SESSION 11
JEREMIAH 42:7-22
MEMORY VERSE: JEREMIAH 42:6
Most of us visit a doctor when we want medical advice. We consult a professional regarding our health problem to receive an accurate diagnosis and a plan for recovery. Sadly, many people today do not consult God’s Word to guide them as they make important life decisions. They say they believe the Bible is the Word of God, but their decisions don’t reflect what they say.
(In PSG, p. 100)
After Jerusalem fell, the Babylonians permitted Jeremiah to return to his people (40:1-6). Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, appointed Gedaliah as governor over Judah, and Jeremiah stayed with other people in the land (40:7-10). More Judean refugees also returned from surrounding countries and submitted to Gedaliah’s rule (40:11-12).
Some warned Gedaliah that Ishmael son of Nethaniah intended to kill him, but Gedaliah didn’t believe it (40:13-16). A short time later, Ishmael did kill Gedaliah and took a large number of captives with him to Ammon (41:1-10). The captives were rescued, but Ishmael escaped (41:11-15). The group then prepared to head to Egypt because they feared what the Babylonians might do in response to Gedaliah’s murder (41:16-18).
The delegation’s leaders approached Jeremiah, seeking God’s direction and promising to obey whatever he said (42:1-6). After ten days, Jeremiah told them that the Lord wanted them to remain in Judah (42:7-22). However, the leaders rejected this counsel and went to Egypt anyway, taking Jeremiah and Baruch with them (43:1-7). God warned them that Nebuchadnezzar would come to Egypt, and they would not escape (43:8-13).
Jeremiah pronounced further judgment against the Jewish population that settled in Egypt (44:1-14). Their idolatry back home had led to Judah’s ruin, and now they were worshiping idols again in Egypt. However, the people insisted their trouble had begun when they started listening to Jeremiah and forsook their pagan gods (44:15-19). The prophet sharply rebuked the people. Disaster had come to them because of their evil. They might continue their wicked ways in Egypt, but His judgment would assuredly follow them there (44:20-29). Nebuchadnezzar would defeat Pharaoh Hophra just as he had defeated Judah (44:30).
Jeremiah 45 records an event from evil King Jehoiakim’s fourth year (605 BC), when Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe, was recording Jeremiah’s prophecies (45:1; see 36:1). As Jeremiah’s scribe, he suffered along with the prophet during persecution (45:2-3). The Lord gave Jeremiah a message to encourage Baruch (45:4-5). Indeed, Baruch should not seek great things for himself. He would escape with his life when many others would not.
EXPLORE THE TEXT
7 At the end of ten days, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, 8 and he summoned Johanan son of Kareah, all the commanders of the armies who were with him, and all the people from the least to the greatest.
At the end of ten days references verses 1-6. The Judean leadership had asked Jeremiah to consult with God following Gedaliah’s murder. Many feared the Babylonians would return and destroy everyone in the land. The ten-day wait may have created more anxiety. Jeremiah told them he would pray, and the people assured him they would honor God’s directions.
Ten days later, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah. This and similar expressions occur commonly in the prophet’s book (see 1:4,11; 2:1; 7:1; 32:26; 33:1; 34:1) and remind us that Jeremiah’s message came from God. Jeremiah was bringing the Lord’s words to the people, not his own.
Jeremiah summoned those who awaited his response. The group’s leader was Johanan son of Kareah, the man who initially had warned Gedaliah of threats against his life (40:14). At that time, Johanan had offered to kill Ishmael to eliminate the threat, but Gedaliah declined the offer (40:15-16). After the warnings proved true (41:1-3), Johanan defeated Ishmael and brought back the people Ishmael had captured, though Ishmael himself escaped to Ammon (41:11-16).
Johanan seemed to have had the people’s interests in mind, so perhaps his invitation to Jeremiah encouraged the prophet. The commanders of the armies also came, as did the people from the least to the greatest. All would hear the prophet’s message from God at the same time, straight from Jeremiah’s own mouth.
9 He said to them, “This is what the LORD says, the God of Israel to whom you sent me to bring your petition before him:”
This is what the LORD says again reminded the people that Jeremiah’s words were from God. The term God of Israel commonly occurs in the book of Jeremiah (see also vv. 15 and 18). The Northern Kingdom of Israel had fallen to Assyria in 721 BC, so the prophet probably anticipated a day when the nation would experience reunification.
