Jeremiah 42 explained: Asking for Advice, Then Refusing It

A plea for guidance (vv. 1-6)

Babylon had destroyed Jerusalem and appointed a governor, Gedaliah, but a rebel murdered him, so the survivors feared the Babylonian king would punish them all. Their leaders ask Jeremiah to pray for direction and solemnly swear to obey the answer, whether it is pleasant or not.

Ten days of waiting (vv. 7-9)

Jeremiah does not answer on the spot but waits until he receives a message. Interpreters often see the delay as a sign that he was not simply giving his own opinion, and as time for the people to think.

Stay and be rebuilt (vv. 10-12)

Building and planting echo the words of Jeremiah's call in chapter 1, and God also promises to move the Babylonian king to treat them kindly. God says he has "relented" over the disaster, which many readers take to mean he is ready to stop punishing them, though what this says about God changing his mind is debated.

Egypt will not save you (vv. 13-18)

Egypt looked like a safe place with no war and plenty of food, and the old law had warned Israel against going back there. The warning is blunt: the war, hunger and disease they are running from will follow them, and they will become a byword people use when cursing.

Minds already made up (vv. 19-22)

Jeremiah charges them with deceiving themselves, since they asked for God's answer while privately set on going to Egypt. The next chapter shows they did go, and some scholars think these closing verses were spoken after the people had already openly rejected the message.

Key verse: Jeremiah 42:10

Something to think about

Have you ever asked someone for advice when part of you had already decided what you wanted to hear?