Jeremiah 42:2

Translation
King James Version
And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD 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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KJV (with Strong's)
And said H559 unto Jeremiah H3414 the prophet H5030, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication H8467 be accepted H5307 before H6440 thee, and pray H6419 for us unto the LORD H3068 thy God H430, even for all this remnant H7611;(for we are left H7604 but a few H4592 of many H7235, as thine eyes H5869 do behold H7200 us:)
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Complete Jewish Bible
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.
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Berean Standard Bible
Jeremiah 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.
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American Standard Version
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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World English Bible Messianic
and said to Jeremiah the prophet, Please let our supplication be presented before you, and pray for us to the LORD your God, even for all this remnant; for we are left but a few of many, as your eyes do see us:
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And saide vnto Ieremiah the Prophete, Heare our prayer, we beseeche thee, and pray for vs vnto the Lord thy God, euen for all this remnant (for we are left, but a fewe of many, as thine eyes doe beholde)
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Young's Literal Translation
and they say unto Jeremiah the prophet, `Let, we pray thee, our supplication fall before thee, and pray for us unto Jehovah thy God, for all this remnant; for we have been left a few out of many, as thine eyes do see us;
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See also
Jeremiah 36:7Leviticus 26:22Lamentations 1:1Isaiah 37:41 Samuel 7:81 Samuel 12:19James 5:16
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In the KJVVerse 19,978 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Jeremiah 42:2 vividly portrays the desperate plea of the Jewish remnant in Judah following Jerusalem's destruction and Gedaliah's assassination. This vulnerable group, reduced to a mere handful, approaches the prophet Jeremiah with profound urgency, earnestly requesting his intercession with the LORD their God for divine guidance concerning their perilous future. Their supplication underscores their precarious existence and sets the stage for a crucial test of their obedience to God's revealed will.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse immediately follows the tumultuous events of Jeremiah 41, which details the treacherous assassination of Gedaliah, the Babylonian-appointed governor, by Ishmael. This act plunged the already devastated Judean remnant into further chaos and fear, prompting their contemplation of fleeing to Egypt to escape anticipated Babylonian retribution. Jeremiah 42:2 marks a pivotal moment where the survivors, led by Johanan, turn to Jeremiah to seek divine counsel before making a definitive decision about their future. This request sets the narrative trajectory for the subsequent chapters, particularly Jeremiah 43, which reveals their ultimate disobedience.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The historical setting is the immediate aftermath of the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem in 586 BC, which resulted in the destruction of the Temple and the exile of the majority of the population to Babylon, as recorded in 2 Kings 25:8-12. The remaining populace in Judah consisted primarily of the poorest and those deemed least threatening by the Babylonians. Gedaliah's assassination removed the last vestige of stable leadership, leaving this small, vulnerable group without protection and in extreme fear of Babylonian reprisal, which was a very real threat given the empire's brutal methods of maintaining control over conquered territories. Culturally, it was customary for the people of Israel to seek a prophet's word from Yahweh during times of national crisis, reflecting their belief in God's active involvement in their affairs and the prophet's role as His direct mouthpiece.