Jeremiah also reminded the people that they had asked him to bring their petition to God. The word translated petition is related to a word meaning “favor” or “grace.” The people wanted God’s guidance in light of the tumultuous situation in Judah following Gedaliah’s assassination. The word translated bring literally means “cause to fall” and conveys the idea of Jeremiah setting the people’s request at God’s feet.
10 “‘If you will indeed stay in this land, then I will rebuild and not demolish you, and I will plant and not uproot you, because I relent concerning the disaster that I have brought on you.’”
The choice if you will indeed stay in this land introduced the response the Lord desired from His people. The Hebrew wording stresses the deliberate decision the people needed to make because their circumstances might suggest pursuing another option. They feared the Babylonians would take vengeance upon them for Gedaliah’s murder (41:18).
The assurance that God would rebuild and not demolish and plant and not uproot you echoes words from God’s initial call to Jeremiah (1:10). The words also occur in other prophetic passages to describe God’s intent to either judge or bless the people depending on their response to His commands (12:14-17; 18:7,9; 31:28). A close parallel appears in Jeremiah 24:6, where Jeremiah announced God’s restoration of the exiles from Babylon. He was willing to bless those who remained in Judah after Jerusalem’s fall if they would heed His message.
God would relent concerning the disaster He had brought on His people. Jerusalem’s fall and the temple’s destruction taught God’s people a sad lesson. At the same time, Jeremiah’s words conveyed another important truth: Jerusalem’s defeat was not the defeat of God. He had judged them, but now He would protect those who remained.
11 “‘Don’t be afraid of the king of Babylon whom you now fear; don’t be afraid of him’—this is the LORD’s declaration—‘because I am with you to save you and rescue you from him. 12 I will grant you compassion, and he will have compassion on you and allow you to return to your own soil.’”
Don’t be afraid of the king of Babylon accentuates the frightening situation the people faced (41:18). Nebuchadnezzar attacked Judah in 605 BC and took many people into exile (Dan. 1:1-2). He returned in 597 BC and took Jehoiakim’s son Jehoiachin and many others into exile (2 Kings 24:10-17). When Zedekiah rebelled, he came a third time, destroying Jerusalem and the temple in 586 BC (2 Kings 25:22). Now, so soon after Jerusalem’s fall, Gedaliah was dead (41:1-2).
Many probably feared that Nebuchadnezzar would leave no survivors if he came again. But God personally promised to save and rescue His people. The Babylonians were merely God’s instrument, and He would oversee the Jews’ protection and safety.
The Lord affirmed I will grant you compassion. The Hebrew for word compassion is related to the word “womb” and denotes a deep empathy for another person. God cared personally for His people and would protect them. In addition, God would move Nebuchadnezzar’s heart to show compassion on them. The man they feared most would let them return to your own soil. God could put compassion in a pagan king’s heart and direct Him to treat the Jews with kindness. The Lord would accomplish all of this if the people trusted the Lord’s message through Jeremiah.
(In PSG, p. 104)
13 “But if you say, ‘We will not stay in this land,’ in order to disobey the LORD your God, 14 and if you say, ‘No, instead we’ll go to the land of Egypt where we will not see war or hear the sound of the ram’s horn or hunger for food, and we’ll live there,’”
The Lord promised to treat His people with compassion if they remained in Judah (v. 12), but He and His prophet both knew the people would refuse to stay in this land. Even though, they already had told Jeremiah they would obey God’s message (vv. 5-6), doing so would mean trusting God even though circumstances suggested Nebuchadnezzar might return. Jeremiah told them that choosing not to stay in Judah meant choosing to disobey the LORD your God, for Jeremiah had stated God’s will for them.
The people had another idea: going to Egypt. Ironically, God’s people earlier had experienced four centuries of slavery in Egypt (Ex. 12:40-41). Now, they saw it as a refuge from Nebuchadnezzar’s wrath. They assumed putting distance between themselves and the Babylonians mean they would not see war or hear the ram’s horn or hunger for food.
They assumed Nebuchadnezzar would never reach them there. They would not hear the ram’s horn sounding the warning blast that an enemy invader was approaching. They also thought they would not hunger for food. Considering the dire situation in Judah, they may have heard reports of plentiful food in Egypt or assumed things could not be worse than in their homeland.
