Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Jeremiah » Chapter 42 » Verse 18

Jeremiah 42:18 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

18 For thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 the God H430 of Israel; H3478 As mine anger H639 and my fury H2534 hath been poured forth H5413 upon the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem; H3389 so shall my fury H2534 be poured forth H5413 upon you, when ye shall enter H935 into Egypt: H4714 and ye shall be an execration, H423 and an astonishment, H8047 and a curse, H7045 and a reproach; H2781 and ye shall see H7200 this place H4725 no more.

Cross Reference

Jeremiah 39:1-9 STRONG

In the ninth H8671 year H8141 of Zedekiah H6667 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 in the tenth H6224 month, H2320 came H935 Nebuchadrezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon H894 and all his army H2428 against Jerusalem, H3389 and they besieged H6696 it. And in the eleventh H6249 H6240 year H8141 of Zedekiah, H6667 in the fourth H7243 month, H2320 the ninth H8672 day of the month, H2320 the city H5892 was broken up. H1234 And all the princes H8269 of the king H4428 of Babylon H894 came in, H935 and sat H3427 in the middle H8432 gate, H8179 even Nergalsharezer, H5371 Samgarnebo, H5562 Sarsechim, H8310 Rabsaris, H7249 Nergalsharezer, H5371 Rabmag, H7248 with all the residue H7611 of the princes H8269 of the king H4428 of Babylon. H894 And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah H6667 the king H4428 of Judah H3063 saw H7200 them, and all the men H582 of war, H4421 then they fled, H1272 and went forth H3318 out of the city H5892 by night, H3915 by the way H1870 of the king's H4428 garden, H1588 by the gate H8179 betwixt the two walls: H2346 and he went out H3318 the way H1870 of the plain. H6160 But the Chaldeans' H3778 army H2428 pursued H7291 after H310 them, and overtook H5381 Zedekiah H6667 in the plains H6160 of Jericho: H3405 and when they had taken H3947 him, they brought him up H5927 to Nebuchadnezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon H894 to Riblah H7247 in the land H776 of Hamath, H2574 where he gave H1696 judgment H4941 upon him. Then the king H4428 of Babylon H894 slew H7819 the sons H1121 of Zedekiah H6667 in Riblah H7247 before his eyes: H5869 also the king H4428 of Babylon H894 slew H7819 all the nobles H2715 of Judah. H3063 Moreover he put out H5786 Zedekiah's H6667 eyes, H5869 and bound H631 him with chains, H5178 to carry H935 him to Babylon. H894 And the Chaldeans H3778 burned H8313 the king's H4428 house, H1004 and the houses H1004 of the people, H5971 with fire, H784 and brake down H5422 the walls H2346 of Jerusalem. H3389 Then Nebuzaradan H5018 the captain H7227 of the guard H2876 carried away captive H1540 into Babylon H894 the remnant H3499 of the people H5971 that remained H7604 in the city, H5892 and those that fell away, H5307 that fell H5307 to him, with the rest H3499 of the people H5971 that remained. H7604

2 Chronicles 36:16-19 STRONG

But they mocked H3931 the messengers H4397 of God, H430 and despised H959 his words, H1697 and misused H8591 his prophets, H5030 until the wrath H2534 of the LORD H3068 arose H5927 against his people, H5971 till there was no remedy. H4832 Therefore he brought H5927 upon them the king H4428 of the Chaldees, H3778 who slew H2026 their young men H970 with the sword H2719 in the house H1004 of their sanctuary, H4720 and had no compassion H2550 upon young man H970 or maiden, H1330 old man, H2205 or him that stooped for age: H3486 he gave H5414 them all into his hand. H3027 And all the vessels H3627 of the house H1004 of God, H430 great H1419 and small, H6996 and the treasures H214 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and the treasures H214 of the king, H4428 and of his princes; H8269 all these he brought H935 to Babylon. H894 And they burnt H8313 the house H1004 of God, H430 and brake down H5422 the wall H2346 of Jerusalem, H3389 and burnt H8313 all the palaces H759 thereof with fire, H784 and destroyed H7843 all the goodly H4261 vessels H3627 thereof.

