Jeremiah 42:22

Translation
King James Version
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 and to sojourn.
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KJV (with Strong's)
Now therefore know H3045 certainly H3045 that ye shall die H4191 by the sword H2719, by the famine H7458, and by the pestilence H1698, in the place H4725 whither ye desire H2654 to go H935 and to sojourn H1481.
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Complete Jewish Bible
Therefore, know for a fact that you will die by sword, famine and plague in the place where you want to go and live."
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Berean Standard Bible
Now therefore, know for sure that by sword and famine and plague you will die in the place where you desire to go to reside.”
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American Standard Version
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.
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World English Bible Messianic
Now therefore know certainly that you shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place where you desire to go to live there.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Nowe therefore, knowe certeinely that ye shall die by the sworde, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to goe and dwell.
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Young's Literal Translation
And now, know ye certainly that by sword, by famine, and by pestilence ye die, in the place that ye have desired to go in to sojourn there.'
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See also
Jeremiah 42:17Ezekiel 6:11Hosea 9:6Jeremiah 43:11Ezekiel 5:3Ezekiel 5:4
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In the KJVVerse 19,998 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Jeremiah 42:22 delivers God's unyielding and final judgment to the remnant of Judah, unequivocally declaring that if they disregard His command to remain in the land and instead flee to Egypt, they will face certain death by sword, famine, and pestilence. This stark pronouncement serves as a climactic warning, underscoring the severe and inescapable consequences of disobedience, revealing the futility of seeking refuge outside of God's revealed will, even in the very place they mistakenly believed would offer them safety.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Jeremiah 42:22 stands as the definitive and dire conclusion to a pivotal prophetic dialogue between Jeremiah and the Jewish remnant following the traumatic assassination of Gedaliah, the Babylonian-appointed governor. Having witnessed the fall of Jerusalem and experiencing profound instability, the surviving Judeans, led by Johanan, approached Jeremiah with an earnest plea to seek divine guidance regarding their future. They made a solemn, albeit ultimately disingenuous, vow to obey God's every command, whether "it be good, or whether it be evil" Jeremiah 42:6. However, their hearts were already set on escaping to Egypt, fearing further Babylonian reprisal. After a ten-day period of waiting for divine revelation, Jeremiah delivered God's explicit directive: remaining in Judah would ensure divine protection, blessing, and restoration Jeremiah 42:10. Conversely, migrating to Egypt would lead to the very calamities they sought to evade—sword, famine, and pestilence—a warning reiterated with increasing intensity throughout Jeremiah 42, culminating in this final, inescapable verdict.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The historical setting is the immediate aftermath of Jerusalem's catastrophic destruction by Babylon in 586 BC, a period marked by national despair, displacement, and profound uncertainty. The small number of Judeans who remained were traumatized and fearful. The assassination of Gedaliah, who represented the last vestige of stable governance under Babylonian oversight, plunged them into deeper anxiety, as it undoubtedly provoked further wrath from the conquering empire. Culturally, Egypt held a complex and often contradictory appeal for Israel. While it had historically offered a place of refuge in times of famine (as seen with Jacob's family in Genesis 46), it also represented a temptation to rely on foreign powers rather than on Yahweh, often leading to spiritual compromise and idolatry, a pattern strongly condemned by prophets like Isaiah Isaiah 30:1-7. The people's desperate "desire to go and to sojourn" in Egypt reflects a common refugee impulse to seek security in a seemingly stable foreign land, yet in this specific divine context, it constituted a direct act of rebellion against God's explicit command to remain in their desolate, yet divinely appointed, homeland.
