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42:1 Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came near, 42:2 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:) 42:3 That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.
42:4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.
42:5 Then they said to Jeremiah, The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the LORD thy God shall send thee to us.
42:6 Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.
42:7 And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah.
42:8 Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, 42:9 And said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him; 42:10 If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.
42:11 Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.
42:12 And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.
42:13 But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God, 42:14 Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell: 42:15 And now therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there; 42:16 Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.
42:17 So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.
42:18 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.
42:19 The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day.
42:20 For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the LORD your God, saying, Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and according unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it.
42:21 And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God, nor any thing for the which he hath sent me unto you.
42:22 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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Everything King James Bible:Jeremiah
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to: Jeremiah
Book: Jeremiah
Chapter: 42

Overview:
Johanan desires Jeremiah to ask counsel of God. (1-6) They are
assured of safety in Judea, but of Destruction in Egypt. (7-22)

1-6 To serve a turn, Jeremiah is sought out, and the captains
ask for his assistance. In every difficult, doubtful case, we
must look to God for direction; and we may still, in Faith, pray
to be guided By a Spirit of Wisdom in our hearts, and the
leadings of Providence. We do not truly desire to know the mind
of God, if we do not fully resolve to comply with it when we
know it. Many promise to do what the Lord requires, while they
Hope to have their pride flattered, and their favourite lusts
spared. Yet something betrays the state of their hearts.

7-22 If we would know the mind of the Lord in doubtful cases,
we must wait as Well as pray. God is ever ready to return in
Mercy to those he has afflicted; and he never rejects any who
rely On his promises. He has declared enough to silence even the
causeless fears of his people, which discourage them in the way
of duty. Whatever loss or suffering we may fear from obedience,
is provided against in God's Word; and he will protect and
deliver all who trust in him and serve him. It is folly to quit
our place, especially to quit a holy land, because we meet with
trouble in it. And the evils we think to escape By Sin, we
certainly bring upon ourselves. We may apply this to the common
troubles of Life; and those who think to avoid them By changing
their place, will find that the grievances common to men will
meet them wherever they go. Sinners who dissemble with God in
solemn professions especially should be rebuked with sharpness;
for their actions speak more plainly than words. We know not
what is good for ourselves; and what we are most fond of, and
have our hearts most set upon, often proves hurtful, and
sometimes fatal.

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