Revelation 16:2-21 STRONG

And G2532 the first G4413 went, G565 and G2532 poured out G1632 his G846 vial G5357 upon G1909 the earth; G1093 and G2532 there fell G1096 a noisome G2556 and G2532 grievous G4190 sore G1668 upon G1519 the men G444 which G3588 had G2192 the mark G5480 of the beast, G2342 and G2532 upon them which worshipped G4352 his G846 image. G1504 And G2532 the second G1208 angel G32 poured out G1632 his G846 vial G5357 upon G1519 the sea; G2281 and G2532 it became G1096 as G5613 the blood G129 of a dead G3498 man: and G2532 every G3956 living G2198 soul G5590 died G599 in G1722 the sea. G2281 And G2532 the third G5154 angel G32 poured out G1632 his G846 vial G5357 upon G1519 the rivers G4215 and G2532 G1519 fountains G4077 of waters; G5204 and G2532 they became G1096 blood. G129 And G2532 I heard G191 the angel G32 of the waters G5204 say, G3004 Thou art G1488 righteous, G1342 O Lord, G2962 which G3588 art, G5607 and G2532 wast, G2258 and G2532 shalt be, G3741 G3801 because G3754 thou hast judged G2919 thus. G5023 For G3754 they have shed G1632 the blood G129 of saints G40 and G2532 prophets, G4396 and G2532 thou hast given G1325 them G846 blood G129 to drink; G4095 for G1063 they are G1526 worthy. G514 And G2532 I heard G191 another G243 out of G1537 the altar G2379 say, G3004 Even so, G3483 Lord G2962 God G2316 Almighty, G3841 true G228 and G2532 righteous G1342 are thy G4675 judgments. G2920 And G2532 the fourth G5067 angel G32 poured out G1632 his G846 vial G5357 upon G1909 the sun; G2246 and G2532 power was given G1325 unto him G846 to scorch G2739 men G444 with G1722 fire. G4442 And G2532 men G444 were scorched G2739 with great G3173 heat, G2738 and G2532 blasphemed G987 the name G3686 of God, G2316 which G3588 hath G2192 power G1849 over G1909 these G5025 plagues: G4127 and G2532 they repented G3340 not G3756 to give G1325 him G846 glory. G1391 And G2532 the fifth G3991 angel G32 poured out G1632 his G846 vial G5357 upon G1909 the seat G2362 of the beast; G2342 and G2532 his G846 kingdom G932 was G1096 full of darkness; G4656 and G2532 they gnawed G3145 their G846 tongues G1100 for G1537 pain, G4192 And G2532 blasphemed G987 the God G2316 of heaven G3772 because of G1537 their G846 pains G4192 and G2532 G1537 their G846 sores, G1668 and G2532 repented G3340 not G3756 of G1537 their G846 deeds. G2041 And G2532 the sixth G1623 angel G32 poured out G1632 his G846 vial G5357 upon G1909 the great G3173 river G4215 Euphrates; G2166 and G2532 the water G5204 thereof G846 was dried up, G3583 that G2443 the way G3598 of the kings G935 of G575 the east G395 G2246 might be prepared. G2090 And G2532 I saw G1492 three G5140 unclean G169 spirits G4151 like G3664 frogs G944 come out of G1537 the mouth G4750 of the dragon, G1404 and G2532 out of G1537 the mouth G4750 of the beast, G2342 and G2532 out of G1537 the mouth G4750 of the false prophet. G5578 For G1063 they are G1526 the spirits G4151 of devils, G1142 working G4160 miracles, G4592 which go forth G1607 G3739 G1607 unto G1909 the kings G935 of the earth G1093 and G2532 of the whole G3650 world, G3625 to gather G4863 them G846 to G1519 the battle G4171 of that G1565 great G3173 day G2250 of God G2316 Almighty. G3841 Behold, G2400 I come G2064 as G5613 a thief. G2812 Blessed G3107 is he that watcheth, G1127 and G2532 keepeth G5083 his G846 garments, G2440 lest G3363 he walk G4043 naked, G1131 and G2532 they see G991 his G846 shame. G808 And G2532 he gathered G4863 them G846 together G4863 into G1519 a place G5117 called G2564 in the Hebrew tongue G1447 Armageddon. G717 And G2532 the seventh G1442 angel G32 poured out G1632 his G846 vial G5357 into G1519 the air; G109 and G2532 there came G1831 a great G3173 voice G5456 out of G575 the temple G3485 of heaven, G3772 from G575 the throne, G2362 saying, G3004 It is done. G1096 And G2532 there were G1096 voices, G5456 and G2532 thunders, G1027 and G2532 lightnings; G796 and G2532 there was G1096 a great G3173 earthquake, G4578 such as G3634 was G1096 not G3756 since G3739 G575 men G444 were G1096 upon G1909 the earth, G1093 so mighty G5082 an earthquake, G4578 and so G3779 great. G3173 And G2532 the great G3173 city G4172 was divided G1096 into G1519 three G5140 parts, G3313 and G2532 the cities G4172 of the nations G1484 fell: G4098 and G2532 great G3173 Babylon G897 came in remembrance G3415 before G1799 God, G2316 to give G1325 unto her G846 the cup G4221 of the wine G3631 of the fierceness G2372 of his G846 wrath. G3709 And G2532 every G3956 island G3520 fled away, G5343 and G2532 the mountains G3735 were G2147 not G3756 found. G2147 And G2532 there fell G2597 upon G1909 men G444 a great G3173 hail G5464 out of G1537 heaven, G3772 every stone about G5613 the weight of a talent: G5006 and G2532 men G444 blasphemed G987 God G2316 because of G1537 the plague G4127 of the hail; G5464 for G3754 the plague G4127 thereof G846 was G2076 exceeding G4970 great. G3173

