Jeremiah 42 18

Jeremiah 42:18 kjv

For 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.

Jeremiah 42:18 nkjv

"For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: 'As My anger and My fury have been poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so will My fury be poured out on you when you enter Egypt. And you shall be an oath, an astonishment, a curse, and a reproach; and you shall see this place no more.'

Jeremiah 42:18 niv

This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: 'As my anger and wrath have been poured out on those who lived in Jerusalem, so will my wrath be poured out on you when you go to Egypt. You will be a curse and an object of horror, a curse and an object of reproach; you will never see this place again.'

Jeremiah 42:18 esv

"For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: As my anger and my wrath were poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so my wrath will be poured out on you when you go to Egypt. You shall become an execration, a horror, a curse, and a taunt. You shall see this place no more.

Jeremiah 42:18 nlt

"This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies, the God of Israel, says: 'Just as my anger and fury have been poured out on the people of Jerusalem, so they will be poured out on you when you enter Egypt. You will be an object of damnation, horror, cursing, and mockery. And you will never see your homeland again.'

Jeremiah 42 verses

Jeremiah 42 18 meaning

Jeremiah 42:18 presents a stern warning from the LORD to the remnant of Judah contemplating flight to Egypt after the fall of Jerusalem. It declares that God's severe judgment, manifested as overwhelming wrath previously poured out on Jerusalem's inhabitants for their disobedience, will similarly be poured out on those who choose to go to Egypt. Their disobedience will result in them becoming a notorious example of divine curse, a cause for horror, shame, and irreversible banishment from the land of Judah.

Jeremiah 42 18 Context

Jeremiah 42:18 is situated immediately after the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon in 586 BC and the assassination of Gedaliah, the Babylonian-appointed governor. A fearful Jewish remnant, led by Johanan, seeks to escape further Babylonian retribution by fleeing to Egypt. They approach Jeremiah, solemnly vowing to obey whatever the LORD instructs through him. Jeremiah then delivers God's explicit command: remain in the land of Judah, where God promises protection and blessing. Conversely, he warns of devastating consequences – famine, sword, pestilence – if they disobey and flee to Egypt. Verse 18 is a central part of this powerful warning, directly paralleling Jerusalem's recent catastrophic judgment with the inevitable judgment awaiting those who, in their distrust, choose the path of disobedience by going to Egypt. The people's previous failures to trust God and obey His prophets culminated in the destruction of Jerusalem; now, in this moment of crisis, they face a final test of obedience and faith concerning their place and future.