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully encapsulates and contributes to several overarching themes prevalent in the book of Jeremiah and broader prophetic literature. A primary theme is Divine Judgment and the Inescapable Consequences of Disobedience. God's word is presented as absolute, and rebellion against it, especially when it stems from a lack of trust, inevitably leads to severe retribution. This highlights that human attempts at self-preservation, when they contradict divine directives, are ultimately self-destructive. Another crucial theme is False Security Versus True Trust. The remnant's flight to Egypt epitomizes the futility of seeking safety in human strategies or foreign alliances rather than relying on God's explicit promises and protection within His ordained boundaries. This concept is consistently echoed throughout Scripture, emphasizing that true refuge is found only in God, as articulated in passages like Proverbs 3:5-6. The emphatic phrase "know certainly" underscores Prophetic Certainty, emphasizing the undeniable truth and inevitability of God's pronouncements, leaving no room for doubt about their fulfillment. Finally, the verse powerfully reinforces the Sovereignty of God, demonstrating that even in their attempt to flee His will and judgment, God declares that His hand of judgment would pursue them into their chosen haven, illustrating that there is no escape from His ultimate authority and justice, a truth beautifully expressed in Psalm 139:7-12.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • know certainly (Hebrew, yâdaʻ, H3045): This phrase is a powerful infinitive absolute construction in Hebrew (yadoa' teda'u), which literally means "knowing, you shall know" or "you shall surely know." This grammatical device serves to intensify the verb, emphasizing the absolute certainty, undeniable nature, and inevitability of the warning. It conveys that this is not a mere possibility or suggestion, but a divine decree that will undoubtedly come to pass. The root yâdaʻ itself means "to know," encompassing a wide range of understanding from intellectual apprehension to deep experiential knowledge, here implying a knowledge that will be painfully acquired through the bitter experience of judgment.
  • die (Hebrew, mûwth, H4191): This primitive root signifies "to die" in both literal and figurative senses, and causatively, "to kill." In this context, it refers to a literal, physical death. The repetition of this grim outcome as the consequence of all three forms of judgment (sword, famine, pestilence) underscores the totality and inescapability of the destruction awaiting those who disobey. It leaves no room for survival or escape from the pronounced divine judgment.
  • sojourn (Hebrew, gûwr, H1481): This word means "to turn aside from the road (for a lodging or any other purpose), i.e., sojourn (as a guest)." It refers to dwelling as a temporary resident or foreigner, highlighting the people's intention to find a transient haven in Egypt. The profound irony lies in their pursuit of a temporary dwelling for safety, only for God to declare that even in this intended temporary refuge, His judgment would find them, transforming their chosen haven into a place of certain death.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Now therefore know certainly": This solemn and emphatic declaration serves as a crucial introduction, demanding the remnant's absolute attention and underscoring the undeniable truth and divine authority behind the ensuing prophecy. It leaves no doubt about the certainty of its fulfillment.
  • "that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence": This clause precisely pronounces the specific and devastating forms of judgment awaiting those who choose disobedience. "Sword, famine, and pestilence" constitute a well-established and terrifying triad of divine judgment in the Old Testament, representing comprehensive, widespread, and inescapable destruction. The repetition of "by the" before each element emphasizes the distinct yet equally fatal means of death, leaving no ambiguity about the dire consequences.
  • "in the place whither ye desire to go [and] to sojourn": This final clause chillingly pinpoints the exact location where this judgment will be executed – Egypt, the very land the people mistakenly believed would offer them refuge and safety. It highlights the profound irony and ultimate futility of their plan, demonstrating God's inescapable sovereignty as His judgment would pursue them even into their chosen, temporary haven.