  • Key Themes: Jeremiah 42:2 introduces and reinforces several significant themes. Firstly, it highlights the human need for divine guidance in times of existential crisis, as the remnant stands at a crossroads, unsure whether to remain in the desolate land or flee. Their plea to Jeremiah to "pray for us unto the LORD thy God" underscores the crucial role of the prophet as an intermediary between God and His people, a consistent motif throughout the Old Testament, as seen in the promise of a prophet like Moses in Deuteronomy 18:18. Secondly, the concept of the remnant is central; the phrase "all this remnant" emphasizes their severely diminished numbers and precarious existence. This theological concept, often found in prophetic literature (e.g., Isaiah 10:20-22), signifies those preserved by God's grace amidst judgment, or simply those who survived catastrophe, carrying implications for God's ongoing covenant purposes.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • supplication (Hebrew, tᵉchinnâh', H8467): This term denotes "graciousness; causatively, entreaty; favour, grace, supplication." It conveys an earnest, humble, and urgent plea for mercy or a favorable response, typically made by one in a subordinate position to a superior. In this context, it emphasizes the people's perceived posture of humility and dependence before Jeremiah, and through him, before God, as they desperately seek divine grace and a positive answer to their dire situation.
  • pray (Hebrew, pâlal', H6419): Meaning "to judge (officially or mentally); by extension, to intercede, pray." While its root can refer to judging, in this specific context, it signifies the act of intercession. The people are explicitly asking Jeremiah to act as an intermediary, to stand in the gap on their behalf and present their case to God, highlighting the prophet's unique and vital role as a conduit for divine communication and a spiritual advocate for the community.
  • remnant (Hebrew, shᵉʼêrîyth', H7611): Meaning "a remainder or residual (surviving, final) portion; that had escaped, be left, posterity, remain(-der), remnant, residue, rest." This word is of paramount importance, underscoring the drastically reduced number of survivors after the Babylonian devastations. It conveys their extreme vulnerability, their sense of being the last vestige of a once-populous nation, and their desperate hope for preservation. The theological concept of the "remnant" is deeply significant in prophetic literature, often carrying implications of God's preserving grace and future plans for His covenant people.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And said unto Jeremiah the prophet,": This opening clause immediately establishes the direct and formal interaction between the fearful survivors and God's recognized messenger. It highlights Jeremiah's acknowledged prophetic authority and his crucial role as the one through whom God's divine word is expected to be revealed to the people.
  • "Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee,": This is the core of their earnest and humble request. The phrase "be accepted before thee" conveys their desire for their petition to be favorably received and acted upon, demonstrating their perceived deference to Jeremiah's spiritual standing and, by extension, to God's will. It implies a hope for a positive and merciful response.
  • "and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this remnant;": This further clarifies the specific nature of their request: they desire Jeremiah to intercede on their behalf with Yahweh. The use of "thy God" is noteworthy, subtly suggesting a potential distance or lack of full ownership in their own relationship with God, a point that will become critically relevant as the narrative unfolds. They explicitly identify themselves as "this remnant," emphasizing their small, vulnerable numbers and their desperate need for divine intervention and guidance.
  • "(for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:)": This parenthetical clause provides the compelling emotional and factual basis for their urgent plea. It powerfully underscores their dire situation, having been drastically reduced from a populous nation to a mere handful of survivors. This appeal to Jeremiah's visual witness ("as thine eyes do behold us") serves as a rhetorical device designed to evoke empathy and urgency, reinforcing their precarious state and the gravity of their request.

