Jeremiah 42

Chapter 42 of Jeremiah is part of the account of those who remained in Judah after the fall of Jerusalem (chapters 40–44). In Jeremiah 41, the governor Gedaliah had been assassinated by Ishmael the son of Nethaniah. Fearing Babylonian reprisal, Johanan and the people were staying near Bethlehem and preparing to leave for Egypt.

Outline

• Verses 1–6 Johanan the son of Kareah, Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, the captains of the forces, and the people come to Jeremiah and ask him to inquire of the LORD concerning the way they should go and what they should do. Jeremiah promises to relay the answer without withholding anything. The people swear that they will obey the answer, whether it is favorable or not.
• Verses 7–12 Ten days later the word of the LORD comes. If they remain in the land, God will build them up and plant them, and they are not to fear the king of Babylon. God promises to be with them, to deliver them from his hand, and to cause that king to show them mercy.
• Verses 13–18 If, on the other hand, they insist on going to Egypt, where they suppose there will be no war or famine, the sword and the famine they fear will follow them there. They will die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; they will suffer the same wrath that was poured out on Jerusalem; and they will never see this land again.
• Verses 19–22 Jeremiah warns them once more not to go to Egypt. He then declares that they deceived themselves when they promised to obey, and that because they have not obeyed after all, they will die in the place where they desire to go.

Key Verses

• Jeremiah 42:6 "Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God" – An oath of apparently unconditional obedience, which stands in contrast to the disobedience at the end of the chapter.
• Jeremiah 42:11 "Be not afraid of the king of Babylon … for I am with you" – The central message of the chapter: to trust God's promise rather than give way to fear.
• Jeremiah 42:20 "For ye dissembled in your hearts" – These words expose the attitude of people who ask for prayer after they have already settled on their decision.

People and Places

• Jeremiah – The prophet who prayed for the remnant and delivered God's answer.
• Johanan – The son of Kareah; a military captain who led the remnant.
• Jezaniah – The son of Hoshaiah; a leader who came forward with Johanan.
• The king of Babylon – In context, a reference to Nebuchadnezzar.
• Egypt – The place where the remnant intended to seek refuge.

Points for Reflection

• Jeremiah 43:2 mentions "Azariah the son of Hoshaiah." Because the Septuagint also reads "Azariah" in 42:1, many interpreters regard Jezaniah and Azariah as the same person.
• The expression in verse 10, "I repent me," speaks of God changing His mind. The Reformed tradition understands this as language accommodated to human understanding and reads it in light of the immutability of God. Other interpreters emphasize a relationship in which God genuinely responds to human actions. The question is often discussed in connection with Jeremiah 18:1–10.
• The words of verse 10, "then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up," echo the language of Jeremiah's call in Jeremiah 1:6–10.
• Although the people have not yet departed, verse 21 already states that they have not obeyed. One interpretation holds that Jeremiah knew in advance the response they would display in chapter 43.
• The warning not to return to Egypt is sometimes read alongside the prohibition in Deuteronomy 17:16.
• The account that Jeremiah was stoned to death in Egypt is a later tradition and does not appear in the biblical text.
• The theme of hearing without doing is read alongside the New Testament passages Matthew 7:22–27 and Luke 6:46.