Jeremiah 42:1-6 · Bible study
Jeremiah 42:1-6 Commentary: When Asking God Hides a Fixed Plan
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
The remnant asks Jeremiah to seek God's will, but their hearts are set on Egypt. A study in the difference between seeking God and using him.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A people who have already decided to flee to Egypt ask God for direction, promise to obey, and then rebel when the answer contradicts their plan.
- Key words: šĕ’ērît (remnant, a small surviving group), tĕḥinnâ (supplication, a plea for favor), šāma‘ (to hear/obey, repeated six times in the passage).
- Main debate: Whether the remnant was hypocritical from the start (Calvin, Gill) or initially sincere but later weak (Keil & Delitzsch).
- Theological theme: The danger of using prayer to validate a predetermined course of action rather than to submit to God's will.
- Best use: A cautionary text for small groups and sermons on seeking God's guidance honestly, without a hidden agenda.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
1Then all the commanders of the forces, along with Johanan son of Kareah, Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least to the greatest, approached
2Jeremiah the prophet and said, “May our petition come before you; pray to the LORD your God on behalf of this entire remnant. For few of us remain of the many, as you can see with your own eyes.
3Pray that the LORD your God will tell us the way we should walk and the thing we should do.”
4“I have heard you,” replied Jeremiah the prophet. “I will surely pray to the LORD your God as you request, and I will tell you everything that the LORD answers; I will not withhold a word from you.”
5Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act upon every word that the LORD your God sends you to tell us.
6Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, so that it may go well with us, for we will obey the voice of the LORD our God!”
WEB World English Bible 2000
1Then 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 to the greatest, came near,
2and said to Jeremiah the prophet, “Please let our supplication be presented before you, and pray for us to Yahweh your God, even for all this remnant, for we are left but a few of many, as your eyes see us,
3that Yahweh your God may show us the way in which we should walk, and the things that we should do.”
4Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, “I have heard you. Behold, I will pray to Yahweh your God according to your words; and it will happen that whatever thing Yahweh answers you, I will declare it to you. I will keep nothing back from you.”
5Then they said to Jeremiah, “May Yahweh be a true and faithful witness among us, if we don’t do according to all the word with which Yahweh your God sends you to tell us.
6Whether it is good, or whether it is bad, we will obey the voice of Yahweh our God, to whom we send you; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of Yahweh our God.”
KJV King James Version 1769
1Then 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,
2And 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:)
3That the Lord thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.
4Then 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.
5Then 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.
6Whether 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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
1Then 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,
2and said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we pray thee, our supplication be presented before thee, and pray for us unto Jehovah thy God, even for all this remnant (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us),
3that Jehovah thy God may show us the way wherein we should walk, and the thing that we should do.
4Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto Jehovah your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass that whatsoever thing Jehovah shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.
5Then they said to Jeremiah, Jehovah be a true and faithful witness amongst us, if we do not according to all the word wherewith Jehovah thy God shall send thee to us.
6Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of Jehovah our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of Jehovah our God.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
1And they come nigh--all the heads of the forces, and Johanan son of Kareah, and Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest--
2and they say unto Jeremiah the prophet, `Let, we pray thee, our supplication fall before thee, and pray for us unto Jehovah thy God, for all this remnant; for we have been left a few out of many, as thine eyes do see us;
3and Jehovah thy God doth declare to us the way in which we walk, and the thing that we do.'
4And Jeremiah the prophet saith unto them, `I have heard: lo, I am praying unto Jehovah your God according to your words, and it hath come to pass, the whole word that Jehovah answereth you, I declare to you--I do not withhold from you a word.'
5And they have said to Jeremiah, `Jehovah is against us for a witness true and faithful, if--according to all the word with which Jehovah thy God doth send thee unto us--we do not so.
6Whether good or evil, to the voice of Jehovah our God, to whom we are sending thee, we do hearken; because it is good for us when we hearken to the voice of Jehovah our God.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
1And 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 to the greatest,
2came near and said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication come before thee, and pray for us unto Jehovah thy God, for all this remnant (for we are left a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us);
3that Jehovah thy God may shew us the way wherein we should walk, and the thing that we should do.