15 “then hear the word of the LORD, remnant of Judah! This is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you are firmly resolved to go to Egypt and stay there for a while, 16 then the sword you fear will overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine you are worried about will follow on your heels there to Egypt, and you will die there.’”
Hear the word of the LORD, remnant of Judah introduced Jeremiah’s ominous announcement. The remnant of Judah had little left after Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion, but they were alive. But the LORD of Armies and God of Israel was serious about His warnings. The wording of the title emphasizes God’s sovereignty over the universe. He rules everything and certainly had the power to deal with Judah’s rebellion.
The words translated firmly resolved stress the people’s stubborn choice to reject God’s counsel. They decided to go to Egypt and stay there, presumably until the likelihood of Babylonian reprisal dissipated. Stay there for a while suggests a temporary residence. For example, similar wording described Abram’s stay in Egypt when Canaan was experiencing a famine (Gen. 12:10).
Jeremiah warned the disobedient Jews of the consequences they would face—the sword you fear will overtake you, despite running to Egypt. God’s people would face the same kind of judgment they had expected in Judah. The prophet also said the famine the people feared will follow on your heels. The people assumed famine would come to Judah following the Babylonian conquest, but it would also be true in Egypt. The sobering announcement you will die there meant death in Egypt waited for them if they insisted on disobeying God.
17 “All who resolve to go to Egypt to stay there for a while will die by the sword, famine, and plague. They will have no survivor or fugitive from the disaster I will bring on them.”
For emphasis, Jeremiah repeated the death sentence from verse 16: those who rebelled against God and went to Egypt would die by the sword, famine, and plague. Jeremiah already had mentioned the people would face death by the sword and famine (v. 16). He now added plague to his warning. Plagues could ravage populations already weakened by famine. War also brought many frightening and unsanitary conditions when people began to die and those alive began to run out of food and water (Lam. 4:9-10).
God promised the rebellious Judeans would have no survivor or fugitive from the disaster. The death count would prove devastating, and no one would escape the consequences.
18 “For this is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Just as my anger and fury were poured out on Jerusalem’s residents, so will my fury pour out on you if you go to Egypt. You will become an example for cursing, scorn, execration, and disgrace, and you will never see this place again.’”
Jeremiah again reminded the people that his message came from the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel. They were rejecting His will, not Jeremiah’s advice. As a result, His anger and fury would be poured out on them. They had witnessed this personally as Nebuchadnezzar and his army had conquered and destroyed Jerusalem. They would feel it again if they chose to go to Egypt.
Instead of finding safety and security, this remnant would become an example for cursing, scorn, execration, and disgrace. Similar wording occurs in Jeremiah 44:12, where God again sternly warned the people against disobeying Him. Some of the words also are found in Jeremiah 29:18, where Jeremiah warned the exiles of severe judgment on Jerusalem for its disobedience.
The word cursing denotes a curse God placed on His people. Before the people ever entered Canaan, God had warned them that this could happen if they disobeyed His commands (Deut. 29:20-21). Scorn denotes the people as the target of God’s judgment. Elsewhere it is used of a wasteland (Isa. 13:9 “desolation”; Jer. 25:11 “desolate ruin”).
The word disgrace describes the situation God’s people would face if they chose the path of disobedience. The people thought they soon would return to Judah, but God said they would never see this place again. His judgment would nullify their disobedient decision.
Trusting our own plans and judgment ultimately leads to destruction. God’s ways and thoughts are infinitely beyond ours (Isa. 55:8-9), so it makes sense to trust Him. Knowing His Word well provides us sure guidance as we navigate life’s challenges.
(In PSG, p.106)
19 “The LORD has spoken concerning you, remnant of Judah: ‘Don’t go to Egypt.’ Know for certain that I have warned you today! 20 You have gone astray at the cost of your lives because you are the ones who sent me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray to the LORD our God on our behalf, and as for all that the LORD our God says, tell it to us, and we’ll act accordingly.’”
Jeremiah’s strong words reveal he sensed the people already had made their decision. Again, he brought God’s message: The LORD has spoken concerning you . . . ‘Don’t go to Egypt.’ The people should stop considering that option. Jeremiah added Know for certain that I have warned you today! The word warned may also be translated “testified.” The prophet bore emphatic witness to God’s clear directive, and the people were accountable for their disobedience.
