Jeremiah 42 10

Jeremiah 42:10 kjv

If 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.

Jeremiah 42:10 nkjv

'If you will still remain 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 relent concerning the disaster that I have brought upon you.

Jeremiah 42:10 niv

'If you stay in this land, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I have relented concerning the disaster I have inflicted on you.

Jeremiah 42:10 esv

If you will remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I relent of the disaster that I did to you.

Jeremiah 42:10 nlt

'Stay here in this land. If you do, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you. For I am sorry about all the punishment I have had to bring upon you.

Jeremiah 42 verses

Jeremiah 42 10 meaning

This verse conveys God's conditional promise of restoration to the Jewish remnant remaining in Judah after Jerusalem's fall. If they demonstrate faithful obedience by staying in their ravaged land, God pledges to build them up and establish them securely, rather than destroying or displacing them. His decision to "relent" concerning the disaster He previously brought upon them signifies a compassionate reversal from judgment to mercy, contingent upon their trust and obedience to His command to remain in the land.

Jeremiah 42 10 Context

Jeremiah 42 is set after the catastrophic fall of Jerusalem to Babylon in 586 BC. The Babylonian army had destroyed the city, temple, and deported most of the populace, leaving a remnant under a Jewish governor, Gedaliah. However, Gedaliah was assassinated, prompting widespread fear among the remaining Jews of Babylonian reprisal. These leaders, including Johanan, approach Jeremiah, ostensibly seeking God's guidance on whether to flee to Egypt. Despite their public vow to obey God's word, they harbored an inner desire to seek safety in Egypt. Jeremiah's message, after ten days of seeking the Lord, directly confronts this desire, clearly stating that remaining in the desolated land of Judah, and trusting in God there, is the only path to blessing and preservation. To go to Egypt, he warns, is to invite the very destruction they are trying to escape. Verse 10 is the core of this promise of blessing if they obey God's instruction to stay.

