Jeremiah 42:7-18 · Bible study
Jeremiah 42:7-18 Commentary: Waiting on God's Word in Fearful Times
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why did God delay ten days? Study the structure, meaning, and pastoral implications of Jeremiah's message to the remnant after Gedaliah's murder.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God's word through Jeremiah offers life for obedience in the land and death for disobedient flight to Egypt.
- Key words: “ten days” (יָמִים); “I repent” (Niphal of נָחַם, relenting, not moral repentance); “set your faces” (שׂוֹם פָּנִים, resolute determination); “overtake” (נָשַׂג, pursue and catch).
- Main debate: Does the ten-day delay test the remnant's sincerity, or simply reflect God's sovereign timing? Commentators hold both as compatible.
- Theological theme: Obedience is the key to safety; fleeing from God's will into what we think is refuge brings judgment.
- Best use: Teaching on discerning God's will, the nature of prophetic inspiration, and the pastoral need to wait on God's timing.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
7After ten days the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah,
8and he summoned Johanan son of Kareah, all the commanders of the forces who were with him, and all the people from the least to the greatest.
9Jeremiah told them, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your petition:
10‘If you will indeed stay in this land, then I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I will relent of the disaster I have brought upon you.
11Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you now fear; do not be afraid of him, declares the LORD, for I am with you to save you and deliver you from him.
12And I will show you compassion, and he will have compassion on you and restore you to your own land.’
13But if you say, ‘We will not stay in this land,’ and you thus disobey the voice of the LORD your God,
14and if you say, ‘No, but we will go to the land of Egypt and live there, where we will not see war or hear the sound of the ram’s horn or hunger for bread,’
15then hear the word of the LORD, O remnant of Judah! This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you are determined to go to Egypt and reside there,
16then the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow on your heels into Egypt, and you will die there.
17So all who resolve to go to Egypt to reside there will die by sword and famine and plague. Not one of them will survive or escape the disaster I will bring upon them.’
18For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Just as My anger and wrath were poured out on the residents of Jerusalem, so will My wrath be poured out on you if you go to Egypt. You will become an object of cursing and horror, of vilification and disgrace, and you will never see this place again.’
WEB World English Bible 2000
7After ten days, Yahweh’s word came to Jeremiah.
8Then he called Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,
9and said to them, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your supplication before him, says:
10‘If you will still live in this land, then I will build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I grieve over the distress that I have brought on you.
11Don’t be afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Don’t be afraid of him,’ says Yahweh, ‘for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.
12I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy on you, and cause you to return to your own land.
13“‘But if you say, “We will not dwell in this land,” so that you don’t obey Yahweh your God’s voice,
14saying, “No, but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we will see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there we will dwell;”’
15now therefore hear Yahweh’s word, O remnant of Judah! Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says, ‘If you indeed set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to live there,
16then it will happen that the sword, which you fear, will overtake you there in the land of Egypt; and the famine, about which you are afraid, will follow close behind you there in Egypt; and you will die there.
17So will it be with all the men who set their faces to go into Egypt to live there. They will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence. None of them will remain or escape from the evil that I will bring on them.’
18For Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘As my anger and my wrath has been poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so my wrath will be poured out on you, when you enter into Egypt; and you will be an object of horror, an astonishment, a curse, and a reproach; and you will see this place no more.’
KJV King James Version 1769
7And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah.
8Then 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,
9And said unto them, Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him;
10If 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.
11Be 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.
12And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.
13But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the Lord your God,
14Saying, 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:
15And 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;
16Then 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.
17So 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.
18For 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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
7And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of Jehovah came unto Jeremiah.
8Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,
9and said unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him:
10If 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.
11Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith Jehovah: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.
12And I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.
13But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land; so that ye obey not the voice of Jehovah your God,
14saying, 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:
15now therefore hear ye the word of Jehovah, O remnant of Judah: Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, If ye indeed set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there;
16then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye fear, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt; and the famine, whereof ye are afraid, shall follow hard after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.