4And Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard; behold, I will pray unto Jehovah your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass [that] whatsoever thing Jehovah shall answer you, I will declare it unto you: I will keep nothing back from you.
5And they said to Jeremiah, Jehovah be a true and faithful witness amongst us, if we do not even according to all the word for which Jehovah thy God shall send thee to us.
6Whether it be good or whether it be evil, we will hearken unto the voice of Jehovah our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us when we hearken unto the voice of Jehovah our God.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
1Then all the captains of the warriors, and Johanan the son of Caree, and Jezonias, the son of Osaias, and the rest of the people from the least to the greatest came near:
2And they said to Jeremiah the prophet: Let our supplication fall before thee: and pray thou for us to the Lord thy God for all this remnant, for we are left but a few of many, as thy eyes do behold us.
3And let the Lord thy God shew us the way by which we may walk, and the thing that we must do.
4And Jeremiah the prophet said to them: I have heard you: behold I will pray to the Lord your God according to your words: and whatsoever thing he shall answer me, I will declare it to you: and I will hide nothing from you.
5And they said to Jeremiah: The Lord be witness between us of truth and faithfulness, if we do not according to every thing for which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us.
6Whether it be good or 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 shall hearken to the voice of the Lord our God.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 42:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this passage presents a troubling gap between the remnant's words and their real intentions. Calvin states plainly that they acted much more culpably by coming to Jeremiah than if they had gone directly to Egypt, because they came either dissembling or in self-deceived hypocrisy. Gill adds that they never intended to obey if the answer contradicted their plan to flee. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown observes that they consulted God not to know what is right, but hoping he would authorize what they had already determined. Keil and Delitzsch offer a slightly softer reading: the people may have been genuinely uncertain about how to proceed, but their desire to go to Egypt was already deeply rooted. Even on this reading, the later rebellion (chapter 43) proves their promise hollow. All the consulted sources agree that whatever their initial sincerity may have been, the oath in verses 5-6 became a lie the moment the prophet delivered God's answer, because they refused to obey.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Outright hypocrisy: The remnant already planned to go to Egypt (Jer 41:16-18) and never intended to obey if God said no (Calvin, Gill, Matthew Henry).
- Initial sincerity, later failure: Keil & Delitzsch argue their request may not have been a farce; they may have hoped God would confirm their plan, but their obedience collapsed when the answer was hard.
- Psychological self-deception: A middle view: they were not fully aware of their own double-mindedness, as often happens when fear and desire cloud spiritual discernment.
What is clear: Whatever their initial sincerity, the remnant made a solemn promise to obey God's word, and then broke it when the answer contradicted their own plan.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Sincerity of the remnant's request | They approached Jeremiah with a request for prayer and guidance, invoking God's name. | Calvin, Gill, and Matthew Henry see outright hypocrisy and pretense from the start. Keil & Delitzsch allow that they may have been genuinely uncertain about details, though their desire for Egypt was already fixed. |
| The oath in verses 5-6 | The oath is a self-curse before God, invoking him as a 'true and faithful witness' to their promise of obedience. | Some argue the oath shows they meant to obey at that moment (the later rebellion was a change of heart). Others see the overstatement as a sign of insincerity, protesting too much. |
| Jeremiah's role and expectation | Jeremiah promises to pray and to deliver the full answer, keeping nothing back. | Whether Jeremiah already suspected their insincerity: Calvin thinks yes, based on the prophet's careful wording and the later outcome; others see no explicit evidence in the text. |
| The phrase 'Yahweh your/our God' | The shift from 'Yahweh your God' (v.2-3, spoken to Jeremiah) to 'Yahweh our God' (v.6) shows a move toward claiming the covenant relationship. | Some interpret this as a sign of growing sincerity; others as a hollow attempt to claim privilege without obedience. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The scene opens in the aftermath of catastrophe. Jerusalem has fallen to Babylon, its temple burned, its king exiled. The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah as governor of the remnant left in the land, but Gedaliah was assassinated by Ishmael son of Nethaniah, a man connected to the royal line. Johanan son of Kareah led a rescue party, retrieved the survivors (including Jeremiah and Baruch), and pursued Ishmael, who escaped to the Ammonites.