Literary Devices

Jeremiah 42:22 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its stark and unyielding message of divine judgment. The most striking is Intensification, achieved through the use of the infinitive absolute construction "know certainly" (Hebrew: yadoa' teda'u). This grammatical structure emphatically underscores the absolute truth, undeniable nature, and inevitability of the prophecy, leaving no room for doubt or misinterpretation on the part of the hearers. Another significant device is Triadic Repetition (or Merism), evident in the listing of "sword, famine, and pestilence." This triad is a common biblical motif that signifies comprehensive and inescapable divine judgment, representing total destruction from multiple fronts. It also functions as a form of Symbolism, where these specific calamities symbolize the full extent of God's wrath and the complete undoing of the people's perceived security. Finally, there is a powerful element of Irony woven throughout the verse. The people "desire to go and to sojourn" in Egypt specifically for safety and refuge, yet God declares that this very place, their chosen sanctuary, will be the precise location of their demise. This dramatic irony starkly highlights the dangerous folly of trusting in human wisdom and self-preservation over explicit divine revelation and command.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Jeremiah 42:22 profoundly illustrates the unwavering nature of God's word and the severe consequences of human disobedience, particularly when such disobedience stems from a fundamental lack of trust in divine providence. The remnant's desire to flee to Egypt, despite God's explicit command to remain, exposes a deep-seated spiritual malady: a preference for perceived human security and control over absolute reliance on God's promises and protective care. This highlights the foundational theological truth that genuine safety, blessing, and flourishing are found exclusively within the parameters of God's revealed will, never in self-devised strategies born of fear, expediency, or a rejection of divine authority. The judgment of "sword, famine, and pestilence" is a recurring and potent motif in prophetic literature, serving as a powerful reminder that God is utterly sovereign over all circumstances and that His warnings are not idle threats but certain pronouncements of justice for persistent rebellion.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Jeremiah 42:22 stands as a timeless and sobering reminder that genuine security, peace, and flourishing are found not in human ingenuity, strategic maneuvering, or flight from perceived dangers, but in humble, obedient trust in God's sovereign guidance. The remnant of Judah, gripped by fear, sought to escape one form of peril only to run headlong into another, precisely because they prioritized their own fear-driven desires and perceived safety over God's clear, protective command. For us today, this verse challenges us to profoundly examine where we place our trust when confronted with uncertainty, hardship, or difficult choices. Do we instinctively seek refuge in worldly solutions, our own strength, popular opinion, or convenient compromises, even when these paths contradict biblical principles or God's revealed will? Or do we, like Abraham, step out in faith, trusting that God's way, however counterintuitive, challenging, or seemingly risky it may appear, is always the path to true life, blessing, and ultimate security? This passage calls us to cultivate a radical dependence on God, understanding that His warnings are born of profound love and His commands are always for our ultimate good and eternal well-being.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what specific areas of your life are you currently tempted to rely on your own wisdom or worldly solutions rather than seeking and obeying God's clear guidance?
  • How does fear, anxiety, or the desire for comfort sometimes lead you to make decisions that contradict what you know God desires for you?
  • What practical steps can you take this week to cultivate deeper, more consistent trust in God's promises, even when circumstances seem dire or His path feels counterintuitive?
  • How does the certainty of God's judgment in this verse inform your understanding of His holy character, His unwavering justice, and His expectations for obedience from His people?

FAQ

Why did God warn them so explicitly if He knew they would disobey?

Answer: God's explicit and repeated warning in Jeremiah 42:22 and throughout the preceding verses demonstrates His perfect justice, boundless patience, and unwavering faithfulness to His covenant. It underscores that His judgments are never arbitrary but are always a direct and righteous consequence of deliberate disobedience to His clearly communicated will. While God, in His omniscience, knows the hearts and future choices of humanity, He still provides ample opportunity for repentance and obedience. The warning serves as a profound testament to His righteousness, ensuring that the people were fully aware of the dire consequences of their actions, thereby leaving them without excuse. It also highlights the gravity of their rebellion, as they chose their own path despite a clear, compassionate, and life-giving divine directive.

What is the significance of the "sword, famine, and pestilence" triad?

Answer: The "sword, famine, and pestilence" is a profoundly significant and recurring motif in the Old Testament, particularly prominent in prophetic books such as Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 5:12 and Jeremiah 14:12). This triad represents a comprehensive, multi-faceted, and inescapable form of divine judgment, signifying total destruction and the complete unraveling of societal order and human life. The "sword" brings violent, external death, often through warfare or execution. "Famine" leads to slow, agonizing starvation and societal collapse due to lack of sustenance. "Pestilence" (plague or disease) causes widespread, indiscriminate death, often striking suddenly and uncontrollably. Together, these three calamities symbolize the full and devastating extent of God's wrath against persistent rebellion, illustrating His absolute sovereignty and His ability to execute judgment through various, inescapable means, leaving no avenue for escape or survival.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

While Jeremiah 42:22 speaks of temporal judgment for disobedience under the Old Covenant, its underlying theological principles find profound Christ-centered fulfillment. The "place whither ye desire to go" for humanity, apart from God's revealed will, is a path of self-reliance, rebellion, and spiritual autonomy, leading inevitably to eternal spiritual death. Just as the remnant of Judah sought false security in Egypt, humanity continually seeks refuge in worldly systems, self-righteousness, fleeting pleasures, or human philosophies, mistakenly believing these will provide ultimate safety and life. However, Jesus Christ reveals that true life, security, and eternal refuge are found only in Him and in humble obedience to His Father John 14:6. He is the true "place" of refuge, the divine sanctuary in whom we "live and move and have our being" Acts 17:28. The "sword, famine, and pestilence" of divine wrath, which justly fell upon disobedient Israel, ultimately fell upon Christ on the cross. He, the sinless Lamb of God, bore the full, comprehensive weight of sin's consequences for all who trust in Him Isaiah 53:5. He delivers us not merely from physical calamities in a foreign land, but from the eternal "death" that is the just wages of sin Romans 6:23. Thus, Jeremiah 42:22, in its stark warning of judgment for those who reject God's way and seek their own, points forward to the ultimate salvation offered in Christ, who is the only true refuge from spiritual death and the guarantor of eternal life for all who obey His call to faith and surrender Hebrews 5:9.