Literary Devices

Jeremiah 42:2 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey the gravity of the situation and the people's desperation. Direct Address is central, as the remnant speaks directly and urgently to Jeremiah, creating an immediate and poignant tone. The use of Pathos is highly effective in their appeal to Jeremiah's empathy, particularly through their emphasis on their diminished numbers ("left but a few of many") and their visible vulnerability ("as thine eyes do behold us"). This emotional plea is strategically designed to elicit a compassionate and favorable response from the prophet. Furthermore, a subtle layer of Dramatic Irony is at play, which becomes fully apparent only as the narrative progresses. While the people earnestly request divine guidance, their subsequent actions reveal that their hearts were already inclined towards a specific course of action (fleeing to Egypt), regardless of God's actual answer. This foreshadows their ultimate disobedience, rendering their initial "supplication" ironically hollow in its sincerity of obedience, despite its genuine expression of desperation.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

This verse presents a profound theological statement on the nature of divine guidance, human responsibility, and the critical role of intercession. It illuminates the human tendency to seek God's will in moments of profound crisis, yet it subtly foreshadows the significant challenge of true obedience when that will contradicts personal desires or perceived safety. The remnant's earnest plea for Jeremiah to "pray for us unto the LORD thy God" underscores the biblical principle that God communicates His will through His chosen servants and that intercessory prayer is an essential means of seeking divine direction. The concept of the "remnant" itself is deeply significant, pointing to God's sovereign preservation of a portion of His people, even amidst devastating judgment, for the continuation of His covenant purposes and the eventual fulfillment of His promises.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Jeremiah 42:2 serves as a timeless mirror reflecting human behavior in moments of intense fear and uncertainty. It powerfully reminds us of our innate inclination to seek divine counsel when confronted with overwhelming circumstances, acknowledging a higher authority and wisdom beyond our own. However, the subsequent narrative in Jeremiah unveils a crucial and sobering lesson: true seeking of God's will is not merely an inquiry for information, but a commitment to wholehearted obedience, even when the answer challenges our preconceived plans, comforts, or perceived safety. This passage challenges us to deeply examine the sincerity of our own prayers for guidance: are we genuinely open to God's direction, or are we implicitly seeking validation for a path we have already chosen? It underscores the vital importance of cultivating a heart that not only asks, but also trusts and obeys, understanding that God's ways are always for our ultimate good and His glory, even when they lead us through uncomfortable or counter-intuitive paths.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what areas of my life am I currently seeking God's guidance, and how genuinely open am I to an answer that might differ significantly from my desires or expectations?
  • How does my posture of "supplication" reflect true humility and unwavering trust in God's sovereignty, especially when I feel like a vulnerable "remnant" in a challenging or uncertain situation?
  • What practical steps can I take to ensure my seeking of God's will is consistently accompanied by a genuine commitment to obedience, rather than merely seeking validation for my own pre-determined plans?

FAQ

Why did the remnant specifically ask Jeremiah to pray for them, rather than praying themselves?

Answer: The remnant recognized Jeremiah's unique and divinely appointed role as God's prophet, His chosen messenger and intercessor. In ancient Israel, prophets frequently served as intermediaries between God and the people, conveying divine messages and offering prayers on behalf of the community. The people believed that Jeremiah, as "the prophet" (Jeremiah 42:2), possessed a special relationship with "the LORD thy God" (Jeremiah 42:2), making his intercession particularly potent and authoritative in discerning God's will. Their request was a testament to his established prophetic credibility, even if their ultimate obedience would prove tragically lacking.

What is the significance of the term "remnant" in this verse and in broader biblical theology?

Answer: The term "remnant" (Hebrew: shᵉʼêrîyth) is profoundly significant in biblical theology. In Jeremiah 42:2, it literally refers to the small number of survivors left in Judah after the devastating Babylonian conquests and exiles. Theologically, the concept of a "remnant" appears consistently throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Isaiah 10:20-22; Micah 2:12). It often signifies a faithful, preserved portion of God's people, chosen by divine grace to carry forward His covenant purposes and promises, even when the majority have fallen away or faced divine judgment. In Jeremiah's immediate context, it highlights God's sovereign preservation of a "seed" amidst devastating judgment, setting the stage for future restoration, though the immediate actions of this specific remnant would be disobedient.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Jeremiah 42:2, with its poignant depiction of a desperate remnant seeking divine guidance through an interceding prophet, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate provision of God's will and intercession found in Jesus Christ. The people's earnest plea for Jeremiah to "pray for us unto the LORD thy God" highlights humanity's inherent need for an advocate and a clear, authoritative word from God, a need perfectly and completely met in Christ. He is not merely a prophet, but the very Word of God incarnate, through whom God has definitively and fully spoken to humanity (Hebrews 1:1-2). Furthermore, the longing for an accepted "supplication" points directly to Christ, our Great High Priest, who eternally lives to make perfect intercession for His people (Hebrews 7:25). Unlike the remnant in Jeremiah's day who ultimately disobeyed the prophet's word, those who come to Christ find not only perfect guidance but also the empowering presence of His Spirit to obey. The concept of the "remnant" also finds its ultimate and spiritual fulfillment in Christ, as He gathers to Himself the true Israel, those who believe in Him, forming a spiritual remnant preserved by grace for God's eternal purposes (Romans 11:5-6). Thus, the desperation and seeking of Jeremiah's day find their complete and perfect answer in the person and redemptive work of Jesus, who is both our divine guide and our eternal intercessor.