Deuteronomy 29:21-22 STRONG

And the LORD H3068 shall separate H914 him unto evil H7451 out of all the tribes H7626 of Israel, H3478 according to all the curses H423 of the covenant H1285 that are written H3789 in this book H5612 of the law: H8451 So that the generation H1755 to come H314 of your children H1121 that shall rise up H6965 after H310 you, and the stranger H5237 that shall come H935 from a far H7350 land, H776 shall say, H559 when they see H7200 the plagues H4347 of that land, H776 and the sicknesses H8463 which the LORD H3068 hath laid H2470 upon it;

Jeremiah 52:4-11 STRONG

And it came to pass in the ninth H8671 year H8141 of his reign, H4427 in the tenth H6224 month, H2320 in the tenth H6218 day of the month, H2320 that Nebuchadrezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon H894 came, H935 he and all his army, H2428 against Jerusalem, H3389 and pitched H2583 against it, and built H1129 forts H1785 against it round about. H5439 So H935 the city H5892 was besieged H4692 unto the eleventh H6249 H6240 year H8141 of king H4428 Zedekiah. H6667 And in the fourth H7243 month, H2320 in the ninth H8672 day of the month, H2320 the famine H7458 was sore H2388 in the city, H5892 so that there was no bread H3899 for the people H5971 of the land. H776 Then the city H5892 was broken up, H1234 and all the men H582 of war H4421 fled, H1272 and went forth H3318 out of the city H5892 by night H3915 by the way H1870 of the gate H8179 between the two walls, H2346 which was by the king's H4428 garden; H1588 (now the Chaldeans H3778 were by the city H5892 round about:) H5439 and they went H3212 by the way H1870 of the plain. H6160 But the army H2428 of the Chaldeans H3778 pursued H7291 after H310 the king, H4428 and overtook H5381 Zedekiah H6667 in the plains H6160 of Jericho; H3405 and all his army H2428 was scattered H6327 from him. Then they took H8610 the king, H4428 and carried him up H5927 unto the king H4428 of Babylon H894 to Riblah H7247 in the land H776 of Hamath; H2574 where he gave H1696 judgment H4941 upon him. And the king H4428 of Babylon H894 slew H7819 the sons H1121 of Zedekiah H6667 before his eyes: H5869 he slew H7819 also all the princes H8269 of Judah H3063 in Riblah. H7247 Then he put out H5786 the eyes H5869 of Zedekiah; H6667 and the king H4428 of Babylon H894 bound H631 him in chains, H5178 and carried H935 him to Babylon, H894 and put H5414 him in prison H1004 H6486 till the day H3117 of his death. H4194

Jeremiah 22:10-12 STRONG

Weep H1058 ye not for the dead, H4191 neither bemoan H5110 him: but weep H1058 sore H1058 for him that goeth away: H1980 for he shall return H7725 no more, nor see H7200 his native H4138 country. H776 For thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 touching H413 Shallum H7967 the son H1121 of Josiah H2977 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 which reigned H4427 instead of Josiah H2977 his father, H1 which went forth H3318 out of this place; H4725 He shall not return H7725 thither any more: But he shall die H4191 in the place H4725 whither they have led him captive, H1540 and shall see H7200 this land H776 no more.