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Commentary on Jeremiah 42 verses 7–22

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points

We have here the answer which Jeremiah was sent to deliver to those who employed him to ask counsel of God.

I. It did not come immediately, not till ten days after, Jer 42:7. They were thus long held in suspense, perhaps, to punish them for their hypocrisy or to show that Jeremiah did not speak of himself, nor what he would, for he could not speak when he would, but must wait for instructions. However, it teaches us to continue waiting upon God for direction in our way. The vision is for an appointed time, and at the end it shall speak.

II. When it did come he delivered it publicly, both to the captains and to all the people, from the meanest to those in the highest station; he delivered it fully and faithfully as he received it, as he had promised that he would keep nothing back from them. If Jeremiah had been to direct them by his own prudence, perhaps he could not have told what to advise them to, the case was so difficult; but what he has to advise is what the Lord the God of Israel saith, to whom they had sent him, and therefore they were bound in honour and duty to observe it. And this he tells them,

1.That it is the will of God that they should stay where they are, and his promise that, if they do so, it shall undoubtedly be well with them he would have them still to abide in this land, Jer 42:10. Their brethren were forced out of it into captivity, and this was their affliction; let those therefore count it a mercy that they may stay in it and a duty to stay in it. Let those whose lot is in Canaan never quit it while they can keep it. It would have been enough to oblige them if God had only said, "I charge you upon your allegiance to abide still in the land;" but he rather persuades them to it as a friend than commands it as a prince. (1.) He expresses a very tender concern for them in their present calamitous condition: It repenteth me of the evil that I have done unto you. Though they had shown small sign of their repenting of their sins, yet God, as one grieved for the misery of Israel (Jdg 10:16), begins to repent of the judgments he had brought upon them for their sins. Not that he changed his mind, but he was very ready to change his way and to return in mercy to them. God's time to repent himself concerning his servants is when he sees that, as here, their strength is gone, and there is none shut up or left, Deu 32:36. (2.) He answers the argument they had against abiding in this land. They feared the king of Babylon (Jer 41:18), lest he should come and avenge the death of Gedaliah upon them, though they were no way accessory to it, nay, had witnessed against it. The surmise was foreign and unreasonable; but, if there had been any ground for it, enough is here said to remove it (Jer 42:11): "Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, though he is a man of great might and little mercy, and a very arbitrary prince, whose will is a law, and therefore you are afraid he will upon this pretence, though without colour of reason, take advantage against you; be not afraid of him, for that fear will bring a snare: fear not him, for I am with you; and, if God be for you to save you, who can be against you to hurt you?" Thus has God provided to obviate and silence even the causeless fears of his people, which discourage them in the way of their duty; there is enough in the promises to encourage them. (3.) He assures them that if they will still abide in this land they shall not only be safe from the king of Babylon, but be made happy by the King of kings: "I will build you and plant you; you shall take root again, and be the new foundation of another state, a phoenix-kingdom, rising out of the ashes of the last." It is added (Jer 42:12), I will show mercies unto you. Note, In all our comforts we may read God's mercies. God will show them mercy in this, that not only the king of Babylon shall not destroy them, but he shall have mercy upon them and help to settle them. Note, Whatever kindness men do us we must attribute it to God's kindness. He makes those whom he pities to be pitied even by those who carried them captives, Psa 106:46. "The king of Babylon, having now the disposal of the country, shall cause you to return it to your own land, shall settle you again in your own habitations and put you in possession of the lands that formerly belonged to you." Note, God has made that our duty which is really our privilege, and our obedience will be its own recompence. "Abide in this land, and it shall be your own land again and you shall continue in it. Do not quit it now that you stand so fair for the enjoyment of it again. Be no so unwise as to forsake your own mercies for lying vanities."