Jeremiah 42 18 Word analysis

• For as My anger ('ap) and My wrath (ḥēmâ):
  • 'ap (אַף): Literally means "nose" or "nostril," figuratively represents fierce, burning anger (often visible as flared nostrils or a reddened face). It denotes a strong, visceral displeasure.
  • ḥēmâ (חֵמָה): Refers to heat, burning, or indignation. It conveys a more intense, passionate, often violent or destructive wrath. The combination emphasizes the depth and totality of God's righteous indignation against sin. These are not human passions, but God's holy response to unholy rebellion.
• have been poured out (nittĕḵâ):
  • nittĕḵâ (נִתְּכָה): From natak, meaning "to pour, cast, melt." Used here in the Niphal (passive) perfect tense. It vividly pictures a complete and irreversible outpouring, like molten metal, suggesting a full, unrestrained release of judgment. It signifies a comprehensive and destructive deluge, leaving nothing unaffected.
• on the inhabitants of Jerusalem:
  • A direct reference to the recent, devastating judgment experienced by Judah, serving as a chilling and undeniable precedent. This reminds the remnant of the very real consequences of past disobedience.
• so will My wrath be poured out on you when you go to Egypt:
  • Highlights the direct cause-and-effect relationship. The same divine justice applied to Jerusalem's rebellion will apply to their chosen disobedience. God's judgment is consistent. Their choice of refuge is a choice for the very judgment they seek to escape.
• and you will become an object of cursing (qĕlālāh):
  • qĕlālāh (קְלָלָה): Denotes a curse, execration, or imprecation. They will be designated by God as cursed, enduring its consequences, and becoming a public example. Their plight will be universally recognized as divine judgment, spoken of with dread.
• an object of horror (šammâ):
  • šammâ (שַׁמָּה): Means "desolation," "horror," "astonishment." Their state will be so grievous that it will inspire terror, shock, and dismay in those who witness or hear of it. They will become a frightful spectacle of destruction.
• a curse ('ālâ):
  • 'ālâ (אָלָה): Another term for curse, often with the connotation of an oath, a binding declaration of misfortune, or a self-imprecation. Here, it signifies the established reality of their cursed condition. It implies a deeper, foundational cursed state.
• and a reproach (ḥerpâ):
  • ḥerpâ (חֶרְפָּה): Meaning "disgrace," "shame," "scorn," or "taunt." Their suffering will bring them public dishonor and scorn from other nations, who will point to their condition as an example of folly and divine abandonment.
• and you will never again see this place (lō' tosîphū lirot 'et-hammāqôm hazzehod`):
  • lō' tosîphū: "you will not add/continue." The construction strongly indicates absolute finality.
  • This is the ultimate pronouncement of exile and banishment. Not only will they suffer, but they will be utterly cut off from their land, the place of God's covenant and promises, which they were so desperate to cling to (by going to Egypt, implicitly not remaining in the land). This loss represents spiritual and national destruction, contrasting sharply with God's offer of security if they stayed.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "My anger and My wrath have been poured out... so will My wrath be poured out on you": This parallelism emphasizes the unwavering nature of God's justice. The historical reality of Jerusalem's fall serves as a irrefutable proof and template for the future judgment. It removes any doubt about the certainty of the outcome for their impending disobedience.
• "object of cursing, an object of horror, a curse, and a reproach": The repetition and accumulation of these terms (qelalah, shammah, alah, herpah) intensifies the depiction of their future suffering and public degradation. It implies a multifaceted, thorough, and widely recognized judgment. They will be proverbially synonymous with divine wrath, serving as a grim lesson to all who observe.
• "never again see this place": This phrase captures the absolute finality and irreversible nature of their banishment. It signifies a complete severing of their ties to the Promised Land, marking an ultimate loss of their identity, inheritance, and proximity to God's presence as experienced in Judah. It represents a judgment so profound it precludes any hope of return for this disobedient group.

Jeremiah 42 18 Bonus section

The warning in Jeremiah 42:18 also reveals a significant theological truth: God’s character as just and true means His warnings are not empty threats but certain pronouncements for the disobedient. This specific incident acts as a final crucible for the remnant, a test of whether they learned anything from the nation's past failures and the recent destruction of Jerusalem. Their decision was a moment of choice between radical faith in Yahweh's protection in a war-torn land or reliance on human strength and a secular refuge. Ultimately, their choice for Egypt (as seen in Jer 43:7) was a rejection of the foundational covenant principle to obey God's voice (Deut 28). This act also reflects an enduring pattern of Israel seeking help from Egypt, despite historical warnings (e.g., in Deuteronomy and Isaiah), instead of relying on God's provision.

Jeremiah 42 18 Commentary

Jeremiah 42:18 serves as a chilling testament to the steadfastness of God's word and the severity of disobedience. The remnant's request for divine guidance in chapter 42 was a pretense, a means to justify a decision they had already largely made – to flee to Egypt for perceived safety from Babylonian retribution. God, through Jeremiah, exposes this disingenuousness, providing a clear path of faithful obedience (staying in Judah with His protection) and detailing the catastrophic consequences of their chosen path of self-reliance (fleeing to Egypt).

The reference to Jerusalem's recent desolation is not a casual mention but a crucial precedent. It anchors God's present warning in historical reality, showing that divine promises of protection for obedience and threats of judgment for rebellion are demonstrably true. God is consistent. Just as His 'anger and wrath' were 'poured out' comprehensively on Jerusalem for its iniquity, so too will a full, overwhelming judgment fall upon them if they defiantly seek refuge in idolatrous Egypt rather than trust Him in the land He assigned them.

The descriptive sequence—"object of cursing, an object of horror, a curse, and a reproach"—highlights not merely individual suffering but a public, notorious downfall. Their fate would become a byword, a living monument to the disastrous results of preferring human wisdom and security over the divine command. This warning directly challenges the common ancient Near Eastern practice of seeking alliances and protection from powerful nations like Egypt. God unequivocally asserts that He, not Egypt, is their only true protector, and rejecting Him for Egypt brings only further wrath. The ultimate tragedy articulated by "you will never again see this place" underscores the profound consequence of their spiritual rebellion: total alienation from the promised land, signaling an utter loss of their heritage and, by extension, God's covenant blessings associated with that land for that disobedient generation.