Jeremiah 42: Johanan’s Group is Told to Remain in Judah

11 - Jeremiah

Planting trees sapling seedsHebrew-English Text

I. Summary

Johanan and his group ask Jeremiah where Yahweh wants them to go. Yahweh tells them to remain in Judah and warns that they will die if they sojourn to Egypt.

II. Photo

Yahweh regrets destroying Judah: “If you remain in this land, I will build you and not overthrow, I will plant you and not uproot; for I regret the punishment I have brought upon you.” (v. 10)

III. Select Verses

1-3: Then all the army officers, with Johanan son of Kareah, Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah, and all the rest of the people, great and small, approached the prophet Jeremiah and said, “Grant our plea, and pray for us to the LORD your God, for all this remnant! For we remain but a few out of many, as you can see. Let the LORD your God tell us where we should go and what we should do.”

10-12: If you remain in this land, I will build you and not overthrow, I will plant you and not uproot; for I regret the punishment I have brought upon you.  Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you fear; do not be afraid of him — declares the LORD — for I am with you to save you and to rescue you from his hands.  I will dispose him to be merciful to you: he shall show you mercy and bring you back to your own land.

17: All the men who turn their faces toward Egypt, in order to sojourn there, shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. They shall have no surviving remnant of the disaster that I will bring upon them.

19-20:  The LORD has spoken against you, O remnant of Judah! Do not go to Egypt! Know well, then — for I warn you this day that you were deceitful at heart when you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to the LORD our God; and whatever the LORD our God may say, just tell us and we will do it.’

IV. Outline

1-3. Johanan’s group ask Jeremiah where to go

4. Jeremiah agrees to answer them

5-6. The group guarantees to listen

7-22. Oracle

    7-9. Jeremiah’s introduction to the answer, which comes 10 days later

    10-12. Remain and do not fear the king of Babylon, who will be merciful

    13-17. Those who flee to Egypt will die by the sword, by famine, or by plague

    18-22. Further condemnation, warning, and commands not to flee to Egypt

V. Comment

No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used

(see “Commentaries” page)

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