Now the remnant is camped at Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem, poised on the road to Egypt. They are terrified. The Babylonian reprisal for Gedaliah's murder could come at any moment. They see flight to Egypt as their only safety. Into this climate of fear steps Jeremiah, still the voice of Yahweh's word. The people's leaders, Johanan, Jezaniah (or Azariah, as some manuscripts read), and all the people from least to greatest, approach the prophet with a request that sounds strikingly pious. They want him to intercede with Yahweh for guidance: 'show us the way in which we should walk.'
The irony is sharp. They have already stopped at a place that points toward Egypt. Their request is genuine, but their hearts are already half-committed. This is the setting of the passage: a frightened, diminished people who want God's blessing on a plan they have already chosen. The surrounding context (Jeremiah 40-41) shows that these same leaders had earlier been warned through Gedaliah to serve Babylon peacefully. They rejected that counsel. Now they come again, asking for direction, but with the same unwillingness to hear an answer that requires submission.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note a textual variant concerning the name of one of the captains. In verse 1, the Hebrew reads Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah, but the Septuagint reads Azariah instead. Barnes and Keil & Delitzsch discuss whether a scribal error has occurred; the same person is called Azariah in Jeremiah 43:2. The Cambridge Bible suggests the reading Jezaniah may have arisen from a copyist who assumed the name must match the list in chapter 40. No other significant variants are noted in this passage.
Reception History
Christian interpreters have consistently read this passage as a warning against offering God conditional obedience. Calvin used it to expose the danger of approaching God with a dissembling heart, the very act of asking for guidance, he argued, can become a sin when the asker has no intention of obeying. Matthew Henry saw the remnant's behavior as a sad example of a good beginning ending in disobedience; he pointed to the contrast between their sweet words and their hard hearts. In the Reformed tradition, the passage is often paired with 1 Samuel 15 (Saul's partial obedience) to illustrate that God will not be mocked by promises made with no intention of keeping them. More broadly, the passage has served as a pastoral caution for anyone tempted to treat prayer as a means of getting God to sign off on a decision they have already made.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The request that sounds spiritual (vv. 1-3): The remnant comes with humility and urgency, asking Jeremiah to pray and to show them God's way. Their words are perfect, 'let our supplication fall before you,' 'pray for us,' 'show us the way.' But the heart is already leaning toward Egypt.
- The prophet who will not hold back (v. 4): Jeremiah promises to pray and to deliver the whole answer. He sets himself as a faithful messenger, keeping nothing back. This is the model of a true prophet, and a challenge to every teacher.
- The oath that will break (vv. 5-6): The people invoke God as a witness and swear to obey whether the word is good or bad. Their words are absolute, but they are spoken by a heart that has already made its choice. The chapter ends with their rebellion (43:1-7).
Five-point outline
- The setting: Fear drives the remnant to seek God (vv. 1-2).
- The request: A prayer for direction, but with strings attached (v. 3).
- The promise: Jeremiah commits to full disclosure (v. 4).
- The vow: A solemn oath of unconditional obedience (v. 5).
- The test: What happens when God's word says no? (foreshadowed in v. 6, realized in chapter 43).
Illustration hooks
- A couple asks a counselor whether they should marry. Their hearts are already set, but they want validation. The counselor gives an honest assessment, and they reject it.
- A job seeker prays for guidance but only forwards applications that match their preferred city. They call it faith; it is really self-direction with a religious veneer.
- Driving with a GPS that maps out the fast route, but you keep taking detours. You ask the GPS for directions, but you do not follow them.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know if I am truly seeking God's will or just asking him to bless my plan?
- What do I do when God's answer is the opposite of what I wanted?
- Does a sincere prayer for guidance count if I do not obey what I hear?
Leading a Discussion
This passage holds a mirror up to anyone who has ever prayed for guidance while holding an escape plan. The remnant's words are admirable: 'Whether it is good or bad, we will obey.' But we know the end of the story. As you read Jeremiah 42:1-6 together, notice the tension between the people's pious language and their fixed intentions. Let the passage ask you: do I really want God's will, or do I want God to want mine?
