Jeremiah 42 4

Jeremiah 42:4 kjv

Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.

Jeremiah 42:4 nkjv

Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, "I have heard. Indeed, I will pray to the LORD your God according to your words, and it shall be, that whatever the LORD answers you, I will declare it to you. I will keep nothing back from you."

Jeremiah 42:4 niv

"I have heard you," replied Jeremiah the prophet. "I will certainly pray to the LORD your God as you have requested; I will tell you everything the LORD says and will keep nothing back from you."

Jeremiah 42:4 esv

Jeremiah the prophet said to them, "I have heard you. Behold, I will pray to the LORD your God according to your request, and whatever the LORD answers you I will tell you. I will keep nothing back from you."

Jeremiah 42:4 nlt

"All right," Jeremiah replied. "I will pray to the LORD your God, as you have asked, and I will tell you everything he says. I will hide nothing from you."

Jeremiah 42 verses

Jeremiah 42 4 meaning

Jeremiah 42:4 presents Jeremiah's solemn commitment to the Jewish remnant after the fall of Jerusalem. They had approached him, requesting that he pray to the Lord for guidance regarding whether they should remain in Judah or flee to Egypt. In this verse, Jeremiah assures them that he has heard their request, will indeed intercede with their God, and promises to faithfully deliver God's exact answer without omission, regardless of its content. This signifies his integrity as a prophet and his willingness to serve them by seeking divine will, laying the groundwork for a crucial decision with eternal consequences.

Jeremiah 42 4 Context

Jeremiah 42:4 is set during one of the most tumultuous periods in Judah's history, shortly after the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE. Most of the population had been exiled, but a small remnant, including military captains led by Johanan and survivors who had returned to Judah after fleeing from Ishmael, remained. Ishmael had assassinated Gedaliah, the Babylonian-appointed governor (Jer 40-41), instigating widespread fear among the survivors of further Babylonian retaliation. Convinced that fleeing to Egypt was their only option for survival, they approached the prophet Jeremiah with an earnest plea. They promised him unconditional obedience if he would intercede with the Lord their God to inquire about the path they should take, whether to remain or to go. Jeremiah's reply in verse 4 is his affirmative response to their request for intercession, establishing the integrity of his prophetic mission and setting the stage for God's clear directive.