17So 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.
18For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: As mine anger and my wrath hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so shall my wrath 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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
7And it cometh to pass, at the end of ten days, that there is a word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah,
8and he calleth unto Johanan son of Kareah, and unto all the heads of the forces that are with him, and to all the people, from the least even unto the greatest,
9and he saith unto them, `Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me, to cause your supplication to fall before Him:
10`If ye do certainly dwell in this land, then I have builded you up, and I throw not down; and I have planted you, and I pluck not up; for I have repented concerning the evil that I have done to you.
11Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, whom ye are afraid of; be not afraid of him--an affirmation of Jehovah--for with you am I, to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.
12And I give to you mercies, and he hath pitied you, and caused you to turn back unto your own ground.
13`And if ye are saying, We do not dwell in this land--not to hearken to the voice of Jehovah your God,
14saying, No; but the land of Egypt we enter, that we see no war, and the sound of a trumpet do not hear, and for bread be not hungry; and there do we dwell.
15And now, therefore, hear ye a word of Jehovah, O remnant of Judah: Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel: If ye really set your faces to enter Egypt, and have gone in to sojourn there,
16then it hath come to pass, the sword that ye are afraid of, doth there overtake you, in the land of Egypt; and the hunger, because of which ye are sorrowful, doth there cleave after you in Egypt, and there ye die.
17`Thus are all the men who have set their faces to enter Egypt to sojourn there; they die--by sword, by hunger, and by pestilence, and there is not to them a remnant and an escaped one, because of the evil that I am bringing in upon them;
18for thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel: As poured out hath been Mine anger and My fury on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so poured out is My fury upon you in your entering Egypt, and ye have been for an execration, and for an astonishment, and for a reviling, and for a reproach, and ye do not see any more this place.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
7And it came to pass at the end of ten days, that the word of Jehovah came unto Jeremiah.
8And he called Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest,
9and said unto them, Thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel, to whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him:
10If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not overthrow [you], and I will plant you, and not pluck [you] up; for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.
11Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid: be not afraid of him, saith Jehovah; for I will be with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.
12And I will grant mercies to you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.
13But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land; so as not to hearken unto the voice of Jehovah your God,
14saying, 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 for bread; and there will we dwell;
15— and now, therefore, hear the word of Jehovah, ye remnant of Judah: thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: If ye really set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there,
16then it shall come to pass, that the sword which ye fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye are afraid, shall follow hard after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.
17And it shall be that all the men that have set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there 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.
18For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: As mine anger and my fury have 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.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
7Now after ten days, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah.
8And he called Johanan the son of Caree, and all the captains of the fighting men that were with him, and all the people from the least to the greatest.
9And he said to them: Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel, to whom you sent me, to present your supplications before him:
10If you will be quiet and remain in this land, I will build you up, and not pull you down: I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for now I am appeased for the evil that I have done to you.
11Fear not because of the king of Babylon, of whom you are greatly afraid: fear him not, saith the Lord: for I am with you, to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.
12And I will shew mercies to you, and will take pity on you, and will cause you to dwell in your own land.
13But if you say: We will not dwell in this land, neither will we hearken to the voice of the Lord our God,
14Saying: No, but we will go into the land of Egypt: where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor suffer hunger: and there we will dwell.
15For this now hear the word of the Lord, ye remnant of Juda: Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: If you set your faces to go into Egypt, and enter in to dwell there:
16The sword which you fear, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt: and the famine, whereof you are afraid, shall cleave to you in Egypt, and there you shall die.
17And all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt, to dwell there, shall die by the sword, and by famine, and by pestilence: none of them shall remain, nor escape from the face of the evil that I will bring upon them.