2 Kings 25:4-7 STRONG

And the city H5892 was broken up, H1234 and all the men H582 of war H4421 fled by night H3915 by the way H1870 of the gate H8179 between two walls, H2346 which is by the king's H4428 garden: H1588 (now the Chaldees H3778 were against the city H5892 round about:) H5439 and the king went H3212 the way H1870 toward the plain. H6160 And the army H2428 of the Chaldees H3778 pursued H7291 after H310 the king, H4428 and overtook H5381 him in the plains H6160 of Jericho: H3405 and all his army H2428 were scattered H6327 from him. So they took H8610 the king, H4428 and brought him up H5927 to the king H4428 of Babylon H894 to Riblah; H7247 and they gave H1696 judgment H4941 upon him. And they slew H7819 the sons H1121 of Zedekiah H6667 before his eyes, H5869 and put out H5786 the eyes H5869 of Zedekiah, H6667 and bound H631 him with fetters H5178 of brass, H5178 and carried H935 him to Babylon. H894

1 Kings 9:7-9 STRONG

Then will I cut off H3772 Israel H3478 out H6440 of the land H127 which I have given H5414 them; and this house, H1004 which I have hallowed H6942 for my name, H8034 will I cast out H7971 of my sight; H6440 and Israel H3478 shall be a proverb H4912 and a byword H8148 among all people: H5971 And at this house, H1004 which is high, H5945 every one that passeth H5674 by it shall be astonished, H8074 and shall hiss; H8319 and they shall say, H559 Why hath the LORD H3068 done H6213 thus unto this land, H776 and to this house? H1004 And they shall answer, H559 Because they forsook H5800 the LORD H3068 their God, H430 who brought forth H3318 their fathers H1 out of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 and have taken hold H2388 upon other H312 gods, H430 and have worshipped H7812 them, and served H5647 them: therefore hath the LORD H3068 brought H935 upon them all this evil. H7451

Commentary on Jeremiah 42 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible


Introduction

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 42

This chapter contains a request of the Jews to Jeremiah, to pray to the Lord for them to direct them, and the Lord's answer to it. The request is made by the captains and all the people, Jeremiah 42:1; which Jeremiah undertook to present to the Lord, Jeremiah 42:4; they promising to go according to the direction that should be given, Jeremiah 42:5. After ten days an answer is returned, and the prophet calls the captains and people together to hear it, Jeremiah 42:7; the purport of which was, that if they continued in the land of Judah, it would be well with them, and they would be safe, Jeremiah 42:9; but if they went into Egypt, they should die by the sword, famine, and pestilence, and be a curse and reproach, and never see their own land more, Jeremiah 42:13; they are charged with dissimulation and disobedience, Jeremiah 42:19; and the chapter is concluded with an assurance of their perishing by the above judgments in the place they were desirous of dwelling in, Jeremiah 42:22.


Verse 1

Then all the captains of the forces,.... Having taken up their residence at the habitation of Chimham, in their way to Egypt, where they were desirous of going, and being afraid of the Chaldeans, as they pretended:

and Johanan the son of Kareah; or, "even Johanan"F19ויוחנן "imprimis Johanan", Schmidt; "nempe Johanan", Piscator, Grotius. ; especially and particularly he, the principal captain and chief spokesman in this affair:

and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah; said to be the son of a Maachathite, Jeremiah 40:8;

and all the people from the least even unto the greatest: a phrase expressive of the universality of them in the strongest terms:

came near; that is, to Jeremiah; who either was at Mizpah when Gedaliah was slain, but preserved by the Lord; and though carried captive by Ishmael with the rest, was rescued by Johanan; and now along with him: or rather after he had been with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and made a short stay there, he went to Anathoth, and there abode till now; and when Johanan took those that were left at Mizpah, he gathered together all the rest of the Jews in different places to him, in order to go to Egypt, and among the rest the Prophet Jeremiah; for it can hardly be thought, had he been at Mizpah when Ishmael was there, he would have escaped without a miracle.


