Jeremiah 42:2 kjv
And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:)
Jeremiah 42:2 nkjv
and said to Jeremiah the prophet, "Please, let our petition be acceptable to you, and pray for us to the LORD your God, for all this remnant (since we are left but a few of many, as you can see),
Jeremiah 42:2 niv
Jeremiah the prophet and said to him, "Please hear our petition and pray to the LORD your God for this entire remnant. For as you now see, though we were once many, now only a few are left.
Jeremiah 42:2 esv
and said to Jeremiah the prophet, "Let our plea for mercy come before you, and pray to the LORD your God for us, for all this remnant ? because we are left with but a few, as your eyes see us ?
Jeremiah 42:2 nlt
Jeremiah the prophet. They said, "Please pray to the LORD your God for us. As you can see, we are only a tiny remnant compared to what we were before.
Jeremiah 42 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 7:23 | "But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people..." | God's expectation of obedience |
| Psalm 25:4 | "Make me to know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths." | Seeking divine instruction |
| Isaiah 30:21 | "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,'..." | God's direct guidance |
| Micah 6:8 | "He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?" | God's requirements |
| Deuteronomy 18:15 | "The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear." | God's prophet |
| Acts 3:22 | "...for Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Holy ONE like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you." | Fulfillment in Jesus |
| Matthew 7:7 | "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." | Principle of seeking God |
| 1 Kings 8:36 | "then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants and Your people Israel, that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk, and bring rain on Your land which You have given to Your people for an inheritance." | Prayer for guidance |
| Jeremiah 1:9 | "Then the LORD put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me: 'Behold, I have put My words in your mouth;'" | God's words through prophet |
| Proverbs 3:5-6 | "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." | Trust and divine direction |
| 1 John 5:14 | "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." | Asking according to His will |
| Acts 1:8 | "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” | Holy Spirit's guidance |
| John 16:13 | "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come." | The Spirit as guide |
| Joshua 1:8 | "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success." | Meditating on God's word |
| Lamentations 3:25 | "The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul that seeks Him." | Seeking the Lord |
| Psalm 119:105 | "Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path." | God's word as guide |
| Psalm 23:3 | "He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake." | God's righteous leading |
| Isaiah 48:17 | "Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: 'I am the LORD your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go.'" | God teaching the way |
| Matthew 11:29 | "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gently and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." | Learning from Jesus |
| Luke 11:9 | "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." | Persistent asking |
| John 14:26 | "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." | Holy Spirit as teacher |
Jeremiah 42 verses
Jeremiah 42 2 Meaning
The priests and the people are seeking direction from Jeremiah, specifically asking him to pray for them according to God's established will and law. They want to know where they should go and what they should do, demonstrating a recognition that their path is determined by divine guidance.
Jeremiah 42 2 Context
Following the destruction of Jerusalem and the deportation of many of its inhabitants by the Babylonians, a remnant remained in Judea. Jeremiah had been prophesied to remain. These survivors, desperate after experiencing divine judgment, approached Jeremiah. They were seeking clarity and assurance about their future in the aftermath of catastrophe, a situation ripe for spiritual consultation and seeking divine intervention. The broader context of Jeremiah’s ministry was a period of intense national crisis for Judah, marked by warnings of impending judgment due to persistent idolatry and disobedience.
Jeremiah 42 2 Word analysis
And (וְ – wə): A conjunction connecting this phrase to the previous statement, linking their plea directly to the current dire circumstances.
all (כָּל – kol): Emphasizes totality; they represent all the survivors who gathered to inquire.
the people (הָעָם – hāʿām): Refers to the remnant of Israel in Judah, after the major deportations.
who remained (הַנּוֹתָרִים – han-nōṯārîm): The survivors, those left behind in the land. This highlights their status as those spared from exile.
spake (דִּבְּרוּ – dibberû): Spoke. This indicates a direct communication, a formal request.
unto (אֶל – ʾel): Towards; indicating the direction of their speech and their petition.
