Jeremiah 42 13

Jeremiah 42:13 kjv

But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God,

Jeremiah 42:13 nkjv

"But if you say, 'We will not dwell in this land,' disobeying the voice of the LORD your God,

Jeremiah 42:13 niv

"However, if you say, 'We will not stay in this land,' and so disobey the LORD your God,

Jeremiah 42:13 esv

But if you say, 'We will not remain in this land,' disobeying the voice of the LORD your God

Jeremiah 42:13 nlt

"But if you refuse to obey the LORD your God, and if you say, 'We will not stay here;

Jeremiah 42 verses

Jeremiah 42 13 meaning

Jeremiah 42:13 presents a crucial conditional warning to the Jewish remnant who had approached Jeremiah for divine guidance. It states that if they consciously decide to reject God's clear command to remain in the land of Judah and declare their intention to leave, specifically stating, "No, we will not remain in this land," then this action constitutes direct and willful disobedience against the expressed word and authority of the LORD their God. This verse immediately sets up the consequences of such a rebellious choice, which are elaborated in the subsequent verses. It highlights the serious implications of ignoring divine direction, especially after having sought it.

Jeremiah 42 13 Context

Jeremiah 42:13 occurs immediately after a pivotal moment in the history of the Jewish remnant left in Judah following the Babylonian conquest and the assassination of Gedaliah, the Babylonian-appointed governor. Fearing Babylonian reprisal for Gedaliah's death, a desperate remnant, led by Johanan, along with "all the people, from the least to the greatest," approached the prophet Jeremiah. They specifically requested that he "pray to the LORD your God for us" (Jer 42:2), promising with an oath, "Whether it is good or bad, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the LORD our God" (Jer 42:6).

Jeremiah prayed for ten days, and then God gave a clear command: "Remain in this land; I will build you up and not pull you down, I will plant you and not uproot you" (Jer 42:10). God promised protection from the King of Babylon if they stayed but sternly warned them against going to Egypt: "But if you say, 'No, we will not remain in this land,' thereby disobeying the voice of the LORD your God, and saying, 'No, but we will go to the land of Egypt..." (Jer 42:13-14). This verse thus marks the point where the people's stated intention to obey God's voice (given before receiving it) is directly challenged by their inner desire to follow their own counsel, choosing to seek perceived safety in Egypt rather than trusting in the LORD's explicit promise of protection in Judah. Historically, fleeing to Egypt was often a move of political pragmatism, a denial of God's power and sovereignty over nations, and a direct rejection of the covenant relationship. It also reflected a tendency to rely on human strength or alliances rather than divine providence, a polemic against common Near Eastern political strategies of the time.

