Jeremiah 42

Jeremiah 42:1-22 . THE JEWS AND JOHANAN INQUIRE OF GOD, THROUGH JEREMIAH, AS TO GOING TO EGYPT, PROMISING OBEDIENCE TO HIS WILL. THEIR SAFETY ON CONDITION OF STAYING IN JUDEA, AND THEIR DESTRUCTION IN THE EVENT OF GOING TO EGYPT, ARE FORETOLD. THEM HYPOCRISY IN ASKING FOR COUNSEL WHICH THEY MEANT NOT TO FOLLOW, IF CONTRARY TO THEIR OWN DETERMINATION, IS REPROVED.

2. Jeremiah--He probably was one of the number carried off from Mizpah, and dwelt with Johanan ( Jeremiah 41:16 ). Hence the expression is, "came near" ( Jeremiah 42:1 ), not "sent."
Let . . . supplication be accepted--literally, "fall" Jeremiah 37:20 ).
pray for us--( Genesis 20:7 , Isaiah 37:4 , 5:16 ).
thy God--( Jeremiah 42:5 ). The Jews use this form to express their belief in the peculiar relation in which Jeremiah stood to God as His accredited prophet. Jeremiah in his reply reminds them that God is their God ("your God") as well as his as being the covenant people ( Jeremiah 42:4 ). They in turn acknowledge this in Jeremiah 42:6 , "the Lord our God."
few of many--as had been foretold ( Leviticus 26:22 ).

3. They consulted God, like many, not so much to know what was right, as wishing Him to authorize what they had already determined on, whether agreeable to His will or not. So Ahab in consulting Micaiah ( 1 Kings 22:13 ). Compare Jeremiah's answer ( Jeremiah 42:4 ) with Micaiah's ( 1 Kings 22:14 ).

4. I have heard--that is, I accede to your request.
your God--Being His by adoption, ye are not your own, and are bound to whatever He wills ( Exodus 19:5 Exodus 19:6 1 Corinthians 6:19 1 Corinthians 6:20 ).
answer you--that is, through me.
keep nothing back--( 1 Samuel 3:18 , Acts 20:20 ).

5. Lord be a true . . . witness--( Genesis 31:50 , Psalms 89:37 , Revelation 1:5 , 3:14 , 19:11 ).

6. evil--not moral evil, which God cannot command ( James 1:13 ), but what may be disagreeable and hard to us. Piety obeys God, without questioning, at all costs. See the instance defective in this, that it obeyed only so far as was agreeable to itself ( 1 Samuel 15:3 1 Samuel 15:9 1 Samuel 15:13-15 1 Samuel 15:20-23 ).

7. ten days--Jeremiah did not speak of himself, but waited God's time and revelation, showing the reality of his inspiration. Man left to himself would have given an immediate response to the people, who were impatient of delay. The delay was designed to test the sincerity of their professed willingness to obey, and that they should have full time to deliberate ( Deuteronomy 8:2 ). True obedience bows to God's time, as well as His way and will.