Jeremiah (יִרְמְיָה – Yirməyāh): The prophet’s name, meaning “Yahweh exalts” or “Yahweh throws.”
saying (לֵאמֹר – lēʾmōr): Used to introduce direct speech, setting up their petition.
Let (תִּפַּל – tippāl): From the root נָפַל (nāp̄al), meaning "to fall." Here used in the Niphal stem to mean "to fall out," or "to be reckoned," implying a request for an opinion or decree.
I pray (נָא – nāʾ): An earnest plea or entreaty particle, intensifying their request.
now (עַתָּה – ʿattāh): Indicating the present urgency of their need.
the LORD (יְהוָה – YHWH): The covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal relationship with Israel.
thy God (אֱלֹהֶיךָ – ʾĕlōhêḵā): Possessive; they acknowledge God as Jeremiah’s God, seeking His communication through him.
declare (הַגֵּד – hagēd): Tell, inform. A command for divine revelation.
unto us (לָנוּ – lānû): To us; the direction of the declaration.
whatsoever (אֵת אֲשֶׁר – ʾeṯ-ʾăšer): Whatever; emphasizing the comprehensive nature of the information they seek.
the LORD (יְהוָה – YHWH): Again, the covenant name of God.
thy God (אֱלֹהֶיךָ – ʾĕlōhêḵā): Reinforces their appeal to God’s direct relationship with Jeremiah.
shall command (יְצַוֶּה – yəṣavveh): Will command. They want to know God's direct orders, not just prophetic interpretation.
the LORD (יְהוָה – YHWH): The name of God used again for emphasis.
concerning (עַל – ʿal): Upon, concerning, regarding.
this (זֹאת – zōʾṯ): Refers to the specific matter at hand, their future.
thing (דָּבָר – dāḇār): Word, matter, affair.
Words-group analysis:
- "Let, I pray thee, the LORD thy God declare unto us" (תִּפַּל נָא יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לָנוּ – tippāl nāʾ YHWH ʾĕlōhêḵā lānû): This entire phrase conveys a strong and desperate plea for divine instruction, framed as a request for God to reveal His will specifically through Jeremiah to this remnant.
- "whatsoever the LORD thy God shall command concerning this thing." (אֵת אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶל־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה – ʾeṯ-ʾăšer yəṣavveh YHWH ʾĕlōhêḵā ʾel-had-dāḇār hazzêh): This segment specifies the nature of the information desired – God's direct commands regarding their current predicament and future course of action. It shows a willingness, at least verbally, to obey whatever God dictates.
Jeremiah 42 2 Bonus section
The phrasing "Let the LORD thy God declare unto us" indicates a dependence on prophetic utterance. In ancient Israel, the pronouncements of prophets were considered direct messages from God. This reliance underscores the importance of listening to God’s spokesmen. The fact that they address Jeremiah using God's covenant name in conjunction with his identity ("thy God") suggests a residual loyalty to the covenant, even after severe chastisement. They are seeking the path ordained by their God, whom they previously defied. This verse serves as a backdrop to the dangers of seeking guidance from unapproved sources, which the survivors are cautioned against in the verses immediately following. Their request is essentially for divine authentication and direction for their next steps.
Jeremiah 42 2 Commentary
This verse captures a moment of critical decision-making for the remnant of Judah. Having faced divine judgment, they turn to God’s prophet for guidance. Their plea is not just for information, but for direct commands, demonstrating a desire to align themselves with God's will, contrasting with the disobedience that led to their national crisis. This highlights a foundational principle of faith: seeking God’s explicit direction when faced with uncertainty. The emphasis on "thy God" when referring to Yahweh for Jeremiah indicates they recognize Jeremiah as having a unique access to divine communication, albeit from the same God who judged their nation. Their willingness to be told "whatsoever the LORD thy God shall command" reveals a conditional dependence on God's guidance, a posture that would be tested in the subsequent narrative.