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Commentary on Jeremiah 42 verses 1–6

We have reason to wonder how Jeremiah the prophet escaped the sword of Ishmael; it seems he did escape, and it was not the first time that the Lord hid him. It is strange also that in these violent turns he was not consulted before now, and his advice asked and taken. But it should seem as if they knew not that a prophet was among them. Though this people were as brands plucked out of the fire, yet have they not returned to the Lord. This people has a revolting and a rebellious heart; and contempt of God and his providence, God and his prophets, is still the sin that most easily besets them. But now at length, to serve a turn, Jeremiah is sought out, and all the captains, Johanan himself not excepted, with all the people from the least to the greatest, make him a visit; they came near (Jer 42:1), which intimates that hitherto they had kept at a distance from the prophet and had been shy of him. Now here,

I. They desire him by prayer to ask direction from God what they should do in the present critical juncture, Jer 42:2, Jer 42:3. They express themselves wonderfully well. 1. With great respect to the prophet. Though he was poor and low, and under their command, yet they apply to him with humility and submissiveness, as petitioners for his assistance, which yet they intimate their own unworthiness of: Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee. They compliment him thus in hopes to persuade him to say as they would have him say. 2. With a great opinion of his interest in heaven: "Pray for us, who know not how to pray for ourselves. Pray to the Lord thy God, for we are unworthy to call him ours, nor have we reason to expect any favour from him." 3. With a great sense of their need of divine direction. They speak of themselves as objects of compassion: "We are but a remnant, but a few of many; how easily will such a remnant be swallowed up, and yet it is a pity that it should. Thy eyes see what distress we are in, what a plunge we are at; if thou canst do any thing, help us." 4. With desire of divine direction: "Let the Lord thy God take this ruin into his thoughts and under his hand, and show us the way wherein we may walk and may expect to have his presence with us, and the thing that we may do, the course we may take for our own safety." Note, In every difficult doubtful case our eye must be up to God for direction. They then might expect to be directed by a spirit of prophecy, which has now ceased; but we may still in faith pray to be guided by a spirit of wisdom in our hearts and the hints of Providence.

II. Jeremiah faithfully promises them to pray for direction for them, and, whatever message God should send to them by him, he would deliver it to them just as he received it without adding, altering, or diminishing, Jer 42:4. Ministers may hence learn, 1. Conscientiously to pray for those who desire their prayers: I will pray for you according to your words. Though they had slighted him, yet, like Samuel when he was slighted, he will not sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for them, Sa1 12:23. 2. Conscientiously to advise those who desire their advice as near as they can to the mind of God, not keeping back any thing that is profitable for them, whether it be pleasing or no, but to declare to them the whole counsel of God, that they may approve themselves true to their trust.

III. They fairly promise that they will be governed by the will of God, as soon as they know what it is (Jer 42:5, Jer 42:6), and they had the impudence to appeal to God concerning their sincerity herein, though at the same time they dissembled: "The Lord be a true and faithful witness between us; do thou in the fear of God tell us truly what his mind is and then we will in the fear of God comply with it, and for this the Lord the Judge be Judge between us." Note, Those that expect to have the benefit of good ministers' prayers must conscientiously hearken to their preaching and be governed by it, as far as it agrees with the mind of God. Nothing could be better than this was: Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God, that it may be well with us. 1. They now call God their God, for Jeremiah had encouraged them to call him so (Jer 42:4): I will pray to the Lord your God. He is ours, and therefore we will obey his voice. Our relation to God strongly obliges us to obedience. 2. They promise to obey his voice because they sent the prophet to him to consult him. Note, We do not truly desire to know the mind of God if we do not fully resolve to comply with it when we do know it. 3. It is an implicit universal obedience that they here promise. They will do what God appoints them to do, whether it be good or whether it be evil: "Though it may seem evil to us, yet we will believe that if God command it it is certainly good, and we must not dispute it, but do it. Whatever God commands, whether it be easy or difficult, agreeable to our inclinations or contrary to them, whether it be cheap or costly, fashionable or unfashionable, whether we get or lose by it in our worldly interests, if it be our duty, we will do it." 4. It is upon a very good consideration that they promise this, a reasonable and powerful one, that it may be well with us, which intimates a conviction that they could not expect it should be well with them upon any other terms.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–6. Public domain.
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Theodoret of CyrusAD 458
ON JEREMIAH 8:42
Their words are full of piety but do not agree with their actions. When ten days had passed, the prophet obtained his reply. But I think that the delay of the response was for the benefit of those who had made the request, so that they might know how God barely received the supplication of the prophet. Accordingly, the prophet says that God had ordered for them to stay in that land. He says, “I will deem you worthy of all care.”
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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