Jeremiah42
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came near,
2and said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we pray thee, our supplication be presented before thee, and pray for us unto Jehovah thy God, even for all this remnant (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us),
3that Jehovah thy God may show us the way wherein we should walk, and the thing that we should do.
4Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto Jehovah your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass that whatsoever thing Jehovah shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.
5Then they said to Jeremiah, Jehovah be a true and faithful witness amongst us, if we do not according to all the word wherewith Jehovah thy God shall send thee to us.
6Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of Jehovah our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of Jehovah our God.
7And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of Jehovah came unto Jeremiah.
8Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,
9and said unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him:
10If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.
11Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith Jehovah: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.
12And I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.
13But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land; so that ye obey not the voice of Jehovah your God,
14saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell:
15now therefore hear ye the word of Jehovah, O remnant of Judah: Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, If ye indeed set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there;
16then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye fear, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt; and the famine, whereof ye are afraid, shall follow hard after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.
17So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there: they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.
18For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: As mine anger and my wrath hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so shall my wrath be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt; and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.
19Jehovah hath spoken concerning you, O remnant of Judah, Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have testified unto you this day.
20For ye have dealt deceitfully against your own souls; for ye sent me unto Jehovah your God, saying, Pray for us unto Jehovah our God; and according unto all that Jehovah our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it.
21And I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of Jehovah your God in anything for which he hath sent me unto you.
22Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go to sojourn there.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Jeremiah 42.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Johanan desires Jeremiah to ask counsel of God. (1-6). They are assured of safety in Judea, but of destruction in Egypt. (7-22).
vv1-6
To serve a turn, Jeremiah is sought out, and the captains ask for his assistance. In every difficult, doubtful case, we must look to God for direction; and we may still, in faith, pray to be guided by a spirit of wisdom in our hearts, and the leadings of Providence. We do not truly desire to know the mind of God, if we do not fully resolve to comply with it when we know it. Many promise to do what the Lord requires, while they hope to have their pride flattered, and their favourite lusts spared. Yet something betrays the state of their hearts.
vv7-22
If we would know the mind of the Lord in doubtful cases, we must wait as well as pray. God is ever ready to return in mercy to those he has afflicted; and he never rejects any who rely on his promises. He has declared enough to silence even the causeless fears of his people, which discourge them in the way of duty. Whatever loss or suffering we may fear from obedience, is provided against in God's word; and he will protect and deliver all who trust in him and serve him. It is folly to quit our place, especially to quit a holy land, because we meet with trouble in it. And the evils we think to escape by sin, we certainly bring upon ourselves. We may apply this to the common troubles of life; and those who think to avoid them by changing their place, will find that the grievances common to men will meet them wherever they go. Sinners who dissemble with God in solemn professions especially should be rebuked with sharpness; for their actions speak more plainly than words. We know not what is good for ourselves; and what we are most fond of, and have our hearts most set upon, often proves hurtful, and sometimes fatal.
Key Words
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
שַׂר: a head person (of any rank or class)
חַיִל: probably a force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength
יוֹחָנָן: Jochanan, the name of nine Israelites
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
קָרֵחַ: Kareach, an Israelite
יְזַנְיָה: Jezanjah, an Israelite
הוֹשַׁעְיָה: Hoshajah, the name of two Israelites
עַם: a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
קָטָן: abbreviated, i.e. diminutive, literally (in quantity, size or number) or figuratively (in age or importance)
Cross References
Jeremiah 42God explicitly forbade His people from returning to Egypt to prevent entanglement in idolatry.
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The tiny remainder of people fulfills the divine curse of being left few in number.
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They call on God as a witness, echo of the ancient covenant witness formula.
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The metaphor of building and planting is used elsewhere for God establishing His people.
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God's repenting of the evil echoes the covenant promise of mercy in Deuteronomy.
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Echoes Israel's historical empty promises of obedience when receiving God's laws.
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Jeremiah's resolve to keep nothing back reflects the faithful prophetic standard of Samuel.
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Paul echoes this prophetic integrity, keeping back nothing profitable from his hearers.
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Fleeing to escape the sword only brings the sword upon the disobedient.
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Dissembling in their hearts brings self-ruin; God is not mocked by hypocrisy.
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Asking a prophet to lift up a prayer for a surviving remnant.
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Setting their faces to enter Egypt contrasts Christ setting His face to go to Jerusalem.
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The pouring out of God's fury mimics the previous destruction of Jerusalem.
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The ten-day delay tested their hearts to prove their willingness to obey.
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