2.That as they tender the favour of God and their own happiness they must by no means think of going into Egypt, not thither of all places, not to that land out of which God had delivered their fathers and which he had so often warned them not to make alliance with nor to put confidence in. Observe here, (1.) The sin they are supposed to be guilty of (and to him that knew their hearts it was more than a supposition): "You begin to say, We will not dwell in this land (Jer 42:13); we will never think that we can be safe in it, no, not though God himself undertake our protection. We will not continue in it, no, not in obedience to the voice of the Lord our God. He may say what he please, but we will do what we please. We will go into the land of Egypt, and there will we dwell, whether God give us leave and go along with us or no," Jer 42:14. It is supposed that their hearts were upon it: "If you wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and are obstinately resolved that you will go and sojourn there, though God oppose you in it both by his word and by his providence, then take what follows." Now the reason they go upon in this resolution is that "in Egypt we shall see no war, nor have hunger of bread,; as we have had for a long time in this land," Jer 42:14. Note, It is folly to quit our place, especially to quit the holy land, because we meet with trouble in it; but greater folly to think by changing our place to escape the judgments of God, and that evil which pursues sinners in every way of disobedience, and which there is no escaping but by returning to our allegiance. (2.) The sentence passed upon them for this sin, if they will persist in it. It is pronounced in God's name (Jer 42:15): "Hear the word of the Lord, you remnant of Judah, who think that because you are a remnant you must be spared of course (Jer 42:2) and indulged in your own humour." [1.] Did the sword and famine frighten them? Those very judgments shall pursue them into Egypt, shall overtake them, and overcome them there (Jer 42:16, Jer 42:17): "You think, because war and famine have long been raging in this land, that they are entailed upon it; whereas, if you trust in God, he can make even this land a land of peace to you; you think they are confined to it, and, if you can get clear of this land, you shall get out of the reach of them, but God will send them after you wherever you go." Note, the evils we think to escape by sin we certainly and inevitably run ourselves upon. The men that go to Egypt in contradiction to God's will, to escape the sword and famine, shall die in Egypt by sword and famine. We may apply it to the common calamities of human life; those that are impatient of them, and think to avoid them by changing their place, will find that they are deceived and that they do not at all better themselves. The grievances common to men will meet them wherever they go. All our removes in this world are but from one wilderness to another; still we are where we were. [2.] Did the desolations of Jerusalem frighten them? Were they willing to get as far as they could from them? They shall meet with the second part of them too in Egypt (Jer 42:18): As my anger and fury have been poured out here upon Jerusalem, so they shall be poured out upon you in Egypt. Note, Those that have by sin made God their enemy will find him a consuming fire wherever they go. And then you shall be an execration and an astonishment. The Hebrews were of old an abomination to the Egyptians (Gen 43:32), and now they shall be made more so than ever. When God's professing people mingle with infidels, and make their court to them, they lose their dignity and make themselves a reproach.

3.That God knew their hypocrisy in their enquiries of him, and that when they asked what he would have them to do they were resolved to take their own way; and therefore the sentence which was before pronounced conditionally is made absolute. Having set before them good and evil, the blessing and the curse, in the close he makes application of what he had said. And here, (1.) He solemnly protests that he had faithfully delivered his message, Jer 42:19. The conclusion of the whole matter is, "Go not down into Egypt; you disobey the command of God if you do, and what I have said to you will be a witness against you; for know certainly that, whether you will hear or whether you will forbear, I have plainly admonished you; you cannot now plead ignorance of the mind of God." (2.) He charges them with base dissimulation in the application they made to him for divine direction (Jer 42:20): "You dissembled in your hearts; you professed one thing and intended another, promising what you never meant to perform." You have used deceit against your soul (so the margin reads it); for those that think to put a cheat upon God will prove in the end to have put a damning cheat upon themselves. (3.) He is already aware that they are determined to go contrary to the command of God; probably they discovered it in their countenance and secret mutterings already, before he had finished his discourse. However, he spoke from him who knew their hearts: "You have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God; you have not a disposition to obey it." Thus Moses, in the close of his farewell sermon, had told them (Deu 31:27, Deu 31:29), I know thy rebellion and thy stiff neck, and that you will corrupt yourselves. Admire the patience of God, that he is pleased to speak to those who, he knows, will not regard him, and deal with those who, he knows, will deal very treacherously, Isa 48:8. (4.) He therefore reads them their doom, ratifying what he had said before: Know certainly that you shall die by the sword, Jer 42:22. God's threatenings may be vilified, but cannot be nullified, by the unbelief of man. Famine and pestilence shall pursue these sinners; for there is no place privileged from divine arrests, nor can any malefactors go out of God's jurisdiction. You shall die in the place whither you desire to go. Note, We know not what is good for ourselves; and that often proves afflictive, and sometimes fatal, which we are most fond of and have our hearts most set upon.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 7–22. Public domain.
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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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