Discussion questions
- What do you notice about the way the remnant approaches Jeremiah? What words and phrases show respect or humility?
- Why do you think they call Yahweh 'your God' (Jeremiah's God) at first, and then switch to 'our God' in verse 6? What might that shift tell us about their attitude?
- In verse 3 they ask for 'the way in which we should walk.' What does that phrase suggest about their need for direction? How is it different from simply asking for safety?
- Jeremiah promises to 'keep nothing back.' Why is that an important commitment, both for the prophet and for anyone who speaks for God today?
- Look at the oath in verse 5. Why would they call God as a witness 'if we don’t do according to all the word'? Does the strength of the oath make you think they were sincere at that moment? Or does it sound like over-protest?
- What does 'whether it is good or evil' mean in context? (Wesley notes it means 'whether grateful or ungrateful to us.') How does this phrase test the reality of a person's commitment to obey?
- When have you found yourself praying for God's direction when your mind was already made up? What helped you to become honest with God and yourself?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| II Kings 25:23 | Now when all the captains of the forces, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan the son of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men. |
| Isaiah 29:13 | The Lord said, “Because this people draws near with their mouth and honors me with their lips, but they have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which has been taught; |
| Isaiah 48:1 | “Hear this, house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel, and have come out of the waters of Judah. You swear by Yahweh’s name, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness— |
| Isaiah 58:1 | “Cry aloud! Don’t spare! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Declare to my people their disobedience, and to the house of Jacob their sins. |
| Isaiah 58:2 | Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways. As a nation that did righteousness, and didn’t forsake the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous judgments. They delight to draw near to God. |
| Jeremiah 5:4 | Then I said, “Surely these are poor. They are foolish; for they don’t know Yahweh’s way, nor the law of their God. |
| Jeremiah 5:5 | I will go to the great men and will speak to them, for they know the way of Yahweh, and the law of their God.” But these with one accord have broken the yoke, and burst the bonds. |
| Jeremiah 6:13 | “For from their least even to their greatest, everyone is given to covetousness. From the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the people asking for God's counsel were already determined to leave Judea and only wanted to know the safest route. He sees their request as hypocrisy, since they had no intention of obeying what God might say. The Lord, however, takes their oath seriously and will hold them accountable.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights a distinctive Hebrew pronoun used here that appears nowhere else in the Old Testament but is standard
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin zeroes in on the hypocrisy of the people who ask Jeremiah to pray for God's guidance while already fixed on fleeing to Egypt. They disguise their settled resolve as humble inquiry, even swearing an oath to obey whatever God says, which only makes their later defiance more culpable. Such self-deception, Calvin warns, is a common trap for those who consult God merely to get their own wishes confirmed.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws attention to the blatant hypocrisy of these Jews. They swore a solemn oath, calling God as a true and faithful witness to their promise of complete obedience, yet they never meant to keep their word. Their request for divine guidance was a pretence to get God's sanction for a plan already fixed in their hearts.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes the people's hypocrisy: they ask for God's counsel through Jeremiah but have already settled on fleeing to Egypt, hoping for divine approval of their own plan. True piety, he observes, obeys God unconditionally, even when the command brings hardship.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch rejects the charge that the remnant's request for prayer was a hypocritical farce. They argue that God, who searches hearts, would have exposed pretense directly rather than giving the extended reply that follows, so the people’s request must have been sincere even if they expected a favorable answer.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange notes that the people's solemn promise to obey God's word must be understood as either hypocrisy or a sign they had already decided to flee to Egypt, only seeking confirmation of their route. Their oath invoked the Lord as both witness and judge, a role He would later fulfill when they rebelled.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that the people finally seek Jeremiah, but only to serve their own turn after disaster, not from genuine repentance. Though snatched like brands from the fire, their hearts remain stubbornly rebellious, and their solemn promise to obey God rings hollow given their long history of ignoring his prophets.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Good or evil - Whether grateful or ungrateful to us.