Jeremiah 42 20

Jeremiah 42:20 kjv

For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the LORD your God, saying, Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and according unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it.

Jeremiah 42:20 nkjv

For you were hypocrites in your hearts when you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, 'Pray for us to the LORD our God, and according to all that the LORD your God says, so declare to us and we will do it.'

Jeremiah 42:20 niv

that you made a fatal mistake when you sent me to the LORD your God and said, 'Pray to the LORD our God for us; tell us everything he says and we will do it.'

Jeremiah 42:20 esv

that you have gone astray at the cost of your lives. For you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, 'Pray for us to the LORD our God, and whatever the LORD our God says, declare to us and we will do it.'

Jeremiah 42:20 nlt

For you were not being honest when you sent me to pray to the LORD your God for you. You said, 'Just tell us what the LORD our God says, and we will do it!'

Jeremiah 42 verses

Jeremiah 42 20 meaning

Jeremiah 42:20 reveals God's understanding of the inner motives of the Jewish remnant who had approached Jeremiah. They sought divine counsel regarding whether to stay in Judah or flee to Egypt, but their request was disingenuous. The verse highlights their self-deception and insincerity, as they had already decided their course of action, merely desiring divine validation or a pretext for their predetermined plans, rather than a genuine willingness to obey God’s revealed will. This pretense constituted an act of faithlessness against their own spiritual well-being.

Jeremiah 42 20 Context

Jeremiah 42:20 occurs immediately after Jeremiah has spent ten days praying for guidance for the remnant of Judah following the assassination of Gedaliah. Fearing Babylonian reprisal for the murder and hoping for security, this remnant, led by Johanan and others, sought to know from God whether they should remain in Judah or flee to Egypt. This verse serves as a preamble to God's actual command, revealing God's (and Jeremiah's) prior knowledge of their insincere hearts. The people had explicitly promised Jeremiah that they would obey "whatever the LORD our God says" (Jer 42:6). Jeremiah, guided by divine insight, exposes their deceit before delivering the specific instruction, which turns out to be "do not go to Egypt." The historical backdrop is the turbulent period after the fall of Jerusalem, with a small Jewish population left in the land, desperate and facing choices that would determine their immediate and long-term future. Their fear was genuine, but their willingness to truly listen to God was not.

Jeremiah 42 20 Word analysis

• For you have dealt deceitfully (כחשתם - kachaštem):
  • Word: כחשתם (kachaštem) comes from the root כחש (kachash), meaning "to lie, deceive, deal falsely, disappoint, deny."
  • Significance: It implies a deliberate, intentional act of misrepresentation or fraud. This wasn't a misunderstanding but a deep-seated duplicity. It conveys not just verbal deceit but a treacherous spiritual stance. They were misleading Jeremiah and, more critically, God himself, in their supposed earnestness. This word underscores the gravity of their insincerity, elevating it beyond a simple oversight to a grave sin of bad faith.
• against your own souls (בנפשתיכם - b'nafshteihem):
  • Word: נפש (nephesh) typically translates to "soul, self, life, person." The preposition ב (b'), "against," highlights the detrimental impact.
  • Significance: This is a crucial phrase, indicating self-inflicted harm or betrayal. Their deception wasn't primarily against Jeremiah or even solely against God in the immediate sense (though it implicated Him). It was an act of profound self-damage, harming their very being and spiritual well-being. They were lying to themselves, betraying their covenant relationship with God, and endangering their lives (their nephesh) by rejecting His guidance. This is a severe form of spiritual blindness, where one becomes the author of one's own undoing.
• when you yourselves sent me to the LORD, saying,
  • Significance: This emphasizes their initiative and agency. They weren't forced to inquire. They chose to send Jeremiah, making their subsequent insincerity even more culpable. The phrase "you yourselves" highlights their direct responsibility in initiating this deceptive inquiry. It compounds the guilt of their falsehood by connecting it directly to their initial, seemingly pious, overture.
• ‘Pray for us to the LORD our God,
  • Significance: Their request for prayer was an outwardly religious act. The use of "our God" is significant, implying a covenant relationship and familiarity. However, it exposes the disconnect between their words and their hearts, suggesting they were manipulating the prophetic office for their own ends, using religious language as a cloak for unrighteous intentions.
• and whatever the LORD our God says, declare to us and we will do it.’
  • Significance: This is the precise promise they made to Jeremiah (reiterated in Jer 42:5-6). It is an absolute, unconditional pledge of obedience. The "whatever... we will do it" (ונעשנה - w'na'asennah) reveals the full extent of their deceit. They vowed total submission, knowing (or strongly suspecting in their hearts) that if the answer conflicted with their predetermined path, they would disobey. This explicit promise serves as the benchmark against which their deceitful hearts are measured and found wanting.

Jeremiah 42 20 Bonus section

This verse sets a crucial precedent for Jeremiah's subsequent interactions with this remnant, validating his prophetic authority and confirming his insight into their true motives. Their initial declaration of complete obedience ("we will do it") is pivotal because it underscores the covenant expectation of their response to God's word. The repeated use of "the LORD our God" in their petition might reflect an attempt to appropriate God into their plan, invoking the covenant relationship to add weight to their request while simultaneously preparing to ignore His counsel. The exposure of their inner treachery emphasizes God's omniscient nature; He knows the thoughts and intentions of the heart (1 Chr 28:9, Jer 17:10, Heb 4:12-13). Their desire to go to Egypt was not merely a logistical choice but a rejection of God's promise to protect them in Judah, betraying a deep lack of faith despite witnessing His mighty acts throughout history.

Jeremiah 42 20 Commentary

Jeremiah 42:20 serves as a prophetic unveiling of the human heart's capacity for self-deception in matters of faith. The remnant, freshly exposed to God's judgment and experiencing vulnerability, approached Jeremiah with what appeared to be a sincere plea for divine guidance. Yet, their words were a façade for a preconceived plan to flee to Egypt. God, through Jeremiah, saw through their "pious pretense." Their asking was not for direction but for divine ratification of their fears-driven decision. The phrase "against your own souls" is particularly potent, highlighting that the primary casualty of their deceit was their own spiritual integrity and life. This verse is a stern reminder that true spiritual inquiry demands a sincere and obedient heart, willing to accept and act upon God's word regardless of personal preference or fear, even when it counters prevailing human logic or desires for security.

Practical usage:

• Before seeking God's will, honestly assess your own heart for preconceived biases.
• Recognize that disobedience, especially after seeking divine counsel, hurts your own spiritual health.
• Beware of using prayer or seeking spiritual advice as a cover for validating personal agendas.