18For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: As my anger and my indignation hath been kindled against the inhabitants of Jerusalem: so shall my indignation be kindled against you, when you shall enter into Egypt, and you shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach: and you shall see this place no more.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 42:7
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree the ten-day delay between the people's request and Jeremiah's response is not a dramatic pause but a deliberate demonstration of prophetic dependence. Adam Clarke notes that prophets could not speak when they pleased, the gift was bound to divine timing. Calvin stresses that Jeremiah distinguished his own opinion from God's word. Barnes adds the delay likely allowed panic over Gedaliah's murder to settle, testing the people's sincerity. On the content, Keil and Delitzsch treat the passage as a unified conditional divine oracle: if the remnant stays in the land, God will build and plant them; if they set their faces toward Egypt, the very sword and famine they fear will overtake them there. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown observe that the evils we try hardest to escape by disobedience often overtake us precisely through that disobedience. The promise in v.11, “I am with you to save you”, is the theological center: God offers presence, not mere advice.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Prophetic delay as test of sincerity: The remnant's prior promise to obey (v.5-6) combined with the ten-day gap; commentators see the delay exposing their already-determined flight to Egypt.
- Prophetic delay as sovereign timing: Clarke and Keil & Delitzsch stress that the gift of prophecy is not at human disposal; the ten days simply mark when God chose to speak, with no implied test.
- God's repentance as anthropomorphic relenting: The Niphal of נָחַם expresses divine compassion that changes the course of judgment (cf. Jer 18:8); some traditions see a genuine change in God's response to human obedience.
- The conditional nature of the oracle: The ‘if…then’ structure (v.10-12, v.13-18) shows that God's promises and threats are contingent on human response; this is typical of covenant language and does not imply divine indecision.
What is clear: The core message is that obedience to God's word brings life and protection, while disobedient flight into self-chosen safety brings the judgment we tried to escape.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The ten-day delay | All commentators see the delay as intentional, demonstrating that Jeremiah did not speak from his own mind but awaited divine revelation. | Some (Clarke, Calvin) emphasize the dependence of the prophet on God's will; Barnes adds a pastoral motive, giving time for panic to subside. Keil and Delitzsch reject the notion that Jeremiah ‘lingered’ to strengthen his message; for them it is pure sovereign timing. |
| Meaning of 'I repent' (נִחַמְתִּי) | The verb is Niphal of נָחַם and refers to God relenting from judgment, not changing His moral nature. It is an anthropomorphic expression of compassion. | Wesley reads it as a change in providence: ‘I am satisfied with the punishment… and will change the course of my providence.’ Matthew Henry and Calvin treat it as a divine decision to stop the calamity, not an emotional change. Some modern readers ask if it implies a genuine change in God's plan (Arminian reading) or a condition-led application of an unchanging decree (Reformed reading). |
| Conditionality of the promise | The passage is structured as an if/then condition: staying brings blessing, going brings curse. The oracle is clearly conditional. | Some (JFB) stress that the condition is not just about location but about submission to Babylon as God's instrument (Dan 2:37-38). Others read it strictly as geography: the land itself is holy ground where God's presence abides. The debate touches on whether the remnant's obedience was to a political authority or to a divine command. |
| Fate of the remnant in Egypt | The text states that those who set their faces to Egypt will die by sword, famine and pestilence, and not return to Judah. | The extent of this judgment is debated: does it apply to everyone who goes, including Jeremiah and Baruch? JFB notes that a ‘small number’ (Jer 44:14,28) are excepted, those forced against their will or those who later fled Egypt. Most commentators see the judgment as corporate and conditional, not an absolute decree on every individual. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This passage falls in the chaos following Gedaliah's assassination. In 586 BC, Babylon had destroyed Jerusalem and exiled much of Judah, leaving only a poor remnant under Gedaliah as governor. Ishmael son of Nethaniah, a royalist, murdered Gedaliah at Mizpah. Johanan son of Kareah and his captains recaptured the remnant from Ishmael, but were terrified of Babylonian reprisal. They planned to flee to Egypt, a traditional refuge in times of famine or invasion, and asked Jeremiah to pray for direction, vowing absolute obedience (42:5-6).
