonian court while maintaining their faith, reflecting a way of seeking the city's peace.
Romans 13:1-7
Paul's letter encourages submission to governing authorities, even non-believing ones, for the sake of peace and order.

Ask your own follow-up