Jeremiah 42 10 Word analysis

• For if you will surely remain (כִּי אִם־שֹׁב תֵּשְׁבוּ - ki im-shov teshevu):
  • כִּי אִם־ (ki im-): "For if." Introduces a strong conditional clause, emphasizing the requirement for God's promised action.
  • שֹׁב תֵּשְׁבוּ (shov teshevu): An infinitive absolute used for emphatic affirmation, meaning "you will certainly remain" or "if you do indeed remain." It stresses the deliberate, decisive action required of the remnant. The verb root yashav (to dwell, sit, remain) points to a stable, fixed presence.
  • Significance: This is not a casual suggestion but a vital, emphatic precondition for divine favor, requiring active obedience and trust in dire circumstances.
• in this land (בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת - ba'aretz hazzot):
  • בָּאָרֶץ (ba'aretz): "In the land."
  • הַזֹּאת (hazzot): "This."
  • Significance: Specifically designates the land of Judah, ravaged and seemingly hopeless. Remaining there, against all human logic and natural inclination to flee, signifies a profound act of faith in God's power and promise concerning His chosen land.
• then I will build you (וּבָנִיתִי אֶתְכֶם - uvaniti et'chem):
  • וּבָנִיתִי (uvaniti): "And I will build." From banah, to build, establish, make fruitful. A perfect verb here acting consequentially for the future.
  • אֶתְכֶם (et'chem): "You" (plural).
  • Significance: A powerful metaphor for the restoration of a devastated people, signifying not merely physical reconstruction but the re-establishment of family, community, and national identity, bringing prosperity and stability.
• and not pull you down (וְלֹא אֶהֱרוֹס - velo eh'ros):
  • וְלֹא (velo): "And not."
  • אֶהֱרוֹס (eh'ros): "I will pull down/destroy." From haras, to tear down, demolish, overthrow.
  • Significance: The direct antithesis to "build," ensuring an end to the divine judgment that had led to their societal collapse. This promise guarantees freedom from further destruction from God's hand.
• I will plant you (וְנָטַעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם - venatati et'chem):
  • וְנָטַעְתִּי (venatati): "And I will plant." From nata', to plant, to firmly set. Another perfect verb used in a future, consequential sense.
  • Significance: A rich agricultural metaphor for secure, deep-rooted habitation, growth, and flourishing. It promises permanence and a vibrant future for a people often uprooted.
• and not uproot you (וְלֹא אֶתּוֹשׁ - velo ettosh):
  • וְלֹא (velo): "And not."
  • אֶתּוֹשׁ (ettosh): "I will uproot/pluck up." From natash, to uproot, pull out, cast away.
  • Significance: The counterpoint to "plant," this reassures them that they will no longer face displacement or forced migration, promising secure, lasting settlement in the land, a stark contrast to their recent exile experience.
• for I relent (וְנִחַמְתִּי - venichamti):
  • וְנִחַמְתִּי (venichamti): "And I have relented/will relent." From the Niphal of nacham, meaning "to be sorry, regret, comfort." When applied to God, it implies a change in His disposition or posture from impending or current judgment to mercy and compassion, due to a change in the people's actions (e.g., repentance or obedience). It is an anthropomorphic expression of divine compassion, not a change in God's immutable nature.
  • Significance: This is a crucial declaration of God's readiness to withdraw His punitive hand. It indicates profound compassion and a desire to bless, rather than continuing judgment, if His conditions are met.
• concerning the disaster that I have brought upon you (אֶל־הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי לָכֶם - el ha'ra'ah asher asiti lachem):
  • הָרָעָה (ha'ra'ah): "The disaster/calamity/evil." Refers to the recent judgments—war, famine, plague, destruction, and exile—that had decimated Judah.
  • אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי לָכֶם (asher asiti lachem): "That I have done to you/brought upon you."
  • Significance: God explicitly states He was the active agent behind the calamities, underscoring His sovereignty over all events, including their suffering. His relenting, therefore, is from His own active punitive measures, demonstrating His power to both execute judgment and withhold it.
• Phrasal Analysis ("build you and not pull you down; I will plant you and not uproot you"):
  • This dual parallelism creates a powerful merism, encompassing the entirety of their communal well-being. It is a promise of complete, secure, and enduring restoration, touching every aspect of their existence, moving from a state of divine opposition to one of divine partnership and blessing. This language counters the despair of a nation that has witnessed wholesale destruction and displacement.

Jeremiah 42 10 Bonus section

This verse masterfully employs antithetical parallelism, contrasting "build" with "pull down" and "plant" with "uproot." This rhetorical device powerfully illustrates the complete reversal of fortune God promises. It transforms a landscape of destruction and uprooting into one of growth and stability, directly mirroring the dual commission Jeremiah himself received in Jer 1:10—to pluck up and to break down, but also to build and to plant. The conditional nature ("if you will surely remain") highlights that divine grace often operates within a framework of human response. It is a testament to God's desire for reconciliation and restoration, even with a people whose rebellion led to severe consequences, provided they choose obedience. This promise acts as a crucial test of their faith, challenging them to believe in God's power to restore the desolate land over the perceived security of Egypt.

Jeremiah 42 10 Commentary

Jeremiah 42:10 encapsulates a vital moment of choice for the post-destruction remnant of Judah. God's message through Jeremiah directly challenges their human-driven fear and desire to seek security in Egypt, presenting a clear, faith-based alternative. The emphatic language ("surely remain") underscores the profound significance of their obedience. By remaining in the desolated land, they would implicitly declare trust in God's sovereignty and His covenant promises for that land, even amidst ruin. In return, God promises to shift His disposition from one of judgment to one of mercy, symbolized by His pledges to "build" and "plant" them, assuring stability, growth, and enduring presence. The phrases "not pull you down" and "not uproot you" confirm the cessation of His disciplinary hand. God's act of "relenting" from the disaster He initiated emphasizes His compassion and willingness to cease His corrective measures once the conditions for renewal are met. This passage is a timeless declaration: genuine safety, prosperity, and restoration are found not in human strategizing or fleeing difficulties, but in obediently trusting God and remaining in the place of His command, even when it appears desolate.