The ten-day wait (v.7) is unique in Jeremiah's ministry; earlier consultations produced immediate answers (e.g., 21:3). The interval strips away presumption, forcing the remnant to sit with their fear. Egypt in the eighth century had lost the battle of Carchemish (605 BC) to Babylon and was no longer a safe haven. Yet the remnant hoped Egypt would be peaceful: no war, no trumpet, no hunger (v.14). The irony is thick, the place they trust for safety becomes the place of death. God's word through Jeremiah draws a sharp line: security comes not from geography but from obedience. The literary build in v.10-12 (conditional promise) and v.13-18 (conditional threat) matches the covenant pattern of blessing and curse found throughout Deuteronomy.
Keil and Delitzsch locate the passage within the larger “word of the LORD” tradition, where prophetic speech is not human reasoning but divine response. The remnant's question was sincere in appearance, but their hearts were already set on Egypt; the delay exposed their unwillingness to trust God in the land.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants affecting the meaning of Jeremiah 42:7-18. The Cambridge Bible mentions that Du. (probably Duhm) considers v.15-18 as an addition and v.9-14 as containing editorial material, but this view is not adopted by most commentators represented here, Keil and Delitzsch, Calvin, Barnes, and Clarke all treat the passage as a unified composition. The Hebrew text is consistent across manuscripts for the key elements: the ten-day interval, the double condition (stay/go), and the concluding threat.
Reception History
Jeremiah 42:7-18 has been read across traditions as a powerful lesson on waiting for divine guidance and the danger of resorting to worldly solutions in times of fear. The early church saw in the ten-day delay a pattern for patience in prayer, the prophet did not presume to speak before God spoke. Augustine referenced the passage to argue that even the holiest prophets could not command God's word at will. In the Reformation, Calvin used it to argue that human wisdom, however reasonable, must submit to God's revealed will even when it seems dangerous. Matthew Henry and the Puritans drew from v.11 (“I am with you to save you”) to comfort those facing political persecution, reminding them that God's presence is the true refuge. In modern preaching, the passage is often cited to warn against making decisions based on fear rather than faith, especially in crises. The image of fleeing to Egypt, the place of past bondage, as a supposed safe haven is a recurring type in sermons on spiritual compromise.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God's word comes in God's time (v.7). The ten days teach that prophetic inspiration is not mechanical. Jeremiah waited, and the wait tested the remnant's sincerity. We cannot rush divine guidance. When we pray for direction, silence is not absence, it is preparation.
- Stay and be safe; flee and be lost (v.10-12, 13-18). The condition is stark. Staying in the land means being built and planted; God even says He relents from the disaster He brought. Fleeing to Egypt brings the very horrors they ran from. Obedience locates us under God's protection, not our own strategy.
- Fear of the wrong enemy drives us to the wrong refuge (v.11, 14). The remnant feared Babylon's sword, so they ran toward Egypt's peace. But God says, “Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon; I am with you.” Their real fear should have been disobeying God, not a human king.
Five-point outline
- God's silence has purpose. Ten days of waiting, the people had already made up their minds. God delayed to expose the gap between their words (“we will obey”) and their hearts.
- God's promise requires a response. The verb “if you will still live” (v.10) is a conditional, not a guarantee. God builds and plants only those who stay.
- Fear distorts our perception of safety. The remnant thought Egypt was war-free, but Babylon's sword reached there too. The thing we fear can become the thing that pursues us when we run from God.
- God's compassion does not cancel consequences. “I grieve over the distress” (v.10) shows God's heart, yet the warning of death in Egypt stands. Grace does not remove the need for obedience.
- Setting your face matters. The idiom “set your faces” (v.15) implies resolute determination. A resolved course of action apart from God leads to ruin; a resolved course with God leads to building and planting.
Illustration hooks
- A GPS recalculating: you keep ignoring the spoken directions because you think you know a shortcut, and end up in a dead end. The remnant kept planning while God spoke.
- A doctor's waiting room: ten days of waiting for test results, during which your mind races to worst-case scenarios. The remnant filled the ten days with fear and planning instead of prayerful trust.