Verse 2

And said unto Jeremiah the prophet,.... That is, some one of them, as the mouth of the whole body, very probably Johanan:

let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee; they treat the prophet with great respect, and are very humble and submissive, as if they were very hearty and sincere in their request:

and pray for us unto the Lord thy God; as if they were conscious of their own inability to pray for themselves, and of their unworthiness to call God their God; and as if they had a high opinion of, he prophet, as having an interest in God, and great power with him in prayer, whom he could not well deny anything:

even for all this remnant; this poor remnant, this handful of people, left of the sword, famine, and pestilence, left in the land by the Chaldeans, and who had escaped the cruelty of Ishmael; and for whom it might be hoped the Lord would still have a regard, since he had so mercifully and wonderfully preserved them:

for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us; the number of the people had been very large, but by the judgments of the sword, famine, and pestilence, and captivity, they were greatly reduced; here was their whole number before the prophet; his eyes beheld them, and the condition they were in: this they said to move his compassion, and very likely to suggest to him how improbable it was that they should ever be able to continue in their own land; but that it would be better to put themselves under the protection of a neighbouring nation, Egypt, whither they were inclined to go; and hoped to have a word from the Lord by the prophet, to direct them thither.


Verse 3

That the Lord thy God may show us the way wherein we may walk,.... Not the way of their duty as to religious worship, or their moral conversation, which was the way of God's commandments, and had been shown them, and they knew it; but which way they should steer their course for their safety; they had departed from Mizpah of themselves, and had taken up their dwelling at Geruthchimham, in the way to Egypt; whither they had set their faces, and where their hearts were, only they wanted the Lord's sanction for it, pretending they would be directed by him:

and the thing that we should do; the steps they should take in order to proceed; and what they should do before they left their own country, and went into another.


Verse 4

Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you,.... He took notice of what they said to him, and found himself disposed to comply with their request, and readily granted it:

behold, I will pray unto the Lord your God, according to your words; be an intercessor for them; use his interest with his God, and their God; and, on account of relation, might expect to be heard; whom he would humbly entreat to direct what they should do, as they desired:

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; but faithfully make known the whole mind and will of God, just as it is delivered, be it in what way soever: and though it is not expressed, he might suggest that he had some doubt on his mind whether they would obey it or not; and that he expected they would be open and free in declaring themselves on that point; since he had so readily complied with their request, and was determined to act the faithful part to them; hence the following reply:


Verse 5

Then they said to Jeremiah, the Lord be a true and faithful witness between us,.... Which is the form of an oath; a solemn appeal to God, as a witness to what they were about to say, and to the sincerity of their hearts in it; who is true to his word, and faithful to his promises and threatenings; and who bears a true and faithful testimony, and will do what is just and right; and yet these people never intended to perform what they promised; which is a most shocking piece of atheism in a professing people; and who, at this very time, could not but observe the judgments of God upon their nation, city, and temple:

if we do not even according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us; they promise to do everything the Lord should signify by the prophet as his will; and, if they did not, wish the severest judgments of God might fall upon them.


Verse 6

Whether it be good, or whether it be evil,.... Not morally good, or evil; for nothing but what is good, and not evil, in this sense, can come from God; but whether pleasantly or profitably good or evil; whether agreeable or disagreeable, pleasing or displeasing, advantageous or not; whether it seemed to them good or evil, be it what it would in their opinion and esteem:

we will obey the voice of the Lord our God, to whom we send thee; this was well spoken, had they been sincere in it; and had they implored and depended on the grace of God to have enabled them to obey; but they spoke not in the uprightness of their hearts; and, did they, it was with too much confidence of their own strength, and the power of their free will:

that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the Lord our God; they spoke as if they knew their own interest; for so it was, that it was well or ill with those people, as they obeyed or disobeyed the voice of the Lord; and yet they acted not according to it; and, what was worse still, did not intend it. What a wretched scene of hypocrisy is here!