Jeremiah 42 13 Word analysis

• But if you say: (וְאִם־תֹּאמְר֖וּ, vĕ'im-tō'mĕrū)
  • וְאִם (vĕ'im): "But if" or "And if". The conjunctive 'וְ' (vĕ) marks a strong shift, introducing a clear alternative and a stark choice. It immediately indicates a departure from the previously stated commitment to obey.
  • תֹּאמְרוּ (tō'mĕrū): "you (all) say/will say". This is an imperfect verb, suggesting a potential or ongoing action. It indicates a decision made and vocalized, a direct utterance from the remnant. Their intention to reject God's command will be articulated clearly. It emphasizes active, deliberate choice.
• 'No, we will not remain: (לֹ֥א נֵשֵׁ֖ב, lō' nēšēb)
  • לֹא (lō'): "No, not". This is an emphatic negative. It conveys absolute refusal and direct contradiction to God's command to stay. It shows their resolute rejection of divine instruction.
  • נֵשֵׁב (nēšēb): "we will sit/dwell/remain". This refers to settling, inhabiting, or continuing in a place. It's the opposite of what God commanded—to remain. Their explicit statement denies God's clear directive.
• in this land,': (בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את, bā'āreṣ hazzō't)
  • בָּאָרֶץ (bā'āreṣ): "in the land". Specifically refers to the land of Judah, the land of promise and covenant. It's the place where God instructed them to stay, and from where He would rebuild them.
  • הַזֹּאת (hazzō't): "this". Emphasizes the specific place God designated for their security and blessing. Their rejection is specifically of God's plan for this particular land.
• thereby disobeying: (לְבִלְתִּ֞י לִשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ בְּק֣וֹל, lĕbiltî lišmōa` bĕqōl)
  • לְבִלְתִּי (lĕbiltî): "so as not to". This phrase signifies "so that... not" or "for not doing/hearing." It highlights the consequence of their stated decision—that it leads directly to a failure to obey. It clearly attributes their decision to a direct act of disobedience. It's not passive, but a deliberate choice not to hear or comply.
  • לִשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹל (lišmōa` bĕqōl): "to listen/obey the voice of". This is a common Hebrew idiom meaning to hear and obey (not just to perceive sound). To "listen to the voice of" someone means to be subordinate to them and carry out their commands. Their intended action of not remaining is defined as failing to listen to—and thus, disobeying—God's authoritative command.
• the voice of the LORD your God,": (יְהוָ֔ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם, Yahweh 'ĕlōhêkem)
  • יְהוָה (Yahweh): "LORD" (the Tetragrammaton). Refers to the personal, covenantal God of Israel. Emphasizes His absolute authority, faithfulness, and the covenant relationship they were bound by. Disobeying His voice is a breach of covenant.
  • אֱלֹהֵיכֶם ('ĕlōhêkem): "your God". The possessive "your" highlights the personal relationship and responsibility the remnant had towards Him. It underscores that they were acting against the very God who delivered their ancestors and with whom they had a special relationship.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "But if you say, 'No, we will not remain in this land,' " This phrase establishes the conditional nature of God's warning, hinging entirely on their conscious, verbalized decision. It portrays the direct contradiction of their human will against God's explicit instruction to stay in Judah. It reveals their self-reliant stance, prioritizing their perceived safety over divine providence, demonstrating a lack of trust in God's promises despite their previous plea for divine guidance.
• "thereby disobeying the voice of the LORD your God," This immediately clarifies the theological implication of their stated intention. Their rejection of God's spatial directive ("in this land") is precisely equivalent to "disobeying the voice" of the One who is not merely a distant deity but their covenantal God, Yahweh Elohim. This choice breaks the sacred covenant and disregards His sovereign authority. It reveals their rebellion not merely as a practical decision but a spiritual one, rejecting the source of true guidance and protection.

Jeremiah 42 13 Bonus section

The historical decision of the remnant to go to Egypt (which they indeed did, as narrated in Jeremiah 43) ultimately mirrors the unfaithfulness and rebellion that led to the earlier Babylonian exile of Judah. Despite having witnessed the catastrophic consequences of prior generations' disobedience, they repeat the pattern. This verse, therefore, highlights the cyclical nature of sin and rejection of God's sovereignty when fear and human reason eclipse faith. It also demonstrates God's respect for human free will, even in the face of self-destructive choices, while simultaneously outlining the inescapable consequences of those choices. The prophet Jeremiah's persistent intercession for them and God's clear, detailed instructions, followed by their defiant refusal, emphasize the tragic depth of their stubbornness and hardening of heart against divine truth. Their desire for safety ironically leads them into greater danger and God's judgment.

Jeremiah 42 13 Commentary

Jeremiah 42:13 is a pivotal moment defining the future of the Jewish remnant and serving as a timeless warning about the nature of true faith and obedience. The verse exposes the dangerous inclination to seek divine guidance only to confirm preconceived notions or desired outcomes, rather than with genuine readiness to submit. The people had solemnly sworn to obey whatever the LORD commanded (Jer 42:6), yet Jeremiah 42:13 directly confronts their likely betrayal of that promise.

The choice presented to the remnant—staying in Judah under God's protection or fleeing to Egypt—was not merely geographical or political. It was fundamentally spiritual, demanding a choice between trust in Yahweh's word and self-reliance fueled by fear and human reason. God's command to remain was a call to faith, promising rebuilding and protection in a land now devastated and perceived as dangerous. Fleeing to Egypt, conversely, represented a rejection of this faith, placing confidence in a pagan nation, ironically the very land of their historical bondage, rather than in the Liberator God.

The phrase "disobeying the voice of the LORD your God" underscores the gravity. It is not just about defying an instruction but spurning a relationship, breaching a covenant. This disobedient choice sets the stage for severe consequences detailed in the subsequent verses (Jer 42:15-18), illustrating that persistent, willful rejection of God's clear word, especially after actively seeking it, invites judgment. The irony is poignant: they asked God for the way to well-being, but when His way contradicted their desires, they chose a path that ultimately led to the very destruction they sought to avoid.