Note: Words are shown in their original Hebrew order, which differs from English translations. This reflects the emphasis and structure of Scripture as originally written. Click any word to see its full lexicon entry.
1Then all the commanders of the forces, along with Johanan son of Kareah, Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least to the greatest, approached
2Jeremiah the prophet and said, “May our petition come before you; pray to the LORD your God on behalf of this entire remnant. For few of us remain of the many, as you can see with your own eyes.
4“I have heard you,” replied Jeremiah the prophet. “I will surely pray to the LORD your God as you request, and I will tell you everything that the LORD answers; I will not withhold a word from you.”
5Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act upon every word that the LORD your God sends you to tell us.
6Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, so that it may go well with us, for we will obey the voice of the LORD our God!”
10‘If you will indeed stay in this land, then I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I will relent of the disaster I have brought upon you.
11Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you now fear; do not be afraid of him, declares the LORD, for I am with you to save you and deliver you from him.
14and if you say, ‘No, but we will go to the land of Egypt and live there, where we will not see war or hear the sound of the ram’s horn or hunger for bread,’
15then hear the word of the LORD, O remnant of Judah! This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you are determined to go to Egypt and reside there,
17So all who resolve to go to Egypt to reside there will die by sword and famine and plague. Not one of them will survive or escape the disaster I will bring upon them.’
18For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Just as My anger and wrath were poured out on the residents of Jerusalem, so will My wrath be poured out on you if you go to Egypt. You will become an object of cursing and horror, of vilification and disgrace, and you will never see this place again.’
20For you have deceived yourselves by sending me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray to the LORD our God on our behalf, and as for all that the LORD our God says, tell it to us and we will do it.’
Jeremiah 42 presents a pivotal moment of decision for the remnant of Judah after Jerusalem's fall. The surviving leaders and people appeal to the prophet Jeremiah to inquire of the Lord concerning whether they should remain in the land or flee to Egypt. God grants a clear answer through Jeremiah: stay in the land and He will protect and restore them, or go to Egypt and face destruction. This chapter powerfully illustrates the tension between human fear and faith, and the consequences of seeking God's will while secretly determined to follow our own desires.
The remnant of Judah—military captains and all the people—come to Jeremiah with an urgent request. They are few survivors of what was once a great nation, and they are afraid. Notice their humility and ostensible sincerity: they ask Jeremiah to pray for them and promise in verse 5 that they will obey whatever the Lord commands. They call upon God as a witness to their commitment. This demonstrates a good instinct—to seek God's will through His prophet rather than relying on human wisdom alone. Jeremiah appropriately responds that he will faithfully deliver whatever word God gives, "keeping nothing back" (verse 4). This is the mark of a faithful servant of God: complete honesty and transparency in conveying the divine message.
After waiting ten days in prayer (verse 7), Jeremiah receives God's word. The divine message offers a covenant of mercy: if the people will abide in the land, God will build and plant them rather than pulling them down (verse 10). He calls them to overcome their fear of Babylon's king, assuring them of His presence and deliverance (verse 11). Most remarkably, God declares "I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you" (verse 10)—that is, He will withdraw the judgment He has executed and restore mercy. This is not weakness or change in God's character, but the expression of His covenant faithfulness. He offers both security and compassion, contingent upon their obedience and trust.
However, verses 13-19 present the alternative—and its terrible consequences. God foreknows that the people secretly desire to flee to Egypt, imagining safety there (verse 14). But God declares that the very things they fear—war, famine, sword—will follow them to Egypt and destroy them there (verses 16-17). The judgment will be as severe as what fell upon Jerusalem itself (verse 18). This is not divine cruelty; it is the inevitable result of rejecting God's provision and attempting to save themselves through worldly means. Egypt represents the flesh, human reasoning, and reliance on earthly power rather than on God.
Jeremiah's closing words are sorrowful but firm. He exposes their hypocrisy: they "dissembled in their hearts" (verse 20)—their promise to obey was not genuine. They sought a word from God while already determined to go their own way. Tragically, Jeremiah's announcement of their coming judgment proves they have already rejected the voice of the Lord (verses 21-22). This is a warning that seeking God's guidance while harboring hidden disobedience is self-deception with serious consequences.
Application for Today
We must examine our own hearts when we pray for God's guidance. Are we genuinely willing to obey, or do we approach prayer having already decided what we want? True discipleship means asking God for wisdom with a sincere commitment to follow it, even when His answer challenges our fears and preferences. The God who offered the remnant safety and restoration offers us the same: security in His will, rather than the false safety we imagine in running from His direction.
Study Notes — Jeremiah 42
5 sectionsJeremiah 42 presents a pivotal moment of decision for the remnant of Judah after Jerusalem's fall. The surviving leaders and people appeal to the prophet Jeremiah to inquire of the Lord concerning whether they should remain in the land or flee to Egypt. God grants a clear answer through Jeremiah: stay in the land and He will protect and restore them, or go to Egypt and face destruction. This chapter powerfully illustrates the tension between human fear and faith, and the consequences of seeking God's will while secretly determined to follow our own desires.
The remnant of Judah—military captains and all the people—come to Jeremiah with an urgent request. They are few survivors of what was once a great nation, and they are afraid. Notice their humility and ostensible sincerity: they ask Jeremiah to pray for them and promise in verse 5 that they will obey whatever the Lord commands. They call upon God as a witness to their commitment. This demonstrates a good instinct—to seek God's will through His prophet rather than relying on human wisdom alone. Jeremiah appropriately responds that he will faithfully deliver whatever word God gives, "keeping nothing back" (verse 4). This is the mark of a faithful servant of God: complete honesty and transparency in conveying the divine message.
After waiting ten days in prayer (verse 7), Jeremiah receives God's word. The divine message offers a covenant of mercy: if the people will abide in the land, God will build and plant them rather than pulling them down (verse 10). He calls them to overcome their fear of Babylon's king, assuring them of His presence and deliverance (verse 11). Most remarkably, God declares "I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you" (verse 10)—that is, He will withdraw the judgment He has executed and restore mercy. This is not weakness or change in God's character, but the expression of His covenant faithfulness. He offers both security and compassion, contingent upon their obedience and trust.
However, verses 13-19 present the alternative—and its terrible consequences. God foreknows that the people secretly desire to flee to Egypt, imagining safety there (verse 14). But God declares that the very things they fear—war, famine, sword—will follow them to Egypt and destroy them there (verses 16-17). The judgment will be as severe as what fell upon Jerusalem itself (verse 18). This is not divine cruelty; it is the inevitable result of rejecting God's provision and attempting to save themselves through worldly means. Egypt represents the flesh, human reasoning, and reliance on earthly power rather than on God.
Jeremiah's closing words are sorrowful but firm. He exposes their hypocrisy: they "dissembled in their hearts" (verse 20)—their promise to obey was not genuine. They sought a word from God while already determined to go their own way. Tragically, Jeremiah's announcement of their coming judgment proves they have already rejected the voice of the Lord (verses 21-22). This is a warning that seeking God's guidance while harboring hidden disobedience is self-deception with serious consequences.
We must examine our own hearts when we pray for God's guidance. Are we genuinely willing to obey, or do we approach prayer having already decided what we want? True discipleship means asking God for wisdom with a sincere commitment to follow it, even when His answer challenges our fears and preferences. The God who offered the remnant safety and restoration offers us the same: security in His will, rather than the false safety we imagine in running from His direction.