Verse 7

And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah. Abarbinel thinks it was on the tenth day of the seventh month, the day of atonement, that the answer was returned; but it is clear, from the context, that it was ten days from the time the Jews applied to the prophet to inquire of the Lord for them, and he promised to do it, that this word came from the Lord to him; not that he was praying all this while, as some think; but, having spread the case before the Lord, he waited for an answer; which was deferred, that it might have the greater weight with it when it came; and that it might appear that it was not of the prophet himself, a device of his own; and chiefly this was to mortify these people, who were impatient of an answer; and whose hypocrisy the Lord knew; and whose disobedience he foresaw; and therefore did not think fit to give the answer directly, but keep them in suspense awhile.


Verse 8

Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah,.... That is, Jeremiah, as soon as he had received the answer from the Lord, called to Johanan; who, after the death of Gedaliah, was a person of the greatest authority, and had the command of the people, to come unto him, and hear what it was: he either called to him vocally and by name; or he sent a proper messenger to him, to meet him at some convenient place, to receive it; and not him only, but

all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people, from the least even unto the greatest; they were all convened together, as it was proper they should, to hear the word of the Lord; and the rather, since they all joined in a request to the prophet, Jeremiah 42:1.


Verse 9

And said unto them, thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel,.... That had chosen Israel; had a favour for that people, and bestowed many blessings on them, and continued in a covenant relation to them; and therefore what he said should be regarded by them. This preface is made by the prophet, to show that what he was about to say was not of himself, and in his own name; but was from the Lord, and who bore a good will to them; and therefore whatever he said should be taken in good part, and as what was best for them:

unto whom ye sent me, to present your supplication before him; or, "to cause your supplication to fall before him"F20להפיל תחנתכם לפניו "ut cadere facerem preces vestras coram ipso", Schmidt. ; to make it in the most humble and submissive manner; and which carries in it other arguments to engage them to obey the word of the Lord he brought to them; both because they had sent him to the Lord on this errand, to get a word from him; and by him had entreated him for it, in the most suppliant manner. The word from the Lord follows:


Verse 10

If ye will still abide in this land,.... In the land of Judea, their native country, where they had always lived, and where they continued when their brethren were carried captive; and yet they thought of going out of it, which the Lord knew; and therefore to encourage them to abide in it, and not think of departing into Egypt; that if they would take up their residence in it, and determine to continue there, he thus promises them:

then will I build you, and not pull you down: and I will plant you,

and not pluck you up; that is, they should be firm and stable, happy and prosperous; and abound with all kind of blessings, and increase in numbers, wealth, and riches. The metaphors are taken from building houses, and planting fields and vineyards:

for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you; not that he had done any unjust thing to them; or that he changed his mind concerning them; but that he had compassion on them, and would change his way and course of providence towards them, according to his unchangeable will.


Verse 11

Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid,.... Lest he should revenge the death of Gedaliah upon them, which was a groundless fear; see Jeremiah 41:18; or that they should be dealt hardly with by him, and be cruelly oppressed, and not able to live in subjection to him; see Jeremiah 40:9;

be not afraid of him, saith the Lord: who, being omniscient, knew they were; and, being omnipotent, a greater King than the king of Babylon, the King of king?, they had no reason to fear anything from him, since they were under his protection:

for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand; from his avenging and oppressing hand; though they were not to be delivered as yet from subjection to him, or being tributaries to him; which they might be, and yet dwell in peace and safety.


Verse 12

And I will show mercies unto you,.... Bestow blessings of goodness upon them, out of pure mercy and compassion to them, and not according to their merits; or I will cause others to show mercy to them, even the king of Babylon, as follows: God shows mercy to men when he stirs up the compassion of others towards them:

that he may have mercy upon you; and not avenge the death of Gedaliah, or any way cruelly oppress them, but show them all the favour they could wish for or expect under such a government, and in such circumstances; giving them vineyards and fields, and allowing them to gather the fruits of them, and enjoy them:

and cause you to return to your own land: this is said, not of the captives in Babylon, as Kimchi and Abarbinel, since these were not to return till seventy years were ended; and when they did, it was not by the order and direction of the king of Babylon, but of the king of Persia: this is said of those who, from the time that Jerusalem had been besieged, had deserted their houses and fields, but should have liberty to return to them; or of those who more lately had been carried captive by Ishmael, from the places where they had settled, but should be returned to them again, and live peaceably and comfortably there under the government and protection of the king of Babylon.


