Introduction
A suggested outline of this chapter.
1. The people ask Jeremiah to seek God’s guidance, Jeremiah 42:1-3.
2. Jeremiah promises to pray, and the people promise to obey God, Jeremiah 42:4-6.
3. After ten days, God replies, Jeremiah 42:7-8.
4. They are commanded to stay in Judah, Jeremiah 42:9-12.
5. The severe warning if they go to Egypt, Jeremiah 42:13-18.
6. A prophecy of destruction for those who go, Jeremiah 42:19-22.
‘Then all the army officers, including Johanan son of Kareah and Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least to the greatest approached Jeremiah the prophet and said to him, ‘Please hear our petition and pray to the LORD your God for this entire remnant. For as you now see, though we were once many, now only a few are left. Pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.’ ‘I have heard you,’ replied Jeremiah the prophet. ‘I will certainly pray to the LORD your God as you have requested; I will tell you everything the LORD says and will keep nothing back from you.’ Then they said to Jeremiah, ‘May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with everything the LORD your God sends you to tell us. Whether it is favourable or unfavourable, we will obey the LORD our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it will go well with us, for we will obey the LORD our God.’ Jeremiah 42:1-6
Those who are left in Judah are now afraid of Nebuchadnezzar because they believe there will be repercussions because of the death of Gedaliah. So, from the least of the people to the greatest approach Jeremiah, Jeremiah 42:1-2, and ask him to seek God’s advice on the matter, Jeremiah 32:3.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘They all thought there was no safety in Jerusalem or in Judea, and therefore determined to leave the land but they did not know which might be the safest direction to take, for though they inclined to Egypt, yet they wished to know the mind of God on that point.’
This passage confirms that Jeremiah was among those rescued by Johanan from Ishmael. They didn’t have to go to him because he was already with them. Earlier God had told Jeremiah not to pray for the well-being of His people, Jeremiah 7:16 / Jeremiah 11:14 / Jeremiah 14:11, but now he seems free to do so. And Jeremiah was happy to do so, but on the basis, that God was a God of the people, He was not just the God of Jeremiah, Jeremiah 42:4.
Their actions will show that they still have a lot to learn with regard to placing implicit trust in God. Self-interest is still prevalent, they still believe that they know better than God. Basically, they are simply wanting God to approve of the plans that they have already decided upon, that is, to go to Egypt. So sure, are they that God will approve their plans that they actually take an oath to do whatever God tells them to do, Jeremiah 42:5-6.
Notice the people had said, ‘Pray to YOUR God,’ Jeremiah 42:3, and Jeremiah says, ‘I will certainly pray to the Lord YOUR God,’ Jeremiah 42:4. The people say, ‘Whether it is favourable or unfavourable, we will obey the Lord OUR God,’ Jeremiah 42:6. This promise seems to be very sincere and they are even calling upon God Himself, as a witness against them, if they should fail to keep their promise.
‘Ten days later the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah. So, he called together Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him and all the people from the least to the greatest. He said to them, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your petition, says: ‘If you stay in this land, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I have relented concerning the disaster I have inflicted on you. Do 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 and will save you and deliver you from his hands. I will show you compassion so that he will have compassion on you and restore you to your land.’ Jeremiah 42:7-12
Ten days later Jeremiah gives them God’s reply, Jeremiah 42:7. Let’s say a little bit more about this statement, ‘Ten days later’. On previous occasions, it seems that God answered Jeremiah almost immediately. But here there is a delay of ten days. Why?
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘One scholar believes that it was to give Jeremiah time to get more news. I can’t believe that that was the case. I agree with other scholars who believe this was to give time to the people themselves to think about their situation, pray to God themselves, and await the arrival of God’s word. If that was the case it certainly didn’t work because the people were busy preparing themselves to go into Egypt. They were determined to do their own will and not God’s.’
Jeremiah now calls together Johanan, all the army officers who were with him and all the people from the least to the greatest, Jeremiah 42:8 / Jeremiah 42:1. God tells them that He will prosper them but only if they stay in their own land, Jeremiah 42:9-10. They are also told that they have no need to fear reprisals from Babylon, Jeremiah 42:11. God is going to show them compassion so that king of Babylon will have compassion on them and restore them to their land, Jeremiah 42:12.