When the people chose to rebel against God’s words, they did so at the cost of your lives God already had told them that they would die in Egypt and never return to Judah (vv. 16-18). Jeremiah further reminded them that they were the ones who had sent me to the LORD your God on their behalf. He reminded them of their request ten days earlier (Jer. 42:5-6) and also reminded them of their commitment to hear God’s words and to act accordingly. How quickly they dismissed the prophet’s words when God’s answer wasn’t what they had wanted.
21 “For I have told you today, but you have not obeyed the LORD your God in everything he has sent me to tell you. 22 Now therefore, know for certain that by the sword, famine, and plague you will die in the place where you desired to go to stay for a while.”
Jeremiah boldly testified to the people as he reiterated that they had not obeyed the LORD your God in everything He had commanded them. Jeremiah was not meddling in their business. They had asked him to seek the Lord’s counsel. Jeremiah had given them God’s clear directive, and now they were rejecting it.
The word translated now therefore introduces Jeremiah’s prophetic conclusion. His words know for certain stress his desire that they know and understand the implications of their refusal to heed God’s warning. The prophet pronounced God’s verdict using the same terms as earlier: sword, famine, plague. They thought they would escape by fleeing to Egypt for a while, but in reality, the disastrous consequences of disobedience would follow them to Egypt.
Failing to follow God’s counsel reveals a person’s true heart. People may say they believe the Bible is God’s Word, but if they consistently choose to disregard its teachings, they really do not believe it. Jesus told His disciples, “If you love me, you will keep my commands” (John 14:15). We demonstrate our trust in God when we submit to His ways and live accordingly.
(In PSG, p. 107)
The Holy Bible
The Holy Bible was written by divinely inspired men and is God’s revelation of Himself to humans. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. (See Psalm 119:11,105.)
Notice repeated words or phrases in a Bible passage.
Read Jeremiah 42:7-22 slowly and reflectively. As you read, note the number of times the text emphasizes Jeremiah spoke God’s message, not his own (for example, “this is what the Lord says” or “the declaration of the Lord”). Notice also how Jeremiah’s passion seems to escalate through the passage as he tried to dissuade the people from rejecting God’s directive. Read the passage aloud, emphasizing these repeated words and the prophet’s passion.
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SESSION 11
JEREMIAH 42:7-22
MEMORY VERSE: JEREMIAH 42:6
Most of us visit a doctor when we want medical advice. We consult a professional regarding our health problem to receive an accurate diagnosis and a plan for recovery. Sadly, many people today do not consult God’s Word to guide them as they make important life decisions. They say they believe the Bible is the Word of God, but their decisions don’t reflect what they say.
(In PSG, p. 100)
After Jerusalem fell, the Babylonians permitted Jeremiah to return to his people (40:1-6). Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, appointed Gedaliah as governor over Judah, and Jeremiah stayed with other people in the land (40:7-10). More Judean refugees also returned from surrounding countries and submitted to Gedaliah’s rule (40:11-12).
Some warned Gedaliah that Ishmael son of Nethaniah intended to kill him, but Gedaliah didn’t believe it (40:13-16). A short time later, Ishmael did kill Gedaliah and took a large number of captives with him to Ammon (41:1-10). The captives were rescued, but Ishmael escaped (41:11-15). The group then prepared to head to Egypt because they feared what the Babylonians might do in response to Gedaliah’s murder (41:16-18).
The delegation’s leaders approached Jeremiah, seeking God’s direction and promising to obey whatever he said (42:1-6). After ten days, Jeremiah told them that the Lord wanted them to remain in Judah (42:7-22). However, the leaders rejected this counsel and went to Egypt anyway, taking Jeremiah and Baruch with them (43:1-7). God warned them that Nebuchadnezzar would come to Egypt, and they would not escape (43:8-13).
Jeremiah pronounced further judgment against the Jewish population that settled in Egypt (44:1-14). Their idolatry back home had led to Judah’s ruin, and now they were worshiping idols again in Egypt. However, the people insisted their trouble had begun when they started listening to Jeremiah and forsook their pagan gods (44:15-19). The prophet sharply rebuked the people. Disaster had come to them because of their evil. They might continue their wicked ways in Egypt, but His judgment would assuredly follow them there (44:20-29). Nebuchadnezzar would defeat Pharaoh Hophra just as he had defeated Judah (44:30).