Verse 13

But if ye say, we will not dwell in this land,.... Or continue any longer in it, but go into Egypt:,

neither obey the voice of the Lord your God; or, "so as not to hearken to" or "obey", &c.F21לבלתי שמע "ita ut non auscultetis", Piscator, Cocceius; "ut non obediatis", Pagninus, Schmidt; "ut non audiatis", so some in Vatablus. ; for they did not say in so many words that they would not obey the voice of the Lord; they had promised they would; but resolving, against his declared will, that they would not abide in the land, but go into Egypt, was interpretatively saying they would not obey his voice.


Verse 14

Saying, no, but we will go into the land of Egypt,.... It was all one as if they had said, no, we will not obey the voice of the Lord to continue in our own land; we are determined to go into Egypt, induced by the following reasons:

where we shall see no war; either internal, or with a foreign enemy; as both of late in their own land, and which they feared would be again; but promised themselves exemption from both in the land of Egypt, and therefore coveted to dwell there:

nor hear the sound of the trumpet; neither hear of wars nor rumours of wars; not the sound of the trumpet in the armies of the enemy, or among themselves, to gather together and prepare for battle; or, as Jarchi thinks, the sound of the trumpet blown by the watchman, giving notice to the people of the approach of an enemy:

nor have hunger of bread; as they had had while Judea was invaded and Jerusalem besieged, and a foreign army in the land; and though they had no reason to fear this now, yet they thought they should be more out of the danger of it in Egypt, a fruitful country, overflowed by the Nile:

and there will we dwell; in peace, prosperity, and safety: this was their resolution, to go and abide there; and this their confidence, that such would be their happy state.


Verse 15

And now therefore hear the word of the Lord, ye remnant of Judah,.... A small remnant indeed, a few that were left in the land; who ought therefore to have admired the distinguishing goodness of Providence in preserving them in it; where they should have continued and made use of their privilege, to the glory of God and their mutual good:

thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; the Lord of armies above and below, the Lord God omnipotent, and so able to protect them in their land; and who had a peculiar favour to Israel, and stood in a particular relation to them, and therefore would do it, of which they had no reason to doubt; but, disobliging him, what judgments might they not expect?

if you wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt: are resolved upon it, and are actually engaged in it; turning their faces from Judea towards Egypt, and obstinately pursuing it, nor can be reclaimed from it: the phrase expresses their resolution, impudence, and obstinacy:

and go to sojourn there: to be sojourners and strangers there, as their fathers had been before; the remembrance of which was enough to set them against going into Egypt any more.


Verse 16

Then it shall come to pass,.... That the various judgments following should come upon them:

that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt; that is, the sword; of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, which they feared they should fall by in Judea; this should come after them in Egypt, and there overtake them, as it did; Egypt being destroyed by the king of Babylon, as it was foretold it should, Jeremiah 46:25;

and the famine, whereof you were afraid, shalt follow close after you there in Egypt; the famine they were afraid would come upon them in Judea, should pursue them, overtake them, seize on them, and cleave unto them, in Egypt; thus the evils they thought to escape, by moving from one place, should befall them in another; there is no fleeing from the presence, power, and hand of God:

and there ye shall die; either by the sword, or by famine, or by pestilence, as in the Jeremiah 42:17.


Verse 17

So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there,.... Not all that went into Egypt, but all that were resolutely set upon it; that were obstinately bent to go there, and did go, contrary to the express command of God; for otherwise there were some that were forced to go against their wills, as Jeremiah, Baruch, and no doubt others:

they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; three of the Lord's sore judgments; some should die by one, and some by another, and some by a third; all should die by one or the other:

and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them; that is, none of those who wilfully, and of their own accord, went down to Egypt; they all perished there, none could escape the hand of God, or the evil he determined to bring upon them; which is to be understood of the above judgments.


