Jeremiah 42 16

Jeremiah 42:16 kjv

Then 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.

Jeremiah 42:16 nkjv

then it shall be that the sword which you feared shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt; the famine of which you were afraid shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there you shall die.

Jeremiah 42:16 niv

then the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow you into Egypt, and there you will die.

Jeremiah 42:16 esv

then the sword that you fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine of which you are afraid shall follow close after you to Egypt, and there you shall die.

Jeremiah 42:16 nlt

the very war and famine you fear will catch up to you, and you will die there.

Jeremiah 42 verses

Jeremiah 42 16 meaning

Jeremiah 42:16 declares God's solemn warning to the remnant of Judah: if they disobey His command to remain in Judah and instead flee to Egypt, the very dangers they seek to escape – the sword and famine – will relentlessly pursue and ultimately destroy them in Egypt. This verse underscores the futility of human plans when they contradict divine instruction, emphasizing that God's judgment is inescapable and precisely targets the areas of perceived human security. It is a direct statement of judgment, demonstrating that seeking refuge outside of God's revealed will leads directly to the prophesied demise.

Jeremiah 42 16 Context

Jeremiah 42:16 is spoken to the small remnant of Judah remaining after the destruction of Jerusalem and the subsequent assassination of Gedaliah, the governor appointed by Babylon. Fearing Babylonian reprisal for Gedaliah's death, and driven by a deeply ingrained historical tendency to seek security in Egypt, the people, led by Johanan, appealed to Jeremiah the prophet for a divine word. They swore they would obey whatever the Lord commanded. For ten days, Jeremiah waited and then delivered God's unequivocal message: they were to remain in Judah, trusting God for protection, and not go to Egypt. If they obeyed, God promised to bless and rebuild them. If they disobeyed and went to Egypt, then the very sword and famine they feared in Judah, and indeed fled from, would relentlessly pursue and consume them there. This specific verse warns of the inescapability of these divine judgments if they choose the path of disobedience. Culturally, Egypt had historically been seen as a powerful ally or a safe haven for Israel in times of trouble, a recurring temptation God consistently warned against.

Jeremiah 42 16 Word analysis

• then: Hebrew wə’āz (וְאָז). Indicates a consequential outcome. It signals a direct result or a precise moment when an action follows a preceding condition (their going to Egypt against God's will).

• it will come to pass: Hebrew wəhâyâ (וְהָיָה). A common prophetic idiom, indicating the certainty and definite fulfillment of what is about to be declared. It emphasizes the absolute nature of God's word.

• that the sword: Hebrew ḥerev (חֶרֶב). Represents warfare, violence, and particularly divine judgment. It symbolizes not merely an object, but the active instrument of God's wrath, often through foreign armies. In the ancient Near East, sword, famine, and pestilence were common, interconnected elements of divine judgment and societal collapse.

• of which you were afraid: Hebrew ’attem yə’ašṭem (אַתֶּם יְרֵאתֶם). Highlights the profound irony of their situation. Their very fear of the sword in Judah, driving them to seek refuge, becomes the instrument of their doom in their supposed safe haven. This reveals their attempt to escape God's decreed judgment through human wisdom.

• shall overtake you: Hebrew tadbîq (תַּדְבִּיק). From the root dbq, meaning "to cleave, cling, adhere, pursue and reach." This conveys an active, relentless, and inescapable pursuit. It suggests the judgment will stick to them, find them, and not let go, regardless of their location.

• there: Hebrew šām (שָּׁם). A simple adverb of place, emphasizing that this specific location (Egypt) will not be a sanctuary, but precisely where the judgment will find them.

• in the land of Egypt: Hebrew bə’erets Mitzrāyim (בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם). Explicitly names their desired place of refuge. This makes the prophecy unmistakably clear and leaves no room for misinterpretation of the location of judgment. It also directly confronts their false sense of security in Egypt.

• and the famine: Hebrew wəhārāʿāḇ (וְהָרָעָב). Another primary mode of divine judgment, often accompanying war. Like the sword, it's personified as an entity that pursues and brings about death.

• of which you were afraid: Repetition of ’attem yə’ašṭem (אַתֶּם יְרֵאתֶם). Reinforces the severe irony and their misguided motivations. This repeated phrase underscores that their escape plan only ensured they would encounter what they sought to avoid.

