Jeremiah 42:3 kjv
That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.
Jeremiah 42:3 nkjv
that the LORD your God may show us the way in which we should walk and the thing we should do."
Jeremiah 42:3 niv
Pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do."
Jeremiah 42:3 esv
that the LORD your God may show us the way we should go, and the thing that we should do."
Jeremiah 42:3 nlt
Pray that the LORD your God will show us what to do and where to go."
Jeremiah 42 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 42:2 | "and say, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray thou for us unto Jehovah thy God, even for all this remnant; for as thine eyes see," | Jeremiah 37:17; Jeremiah 38:14-16; Jeremiah 44:28 |
| Jeremiah 32:8 | "So Baruch son of Neriah, was obeying me this day, according to all that Jehovah commanded him." | Obedience to prophetic instruction |
| 1 Samuel 7:8 | "And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto Jehovah our God for us, that he may save us out of the hand of the Philistines." | Appeal to intercessor in times of distress |
| Acts 7:60 | "And he cried out, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." | Stephen's final prayer invoking Christ |
| John 17:9 | "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine." | Jesus' intercessory prayer for His disciples |
| Romans 8:26 | "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." | The Spirit as intercessor |
| Hebrews 7:25 | "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." | Christ's perpetual intercession |
| Jeremiah 1:4 | "Then the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying," | Divine commissioning of Jeremiah |
| Jeremiah 1:5 | "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." | Jeremiah's preordained prophetic ministry |
| Jeremiah 4:1 | "If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith Jehovah, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove." | Conditional return and restoration |
| Jeremiah 7:3 | "And say, Hear ye the word of Jehovah, all ye of Judah, that enter in these gates to worship Jehovah." | Direct instruction to worship Jehovah |
| Jeremiah 9:1 | "Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!" | Jeremiah's deep sorrow for his people |
| Jeremiah 29:7 | "And seek ye the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto Jehovah for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace." | Prayer for the welfare of the exiles' captors |
| Jeremiah 14:1 | "The word of Jehovah that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the drought." | Divine pronouncements concerning judgments |
| Jeremiah 14:7 | "Though our iniquities testify against us, yet, Jehovah, do thou it for thy name's sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee." | Confession and appeal for God's mercy |
| Jeremiah 18:19 | "Give heed to me, Jehovah, and hear the voice of them that contend with me." | A cry for divine intervention in a dispute |
| Lamentations 5:1 | "Remember, Jehovah, what is come upon us: behold, and regard our reproach." | A communal prayer for remembrance and restoration |
| Amos 5:4 | "For thus saith Jehovah unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and live:" | The importance of seeking God |
| Amos 5:14 | "Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so Jehovah, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have said." | Seeking good as a path to life with God |
| Zephaniah 2:3 | "Seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, which have kept his judgments; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hidden in the day of Jehovah's anger." | The righteous remnant seeking God |
| Matthew 6:6 | "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy chamber, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee." | Private prayer to God |
| Philippians 4:6 | "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." | Prayer and supplication with thanksgiving |
| 1 Timothy 2:1 | "I exhort therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for all men;" | General prayer for all |
Jeremiah 42 verses
Jeremiah 42 3 Meaning
Jeremiah 42:3 states, "Then pray ye to Jehovah thy God for us, and for all this remnant." This verse is a plea from the surviving remnant of Judah to the prophet Jeremiah. They are asking him to intercede with God on their behalf. Their prayer request is not a general one, but specifically for the "remnant" of their people, signifying their desperate awareness of their diminished state and their reliance on divine favor for survival.
Jeremiah 42 3 Context
Following the fall of Jerusalem and the assassination of Gedaliah, the governor appointed by the Babylonians, the remaining Judean population feared Babylonian reprisal. They sought the counsel of Jeremiah, desiring to know what God wished them to do. In this chapter, they explicitly ask Jeremiah to "pray to Jehovah your God" for them, acknowledging God's omniscience ("as your eyes see") and their need for divine guidance. They were desperate to know God's will in their dire circumstances and were looking to Jeremiah as God's spokesman. The context is one of deep distress, fear, and a recognition of their spiritual and physical precariousness.
Jeremiah 42 3 Word Analysis
- "Then": Connects this request to the preceding context where the people were speaking to Jeremiah.
- "pray" (Hebrew: וְעַתָּה הִתְפַּלֵּל - weʻatta hitpallel): The verb "hitpallel" comes from a root meaning "to judge oneself" or "to intercede." It implies a solemn and earnest prayer, a turning inward to seek God. It signifies a deliberate act of supplication.
- "ye": Refers to Jeremiah specifically. They are directing their request to him, acknowledging his prophetic office and his unique relationship with God.
- "to Jehovah" (Hebrew: אֶל־יהוה - 'el Yehwah): "Jehovah" is the covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal relationship and faithfulness to His people. The preposition "elah" (to) indicates the direct object of the prayer.
- "thy God" (Hebrew: אֱלֹהֶיךָ - 'Eloheyka): Possessive pronoun emphasizes Jeremiah's intimate knowledge and access to God, which they desired for themselves.
- "for us": Indicates they are praying for themselves, the survivors.
- "and": Connects their plea for themselves with their plea for the broader group.
- "for all this remnant" (Hebrew: וּלְכֹל־הַשְּׁאֵרִית הַזֹּאת - ulkol ha-she'erit ha-zot): "She'erit" means remnant, survivors. "Ha-zot" means "this," pointing to the specific group of people present and alive at that time. It underscores their awareness of their reduced numbers and precarious state.
- "as thine eyes see": This phrase signifies their acknowledgment of Jeremiah's unique insight and spiritual perception. They believe Jeremiah can see and understand God's perspective or "as God sees."
Word Group Analysis
- "pray ye to Jehovah thy God": This entire phrase emphasizes the direct appeal to God through Jeremiah. It highlights the exclusive deity of Jehovah and the unique position of Jeremiah as a conduit for prayer and divine revelation.
- "for us, and for all this remnant": This combination of "us" and "all this remnant" reveals their collective concern and self-awareness of their minority status and shared destiny. They recognized their corporate identity as survivors facing a common fate.
Jeremiah 42 3 Bonus Section
The plea for prayer also reveals a lingering fear of divine judgment, but perhaps not a complete surrender to God's sovereignty. They want God's favor to be upon "this remnant," which could imply a desire for preservation from further judgment rather than a commitment to obedience. Their approach is to ask the prophet to inquire of God, which is a passive reliance rather than an active pursuit of God's commandments themselves. The subsequent narrative will show how their desire for divine reassurance did not lead to true obedience, highlighting a common human tendency to seek assurance without aligning with God's revealed will.
Jeremiah 42 3 Commentary
The request from the remnant is marked by a profound sense of desperation and a conditional reliance on God. They turn to Jeremiah, acknowledging him as God's representative, and ask him to intercede. This act demonstrates an understanding of the need for divine guidance in crisis, though their previous actions (murdering Gedaliah) showed a disconnect from God's established order. Their prayer request highlights the essential role of prophets in communicating God's will and the ongoing need for human intercession, even when God has spoken through His prophets. This verse serves as a critical juncture, showing the people seeking direction yet being prone to making choices based on fear rather than faith.