‘However, if you say, ‘We will not stay in this land,’ and so disobey the LORD your God, and if you say, ‘No, we will go and live in Egypt, where we will not see war or hear the trumpet or be hungry for bread,’ then hear the word of the LORD, you remnant of Judah. This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you are determined to go to Egypt and you do go to settle there, then the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow you into Egypt, and there you will die. Indeed, all who are determined to go to Egypt to settle there will die by the sword, famine, and plague; not one of them will survive or escape the disaster I will bring on them.’ Jeremiah 42:13-17
God says if they choose not to stay in the land and disobey God, there will be trouble, Jeremiah 42:13. If they decide to go to Egypt thinking they would be safe and have food, then they need to listen carefully to what Jeremiah tells them next, Jeremiah 42:14-15. If they are determined to go to Egypt and you do go to settle there, then the sword they fear will overtake them there, and the famine they dread will follow them into Egypt, and there you will die, Jeremiah 42:16.
Anyone who is determined to go to Egypt to settle there will die by the sword, famine, and plague and not one person will survive, Jeremiah 42:17. God says His anger and wrath have been poured out on those who lived in Jerusalem, so will His wrath be poured out on them when they go to Egypt, Jeremiah 42:18. God says they will be a curse and an object of horror, a curse and an object of reproach and they will never see this place again, Jeremiah 42:18. Notice in Jeremiah 42:18, that God doesn’t say ‘IF’ you decide to go to Egypt, but ‘WHEN’, when you go to Egypt.
These people would have known that Jeremiah’s messages were from God. They would have known that everything Jeremiah had prophesied came true. The reason that they approached Jeremiah on this occasion was because they knew that God would reveal His will through Jeremiah, Jeremiah 42:3. It, therefore, seems incredible that they would stubbornly go to Egypt after all that Jeremiah told them. How could they be so blindly disobedient to the Word of God?
‘Remnant of Judah, the LORD has told you, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Be sure of this: I warn you today that you made a fatal mistake when you sent me to the LORD your God and said, ‘Pray to the LORD our God for us; tell us everything he says, and we will do it.’ I have told you today, but you still have not obeyed the LORD your God in all he sent me to tell you. So now, be sure of this: You will die by the sword, famine, and plague in the place where you want to go to settle.’ Jeremiah 42:19-22
Jeremiah was telling the people about the promises of God, that were for their good. They would have security and salvation if they were to obey God, he warned them of the dangers of disobeying God, he told them that going to Egypt was a complete no-no, and he warned them about deceiving themselves. God knows the hearts of His people, He, therefore, knows that they don’t intend to stay in Judah.
Jeremiah says remnant of Judah, God has told you, do not go to Egypt and he tells them they made a fatal mistake in coming to him to ask him to pray to God for them, Jeremiah 42:19-20 / Jeremiah 42:1. They said tell us everything that God says and we will do it, Jeremiah 42:20 / Jeremiah 42:5-6.
Jeremiah tells them he has told them today but they haven’t obeyed God in all He sent Jeremiah to tell you, Jeremiah 42:20. As a result of their disobedience, they can be sure that they will die in Egypt when they go there, Jeremiah 42:21 / Deuteronomy 31:27 / Deuteronomy 31:29.
This implies that it was not under Zedekiah’s ruling, it was because of their own fears. So, what comes after this is no surprise. They had been warned. Safety doesn’t come with distance and Egypt was no more immune than Judah was. If the people had obeyed God’s Word, God would have saved them and protected them.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘With such dispositions and with such rebellion of heart, it is strange that they should put themselves to any trouble to inquire of the Lord relative to their future operations. They did not intend to obey but as a matter of curiosity they would inquire to hear what the prophet might say and if according to their own inclination, they would obey.’
Let’s sum up this chapter. God’s message was as follows.
1. Stay in Judah and God will bless you and look after you.
2. Go to Egypt and you will incur the wrath of God, and you will die by sword, famine, and the plague, just as your brothers did at the Fall of Jerusalem.
3. The very things that make you afraid to stay in Judah, will follow you into Egypt.