- Moving to a new city for a job you prayed about, but ignoring the quiet hesitation you felt; later you realize the move was running from something God wanted you to face where you were.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know if I am waiting on God or just stalling?
- What do I do when I ask God for direction but already know what I want to do?
- Is God ever disappointed in me even when He shows compassion?
Leading a Discussion
Before reading Jeremiah 42:7-18, remind your group that the remnant had just sworn to obey whatever God said through Jeremiah (42:5-6). But they had already decided to go to Egypt. This passage challenges us to examine how we seek God's will when our minds are made up.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What did the remnant ask Jeremiah to do (v.1-3)? What specific promise did they make to God before He answered?
- Observation: How long did it take for God's word to come? (v.7) How did Jeremiah deliver it? (v.8-9)
- Interpretation: Why do you think God delayed the answer by ten days? What does this reveal about the nature of prophecy and of prayer? (See Clarke, Calvin on this point.)
- Interpretation: In v.10, God says “I repent of the evil that I have done to you.” What does this phrase mean? Does God change His mind? How does this relate to His earlier judgments on Jerusalem?
- Interpretation: The people expected safety in Egypt (v.14). How does God turn their expectations upside down in v.16-17? What is the irony?
- Application: When have you asked for guidance while already determined to follow your own plan? What helped you recognize that gap?
- Application: The core promise in v.11 is “I am with you to save you.” How would trusting God's presence change your decisions when you are afraid of a specific outcome or person?
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)
| Psalms 27:14 | Wait for Yahweh. Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for Yahweh. |
| Isaiah 28:16 | Therefore the Lord Yahweh says, “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure foundation. He who believes shall not act hastily. |
| Habakkuk 2:3 | For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hurries toward the end, and won’t prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it, because it will surely come. It won’t delay. |
| Jeremiah 40:8 | then Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men came to Gedaliah to Mizpah. |
| Jeremiah 40:13 | Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, |
| Jeremiah 41:11 | But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done, |
| Jeremiah 41:16 | Then Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces who were with him took all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after he had killed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam—the men of war, with the women, the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibeon. |
| Jeremiah 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 to the greatest, came near, |
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
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights a key principle: prophecy and miracles were not at human disposal but depended entirely on God's will and timing. He also stresses that God's repentance means punishment stops the moment people obey, and fleeing to Egypt would bring the very calamities they feared.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the ten-day delay in Jeremiah's answer was a providential pause to calm the people's panic after Gedaliah's murder, not indecision. Jeremiah's reply remained consistent with his earlier prophecies: fleeing to Egypt would not escape the sword and famine, which would instead pursue them there. God's compassion would come through the king of Babylon, not through Egypt.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin pinpoints the people's unbelief as the root of their rebellion: they distrusted God's promise of safety in the land and trusted their own plans for Egypt. He notes that God graciously added a promise of their good to the command, yet they remained obstinate. Their rejection of His counsel made them doubly guilty.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentator highlights how Jeremiah waited ten full days before giving God's answer, drawing a sharp line between his own settled opinion and a fresh divine revelation. The point is that true prophecy requires patient waiting for God to speak, not rushing in with human judgment.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that God deliberately waited ten days before answering Jeremiah, not because the prophet was praying all that time, but to give the reply greater weight and show it was from God alone. The delay also mortified the impatient people, whose hypocrisy God already knew.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB emphasizes that Jeremiah's ten-day delay before answering proves his inspiration—a self-reliant man would have spoken at once. This pause tested whether the people's pledge to obey was genuine, for true obedience submits not only to God's way but also to his appointed time.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch insists the ten-day delay in God's reply was not for Jeremiah to reach his own conviction through meditation. They argue the waiting was disciplinary: it gave the
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley explains that when Scripture speaks of God repenting, it means He is satisfied with the punishment already inflicted and will change how He governs from this point forward. The shift is in His outward providence, not in His eternal purpose.