Verse 18

For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel,.... See Gill on Jeremiah 42:15;

as mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; like a large hasty shower of rain; or rather like melted metal, which suddenly and swiftly runs, and spreads itself, and burns and consumes with a violent heat; such was the wrath of God on Jerusalem, in the destruction of it by the Chaldeans:

so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt; as soon as they had well got there, quickly after they were settled there; for it was in the time of the then present king of Egypt, Pharaohhophra, and by the then present king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, that the destruction of Egypt was, in which these Jews suffered:

and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; men should be astonished at the hand of God upon them, reproach them for their sins; and when they made any imprecation on themselves, it would be in this form, if it be so, let the same calamities come upon me as upon the Jews in Egypt:

and ye shall see this place no more; and so their case would be worse than their brethren in Babylon; who, after a term of years were expired, would return to their own land, which these would never see any more.


Verse 19

The Lord hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah,.... Or, "unto you"F23עליכם "alloquitur vos", Junius & Tremellius; "ad vos", so some in Vatablus. ; by the mouth of the prophet; or, "against you"F24"Contra vos", Calvin. ; that which was contrary to their inclination and will, as follows:

go ye not into Egypt: this was the express command of God:

know certainly that I have admonished you this day; not to go into Egypt: or, "have testified unto you"F25העידתי בכם "contestatus sum vos", Montanus, Piscator, Cocceius. ; the will of God concerning this matter; and therefore they could not plead ignorance.


Verse 20

For ye dissembled in your hearts,.... Did not honestly and faithfully declare their intentions; they said one thing with their mouths, and meant another in their minds; they pretended they would act according to the will of God, as it should be made known to them by him, when they were determined to take their own way. Some render it, "ye have deceived me in your hearts"F26התעי־תאם בנפשותיכם "seduxistis me animis vestris", so some in Vatablus; "fefellistis me", Munster. So Ben Melech. ; the prophet, so Kimchi; by that which was in their hearts, not declaring what was their real intention and design: or, "ye have deceived your souls"F1"Fecistis errare animas vestras", Pagninus; "fefellistis", Calvin. ; you have deceived yourselves and one another; I have not deceived you, nor the Lord, but you have put a cheat upon your own souls: or, "you have used deceit against your souls"F2"Seduxeritis vos contra animas vestras", Schmidt. ; to the hurt of them, to your present ruin and everlasting destruction:

when ye sent me unto the Lord your God; the prophet did not go of himself, they desired him to go:

saying, pray for us unto the Lord our God; to be directed in the way they should go; so that the prophet did nothing but what they desired him to do:

and according to all that the Lord our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it; they pressed him to a faithful declaration of the will of God to them, and promised they would act according to it. Now he had done all this; he had been wire God, prayed unto him as they requested, and had brought them his mind and will, and made a faithful relation of it, and yet they did not attend to it; so that the deceit was not in him, but in them, as follows:


Verse 21

And now I have this day declared it unto you,.... The whole will of God, and had not kept back anything from them:

but ye have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God; or, "ye will not obey"F3ולא שמע־תאם "et tamen non vultis parere", Vatablus. ; the prophet knew they would not obey the command of the Lord not to go into Egypt, either by his conversation with them during the ten days the answer of the Lord was deferred, by which he plainly saw they were determined to go into Egypt; or by their countenances and behaviour, while he was delivering the Lord's message to them; by what he observed in them, he knew what was said was not agreeable to them, and that their mind was to go into Egypt: or he had this, as others think, by divine revelation; though without that he knew the cast of this people, and what a rebellious and disobedient people they were, and had been, never obeying the voice of the Lord:

nor any thing for which he hath sent me unto you: not anyone particular thing respecting this present affair; nor indeed any of his prophecies had they regarded, with which he had been sent to them before.


Verse 22

Now therefore know certainly,.... Or, "in knowing know"F4ידע תדעו "sciendo scietis", Schmidt; "sciendo sciatis", Pagninus, Montanus. ; they might assure themselves of this, that it would certainly come to pass, and most justly and deservedly; since it was at their own request the prophet sought the mind of the Lord for them, and had faithfully related it to them, and they had promised to observe it; wherefore, should they go into Egypt, as their inclination scented to be entirely that way, they must expect what follows:

that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; by one or other of these, or all of them; some by one, and some by another, as before threatened; evils they thought to escape by going thither, but which should surely follow them, and overtake them:

in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn; that is, in Egypt, to which they had a strong inclination, where they greatly desired to be, pleased themselves with the thoughts of, and which they chose of their own will and pleasure for their habitation.