Jeremiah 45 records an event from evil King Jehoiakim’s fourth year (605 BC), when Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe, was recording Jeremiah’s prophecies (45:1; see 36:1). As Jeremiah’s scribe, he suffered along with the prophet during persecution (45:2-3). The Lord gave Jeremiah a message to encourage Baruch (45:4-5). Indeed, Baruch should not seek great things for himself. He would escape with his life when many others would not.
EXPLORE THE TEXT
7 At the end of ten days, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, 8 and he summoned Johanan son of Kareah, all the commanders of the armies who were with him, and all the people from the least to the greatest.
At the end of ten days references verses 1-6. The Judean leadership had asked Jeremiah to consult with God following Gedaliah’s murder. Many feared the Babylonians would return and destroy everyone in the land. The ten-day wait may have created more anxiety. Jeremiah told them he would pray, and the people assured him they would honor God’s directions.
Ten days later, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah. This and similar expressions occur commonly in the prophet’s book (see 1:4,11; 2:1; 7:1; 32:26; 33:1; 34:1) and remind us that Jeremiah’s message came from God. Jeremiah was bringing the Lord’s words to the people, not his own.
Jeremiah summoned those who awaited his response. The group’s leader was Johanan son of Kareah, the man who initially had warned Gedaliah of threats against his life (40:14). At that time, Johanan had offered to kill Ishmael to eliminate the threat, but Gedaliah declined the offer (40:15-16). After the warnings proved true (41:1-3), Johanan defeated Ishmael and brought back the people Ishmael had captured, though Ishmael himself escaped to Ammon (41:11-16).
Johanan seemed to have had the people’s interests in mind, so perhaps his invitation to Jeremiah encouraged the prophet. The commanders of the armies also came, as did the people from the least to the greatest. All would hear the prophet’s message from God at the same time, straight from Jeremiah’s own mouth.
9 He said to them, “This is what the LORD says, the God of Israel to whom you sent me to bring your petition before him:”
This is what the LORD says again reminded the people that Jeremiah’s words were from God. The term God of Israel commonly occurs in the book of Jeremiah (see also vv. 15 and 18). The Northern Kingdom of Israel had fallen to Assyria in 721 BC, so the prophet probably anticipated a day when the nation would experience reunification.
Jeremiah also reminded the people that they had asked him to bring their petition to God. The word translated petition is related to a word meaning “favor” or “grace.” The people wanted God’s guidance in light of the tumultuous situation in Judah following Gedaliah’s assassination. The word translated bring literally means “cause to fall” and conveys the idea of Jeremiah setting the people’s request at God’s feet.
10 “‘If you will indeed stay in this land, then I will rebuild and not demolish you, and I will plant and not uproot you, because I relent concerning the disaster that I have brought on you.’”
The choice if you will indeed stay in this land introduced the response the Lord desired from His people. The Hebrew wording stresses the deliberate decision the people needed to make because their circumstances might suggest pursuing another option. They feared the Babylonians would take vengeance upon them for Gedaliah’s murder (41:18).
The assurance that God would rebuild and not demolish and plant and not uproot you echoes words from God’s initial call to Jeremiah (1:10). The words also occur in other prophetic passages to describe God’s intent to either judge or bless the people depending on their response to His commands (12:14-17; 18:7,9; 31:28). A close parallel appears in Jeremiah 24:6, where Jeremiah announced God’s restoration of the exiles from Babylon. He was willing to bless those who remained in Judah after Jerusalem’s fall if they would heed His message.
God would relent concerning the disaster He had brought on His people. Jerusalem’s fall and the temple’s destruction taught God’s people a sad lesson. At the same time, Jeremiah’s words conveyed another important truth: Jerusalem’s defeat was not the defeat of God. He had judged them, but now He would protect those who remained.
11 “‘Don’t be afraid of the king of Babylon whom you now fear; don’t be afraid of him’—this is the LORD’s declaration—‘because I am with you to save you and rescue you from him. 12 I will grant you compassion, and he will have compassion on you and allow you to return to your own soil.’”
Don’t be afraid of the king of Babylon accentuates the frightening situation the people faced (41:18). Nebuchadnezzar attacked Judah in 605 BC and took many people into exile (Dan. 1:1-2). He returned in 597 BC and took Jehoiakim’s son Jehoiachin and many others into exile (2 Kings 24:10-17). When Zedekiah rebelled, he came a third time, destroying Jerusalem and the temple in 586 BC (2 Kings 25:22). Now, so soon after Jerusalem’s fall, Gedaliah was dead (41:1-2).
