English · CJB

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.

The Remnant Seeks God's Will

1
Then all the military commanders, Yochanan the son of Kareach, Y'zanyah the son of Hosha'yah and all the people, from the least to the greatest, approached ​
2
and said to Yirmeyahu the prophet, "I beg you, approve our request: pray for us to ADONAI your God for all of this remnant. For, while once we were numerous, only a few of us are left, as you can see. ​
3
Pray that ADONAI your God will tell us what direction to take and what to do."
4
Yirmeyahu the prophet said to them: "I hear you. All right, I will pray to ADONAI your God, as you have asked. And whatever ADONAI answers you, I will tell you; I will withhold nothing from you." ​
5
They said to Yirmeyahu, "May ADONAI be a true and faithful witness against us if we fail to do any part of what ADONAI your God gives you to tell us. ​
6
Whether it be good or bad, we will listen to what ADONAI our God says. We are dispatching you to him so that things will go well with us, as we heed what ADONAI our God says."
7
Ten days later the word of ADONAI came to Yirmeyahu. ​

God Commands Them to Remain in Judah

8
So he called Yochanan the son of Kareach, all the military commanders with him and all the people, from the least to the greatest,
9
and said to them, "You sent me to present your request to ADONAI the God of Isra'el. This is what he says:
10
'If you will stay in this land, then I will build you up, not pull you down; I will plant you and not uproot you; for I am relenting from the calamity I inflicted on you. ​
11
Don't be afraid of the king of Bavel - of whom you are afraid. Don't be afraid of him,' says ADONAI, 'for I am with you to save you and to rescue you from his power. ​
12
I will take pity on you, so that he will take pity on you and cause you to return to your own land. ​

The Warning Against Fleeing to Egypt

13
"But if you say, 'We will not stay in this land,' thereby not heeding what ADONAI your God is saying,
14
and instead say, 'No, we will go to the land of Egypt; because there we will not see war or hear the shofar sounding its alarm or be short of food; so we'll stay there'; ​
15
then hear what ADONAI says, remnant of Y'hudah - this is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: 'If you are determined to go to Egypt and stay there,
16
the sword, of which you are afraid, will overtake you there in the land of Egypt; and the famine, of which you are afraid, will pursue you relentlessly there in Egypt; and there you will die. ​
17
This is how it will be for all the people determined to go to Egypt and stay there - they will die by sword, famine and plague; none of them will remain or escape the disaster that I will bring upon them.'
18
For here is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: 'Just as my anger and fury were poured out on the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, so likewise my fury will be poured out on you if you go to Egypt; so that you will become an object of condemnation, astonishment, cursing and reproach; and you will see this place no more.' ​

Judgment for Disguised Disobedience

19
"ADONAI has spoken concerning you, remnant of Y'hudah! Don't go to Egypt! You know for a fact that I have given you fair warning today. ​
20
For you have been behaving deceitfully, against your own interests. You sent me to ADONAI your God, saying, 'Pray for us to ADONAI our God; tell us everything ADONAI our God says, and we will do it.' ​
21
Today I have told it to you, but you haven't heeded any part of what ADONAI your God gave me to tell you.
22
Therefore, know for a fact that you will die by sword, famine and plague in the place where you want to go and live." ​

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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