Jeremiah 42 4 Word analysis

• Then: Signifies a chronological sequence, indicating Jeremiah's direct response to the remnant's fervent request outlined in Jeremiah 42:1-3. It links his assurance directly to their preceding plea.
• Jeremiah: The prophet chosen by God, central figure in this narrative. His name, יִרְמְיָהוּ (Yirmᵉyāhū), often interpreted as "YHWH exalts" or "YHWH hurls/establishes," carries the weight of divine authority and past pronouncements, many of which had come to pass.
• the prophet: הַנָּבִיא (hannābîʾ), indicating his divine commission as God's spokesperson. He doesn't speak his own words but mediates the divine message, essential to the group's request and his subsequent commitment. This title reaffirms his recognized role even by those who often ignored his words.
• said to them: Directly addresses the desperate remnant, highlighting a personal and authoritative communication.
• 'I have heard you': שָׁמַעְתִּי (šāmāʿtî). The perfect tense implies not just the act of hearing, but a complete and recognized understanding of their request. It acknowledges their situation and gives them assurance of his attentiveness.
• Behold, I will pray: הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי מִתְפַּלֵּל (hinnēh ʾānōḵî mitpallel).
  • Behold (הִנֵּה hinnēh): An exclamation drawing attention, emphasizing the immediate and important action Jeremiah is about to take. It acts as an assurance that he is serious about their request.
  • I will pray (מִתְפַּלֵּל mitpallel): From the root פלל (palal), specifically in the Hithpael stem, meaning to intercede, to mediate, to pray. This signifies a personal and active seeking of divine revelation on their behalf, a hallmark of a true prophet's role.
• to the Lord your God: אֶל־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם (ʾel-YHWH ʾelōhêḵem).
  • Lord (יְהוָה YHWH): The covenant name of God, emphasizing His relational and unchanging nature.
  • your God (אֱלֹהֵיכֶם ʾelōhêḵem): Jeremiah specifically uses "your God," subtly placing responsibility on them and connecting them to the covenant God, reinforcing that the matter pertains directly to their future and relationship with their divine sovereign.
• according to your request: כְּדִבְרֵיכֶם (kᵉdibrêkem), literally "according to your words." This means Jeremiah will precisely convey their inquiry to God, upholding their agency in seeking divine direction, ensuring God responds to their specific dilemma.
• and whatever: This conjunction introduces an absolute condition for his faithfulness, signaling the comprehensive nature of his promise to communicate.
• the Lord answers you: אֲשֶׁר יַעֲנֶה יְהוָה אֶתְכֶם (ʾašer yaʿaneh YHWH ʾetkem).
  • answers (יַעֲנֶה yaʿaneh): From the verb ענה (anah), meaning to respond or answer. It indicates that divine communication is expected, reflecting God's responsiveness to genuine inquiry.
• I will tell you: אֶגִּיד לָכֶם (ʾaggîd lākem). From נגד (nagad), meaning to declare, report, announce. It is an active and definite promise to deliver the message back to them.
• I will keep nothing back from you': לֹא אֶכְלָא מִכֶּם דָּבָר (lōʾ ʾeḵlāʾ mikem dābār).
  • I will keep nothing back (לֹא אֶכְלָא lōʾ ʾeḵlāʾ): "ʾeḵlāʾ" (from כלא kalaʾ) means to restrain, withhold, keep in. The strong negative "lōʾ" emphasizes Jeremiah's total commitment to transparency and truthfulness.
  • nothing... from you (מִכֶּם דָּבָר mikem dābār): "dābār" refers to a word, matter, or thing. Jeremiah promises to reveal the entirety of God's word, whether pleasant or unpleasant, popular or unpopular. This underscores his integrity as a true prophet, standing in stark contrast to the false prophets who sugar-coated messages or withheld truth. This assurance was crucial given their subsequent disobedience (Jer 43:2).

Jeremiah 42 4 Bonus section

The promise "I will keep nothing back from you" highlights the tremendous burden of prophetic ministry. It meant Jeremiah had to speak not only comforting words but also stern warnings, pronouncements of judgment, and unpopular commands. For Jeremiah, who was often unpopular because of his prophecies, this was not merely a procedural statement but a renewed acceptance of a painful calling to integrity, knowing it would likely bring further rejection, as indeed it did (Jer 43:2). This verse implicitly calls us to discern true spiritual guidance not by its agreeableness but by its faithfulness to divine truth, demanding both courage from the messenger and humility from the hearer.

Jeremiah 42 4 Commentary

Jeremiah 42:4 is a pivotal verse, encapsulating Jeremiah's role as a faithful intermediary between God and His people, even a rebellious remnant. His commitment to intercession—"I will pray"—reflects the prophet's essential function: to stand in the gap (Ezek 22:30), bringing the people's petitions before God and faithfully delivering the divine response. This commitment to "the Lord your God" (אֱלֹהֵיכֶם), rather than simply "my God," signifies an affirmation of their continued, though challenged, covenant relationship, placing the onus on them to adhere to His word.

The heart of Jeremiah's assurance lies in his vow: "I will keep nothing back from you." This declaration serves as a crucial hallmark of prophetic integrity. In a time rife with false prophets who spoke "smooth things" (Isa 30:10) and delivered self-serving messages, Jeremiah pledged unvarnished truth, regardless of the message's content or the people's reception. This unwavering transparency contrasts sharply with the manipulative communication styles prevalent in both secular and religious leadership of the era. It also foreshadows their tragic failure to uphold their end of the bargain, as they would soon accuse him of deceit when God's answer proved contrary to their desires (Jer 43:2). The verse implicitly underscores that God's word, once delivered, demands unconditional obedience, a test that the remnant ultimately failed.