Many probably feared that Nebuchadnezzar would leave no survivors if he came again. But God personally promised to save and rescue His people. The Babylonians were merely God’s instrument, and He would oversee the Jews’ protection and safety.
The Lord affirmed I will grant you compassion. The Hebrew for word compassion is related to the word “womb” and denotes a deep empathy for another person. God cared personally for His people and would protect them. In addition, God would move Nebuchadnezzar’s heart to show compassion on them. The man they feared most would let them return to your own soil. God could put compassion in a pagan king’s heart and direct Him to treat the Jews with kindness. The Lord would accomplish all of this if the people trusted the Lord’s message through Jeremiah.
(In PSG, p. 104)
13 “But if you say, ‘We will not stay in this land,’ in order to disobey the LORD your God, 14 and if you say, ‘No, instead we’ll go to the land of Egypt where we will not see war or hear the sound of the ram’s horn or hunger for food, and we’ll live there,’”
The Lord promised to treat His people with compassion if they remained in Judah (v. 12), but He and His prophet both knew the people would refuse to stay in this land. Even though, they already had told Jeremiah they would obey God’s message (vv. 5-6), doing so would mean trusting God even though circumstances suggested Nebuchadnezzar might return. Jeremiah told them that choosing not to stay in Judah meant choosing to disobey the LORD your God, for Jeremiah had stated God’s will for them.
The people had another idea: going to Egypt. Ironically, God’s people earlier had experienced four centuries of slavery in Egypt (Ex. 12:40-41). Now, they saw it as a refuge from Nebuchadnezzar’s wrath. They assumed putting distance between themselves and the Babylonians mean they would not see war or hear the ram’s horn or hunger for food.
They assumed Nebuchadnezzar would never reach them there. They would not hear the ram’s horn sounding the warning blast that an enemy invader was approaching. They also thought they would not hunger for food. Considering the dire situation in Judah, they may have heard reports of plentiful food in Egypt or assumed things could not be worse than in their homeland.
15 “then hear the word of the LORD, remnant of Judah! This is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you are firmly resolved to go to Egypt and stay there for a while, 16 then the sword you fear will overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine you are worried about will follow on your heels there to Egypt, and you will die there.’”
Hear the word of the LORD, remnant of Judah introduced Jeremiah’s ominous announcement. The remnant of Judah had little left after Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion, but they were alive. But the LORD of Armies and God of Israel was serious about His warnings. The wording of the title emphasizes God’s sovereignty over the universe. He rules everything and certainly had the power to deal with Judah’s rebellion.
The words translated firmly resolved stress the people’s stubborn choice to reject God’s counsel. They decided to go to Egypt and stay there, presumably until the likelihood of Babylonian reprisal dissipated. Stay there for a while suggests a temporary residence. For example, similar wording described Abram’s stay in Egypt when Canaan was experiencing a famine (Gen. 12:10).
Jeremiah warned the disobedient Jews of the consequences they would face—the sword you fear will overtake you, despite running to Egypt. God’s people would face the same kind of judgment they had expected in Judah. The prophet also said the famine the people feared will follow on your heels. The people assumed famine would come to Judah following the Babylonian conquest, but it would also be true in Egypt. The sobering announcement you will die there meant death in Egypt waited for them if they insisted on disobeying God.
17 “All who resolve to go to Egypt to stay there for a while will die by the sword, famine, and plague. They will have no survivor or fugitive from the disaster I will bring on them.”
For emphasis, Jeremiah repeated the death sentence from verse 16: those who rebelled against God and went to Egypt would die by the sword, famine, and plague. Jeremiah already had mentioned the people would face death by the sword and famine (v. 16). He now added plague to his warning. Plagues could ravage populations already weakened by famine. War also brought many frightening and unsanitary conditions when people began to die and those alive began to run out of food and water (Lam. 4:9-10).
God promised the rebellious Judeans would have no survivor or fugitive from the disaster. The death count would prove devastating, and no one would escape the consequences.
18 “For this is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Just as my anger and fury were poured out on Jerusalem’s residents, so will my fury pour out on you if you go to Egypt. You will become an example for cursing, scorn, execration, and disgrace, and you will never see this place again.’”