• shall follow close after you there in Egypt: Hebrew yiḏbaq ’aḥarêḵem šām bə’erets Mitzrāyim (יִדְבַּק אַחֲרֵיכֶם שָׁם בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם). Uses the same root dbq as "overtake," emphasizing an unrelenting and persistent chase. The judgment will adhere to them like a shadow, no matter where they hide within Egypt.

• and there you shall die: Hebrew wəšām tāmūṯū (וְשָׁם תָּמֻתוּ). The final, grim conclusion. "There" reiterates Egypt as the place of their demise. "Shall die" indicates a certain, universal end for all who disobey, solidifying the pronouncement of judgment.

• "then it will come to pass that the sword, of which you were afraid...": This opening sets a tone of inevitable prophetic fulfillment. The pairing of "sword" with "of which you were afraid" highlights the perverse irony. Their human attempt to avoid danger leads them directly into it, by rejecting God's instructions.

• "...shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt...": This phrase emphasizes the active and inescapable nature of God's judgment. It reveals that geographic relocation does not negate divine decree; God's reach and authority extend to every land, nullifying their assumption that Egypt could offer sanctuary.

• "...and the famine, of which you were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt...": This is a powerful literary parallelism that amplifies the first warning. The exact repetition of the cause of their fear ("of which you were afraid") and the place of judgment ("there in Egypt") deepens the sense of divine precision and the futility of their plan. The distinct actions "overtake" and "follow close after" suggest both immediate assault and persistent, consuming pursuit.

• "...and there you shall die.": This succinct phrase acts as a definitive and inescapable conclusion to their path of disobedience. The repetition of "there" (Egypt) as the place of death seals their fate and removes any remaining hope of safety outside of God's will. It’s the ultimate consequence, clearly articulated.

Jeremiah 42 16 Bonus section

The detailed response in Jeremiah 42, of which verse 16 is a part, highlights a crucial aspect of humanity's relationship with God: the temptation to "test" God while simultaneously having made up one's mind. The remnant explicitly asked Jeremiah to inquire of the Lord and vowed to obey "whatever the Lord your God says to us" (Jer 42:6). This demonstrates a superficial piety, seeking divine affirmation for a plan already formed, rather than genuine submission. God's response through Jeremiah exposes this duplicity, not only giving a clear command but also revealing the destructive futility of their intended actions. The language in verse 16 emphasizes personification, with the sword and famine depicted almost as relentless pursuers, an active force commissioned by God to hunt down and consume the disobedient. This also contrasts sharply with the earlier promise that God would "build you up and not pull you down" and "plant you and not uproot you" if they remained in Judah (Jer 42:10). The outcome hinges entirely on their obedience, reinforcing the covenantal nature of blessings and curses laid out in Deuteronomy. The prophecy in Jeremiah 42, and its fulfillment detailed later in Jeremiah 44, serve as a potent illustration that seeking "safety" through disloyalty to God leads to greater peril than facing an uncertain future in obedience to Him. It also serves as a warning against placing trust in worldly power (Egypt) over divine provision and command.

Jeremiah 42 16 Commentary

Jeremiah 42:16 is a poignant demonstration of divine irony and inescapable judgment. Faced with a choice between God's clear command to stay in Judah, trust Him, and receive blessing, or their own fearful inclination to flee to Egypt for safety, the people sought a word from the Lord. Yet, even as they sought His guidance, their hearts were set on their pre-determined course. This verse delivers the core of God's response to their intended disobedience: the very fears that propelled them towards Egypt—the sword and famine—would not only be present but would actively pursue and annihilate them within their chosen haven. God's sovereignty is emphasized; His judgment is not limited by borders or human designs for security. Relying on foreign powers like Egypt instead of on God was a recurring sin for Israel, and here, God makes it terrifyingly clear that such alliances would be disastrous. The prophecy signifies that true safety lies only within the bounds of obedience to God’s will, demonstrating that escaping His plan for security inevitably leads to His promised judgment. The warning is precise, relentless, and fatal, highlighting the severe consequences of rejecting God's word in favor of human perceived prudence.