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Jeremiah42

After Jerusalem's fall, a remnant of Judah, led by Johanan, seeks Jeremiah's prayer for divine guidance on where to settle, promising obedience. The LORD, through Jeremiah, commands them to remain in Judah, assuring protection from Babylon and restoration. However, He warns that going to Egypt, driven by fear of war and famine, will result in their death by those very evils, as His wrath will pursue them there. The LORD reveals their hearts were dissembling, as they had already intended to disobey.
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The Remnant Seeks God's Will

1
Then 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, ​
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and 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), ​
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that Jehovah thy God may show us the way wherein we should walk, and the thing that we should do.
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Then 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. ​
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Then 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. ​
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Whether 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.
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And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of Jehovah came unto Jeremiah. ​

God Commands Them to Remain in Judah

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Then 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,
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and said unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him:
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If 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. ​
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Be 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. ​
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And I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land. ​

The Warning Against Fleeing to Egypt

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But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land; so that ye obey not the voice of Jehovah your God,
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saying, 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: ​
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now 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;
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then 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. ​
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So 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.
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For 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. ​

Judgment for Disguised Disobedience

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Jehovah hath spoken concerning you, O remnant of Judah, Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have testified unto you this day. ​
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For 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. ​
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And 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.
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Now 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 Notes for Jeremiah 42

Verse 1

This chapter follows the assassination of Gedaliah (41:2) and details the remnant's desire for direction. Johanan and the captains represent the surviving military and civil leadership left in Judah.

Verse 2

The group refers to themselves as a 'remnant,' recognizing their drastically reduced numbers following the Babylonian siege and deportations. They appeal to Jeremiah because of his established relationship with the LORD.

Verse 4

Jeremiah assures them of his prophetic integrity, promising to deliver God’s answer completely, whether the message is favorable or difficult (cf. Ezek. 2:7).

Verse 5

The people swear a solemn oath, calling God as a 'true and faithful witness.' This covenantal pledge makes their subsequent disobedience (revealed in Ch. 43) a severe act of rebellion and perjury.

Verse 7

The ten-day wait demonstrates the sovereignty of God’s revelation. Jeremiah did not deliver an immediate, convenient answer but waited patiently for the authentic word of the LORD.

Verse 10

The imagery of 'build' and 'plant' reverses the language of judgment that dominated Jeremiah’s early ministry (Jer. 1:10). This promise offers restoration and security if they trust God’s sovereignty over Babylon.

Verse 11

The LORD directly addresses their primary motivation for fleeing: fear of Babylonian reprisal. God promises divine protection, asserting that the fear of man should not override obedience to God.

Verse 12

God promises to show them mercy by influencing Nebuchadnezzar (the king of Babylon) to be merciful toward them. This highlights God’s control over all earthly powers, even agents of judgment.

Verse 14

Egypt was historically viewed as a place of refuge, but relying on Egypt rather than God had been a consistent source of spiritual failure for Judah's leaders (cf. Isa. 30:1-3).

Verse 16

This is a profound statement of judgment: the very dangers they sought to escape (sword and famine) will follow them, demonstrating that safety is found only in obedience, not geography.

Verse 18

To enter Egypt is to step out of the promised land and into the zone of God’s 'anger and fury.' They will become an 'execration' (a cursed object), receiving the same judgment Jerusalem faced.

Verse 19

Jeremiah emphasizes that this warning is certain and final: 'know certainly that I have admonished you this day.' The choice is now clearly laid out.

Verse 20

Jeremiah exposes their hypocrisy. The leadership had already 'dissembled in their hearts' (acted deceitfully), meaning their request for prayer was merely an attempt to gain divine sanction for their own pre-determined plan to flee.

Verse 22

The final warning confirms the fatal consequences of their choice. They will die by the three elements of judgment (sword, famine, pestilence) in the place where they sought life.

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