Jeremiah again reminded the people that his message came from the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel. They were rejecting His will, not Jeremiah’s advice. As a result, His anger and fury would be poured out on them. They had witnessed this personally as Nebuchadnezzar and his army had conquered and destroyed Jerusalem. They would feel it again if they chose to go to Egypt.
Instead of finding safety and security, this remnant would become an example for cursing, scorn, execration, and disgrace. Similar wording occurs in Jeremiah 44:12, where God again sternly warned the people against disobeying Him. Some of the words also are found in Jeremiah 29:18, where Jeremiah warned the exiles of severe judgment on Jerusalem for its disobedience.
The word cursing denotes a curse God placed on His people. Before the people ever entered Canaan, God had warned them that this could happen if they disobeyed His commands (Deut. 29:20-21). Scorn denotes the people as the target of God’s judgment. Elsewhere it is used of a wasteland (Isa. 13:9 “desolation”; Jer. 25:11 “desolate ruin”).
The word disgrace describes the situation God’s people would face if they chose the path of disobedience. The people thought they soon would return to Judah, but God said they would never see this place again. His judgment would nullify their disobedient decision.
Trusting our own plans and judgment ultimately leads to destruction. God’s ways and thoughts are infinitely beyond ours (Isa. 55:8-9), so it makes sense to trust Him. Knowing His Word well provides us sure guidance as we navigate life’s challenges.
(In PSG, p.106)
19 “The LORD has spoken concerning you, remnant of Judah: ‘Don’t go to Egypt.’ Know for certain that I have warned you today! 20 You have gone astray at the cost of your lives because you are the ones who sent me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray to the LORD our God on our behalf, and as for all that the LORD our God says, tell it to us, and we’ll act accordingly.’”
Jeremiah’s strong words reveal he sensed the people already had made their decision. Again, he brought God’s message: The LORD has spoken concerning you . . . ‘Don’t go to Egypt.’ The people should stop considering that option. Jeremiah added Know for certain that I have warned you today! The word warned may also be translated “testified.” The prophet bore emphatic witness to God’s clear directive, and the people were accountable for their disobedience.
When the people chose to rebel against God’s words, they did so at the cost of your lives God already had told them that they would die in Egypt and never return to Judah (vv. 16-18). Jeremiah further reminded them that they were the ones who had sent me to the LORD your God on their behalf. He reminded them of their request ten days earlier (Jer. 42:5-6) and also reminded them of their commitment to hear God’s words and to act accordingly. How quickly they dismissed the prophet’s words when God’s answer wasn’t what they had wanted.
21 “For I have told you today, but you have not obeyed the LORD your God in everything he has sent me to tell you. 22 Now therefore, know for certain that by the sword, famine, and plague you will die in the place where you desired to go to stay for a while.”
Jeremiah boldly testified to the people as he reiterated that they had not obeyed the LORD your God in everything He had commanded them. Jeremiah was not meddling in their business. They had asked him to seek the Lord’s counsel. Jeremiah had given them God’s clear directive, and now they were rejecting it.
The word translated now therefore introduces Jeremiah’s prophetic conclusion. His words know for certain stress his desire that they know and understand the implications of their refusal to heed God’s warning. The prophet pronounced God’s verdict using the same terms as earlier: sword, famine, plague. They thought they would escape by fleeing to Egypt for a while, but in reality, the disastrous consequences of disobedience would follow them to Egypt.
Failing to follow God’s counsel reveals a person’s true heart. People may say they believe the Bible is God’s Word, but if they consistently choose to disregard its teachings, they really do not believe it. Jesus told His disciples, “If you love me, you will keep my commands” (John 14:15). We demonstrate our trust in God when we submit to His ways and live accordingly.
(In PSG, p. 107)
The Holy Bible
The Holy Bible was written by divinely inspired men and is God’s revelation of Himself to humans. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. (See Psalm 119:11,105.)
Notice repeated words or phrases in a Bible passage.
Read Jeremiah 42:7-22 slowly and reflectively. As you read, note the number of times the text emphasizes Jeremiah spoke God’s message, not his own (for example, “this is what the Lord says” or “the declaration of the Lord”). Notice also how Jeremiah’s passion seems to escalate through the passage as he tried to dissuade the people from rejecting God’s directive. Read the passage aloud, emphasizing these repeated words and the prophet’s passion.