Jeremiah 42:4

4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, "I have heard you. Behold, I am going to 1pray to the LORD your God in accordance with your words; and I will tell you the whole message which the 2LORD will answer you. I will 3not keep back a word from you."

Jeremiah 42:4 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 42:4

Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard [you],
&c.] He took notice of what they said to him, and found himself disposed to comply with their request, and readily granted it: behold, I will pray unto the Lord your God, according to your words;
be an intercessor for them; use his interest with his God, and their God; and, on account of relation, might expect to be heard; whom he would humbly entreat to direct what they should do, as they desired: 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;
but faithfully make known the whole mind and will of God, just as it is delivered, be it in what way soever: and though it is not expressed, he might suggest that he had some doubt on his mind whether they would obey it or not; and that he expected they would be open and free in declaring themselves on that point; since he had so readily complied with their request, and was determined to act the faithful part to them; hence the following reply:

Jeremiah 42:4 In-Context

2 and said to Jeremiah the prophet, "Please let our petition come before you, and pray for us to the LORD your God, that is for all this remnant; because we are left but a few out of many, as your own eyes now see us,
3 that the LORD your God may tell us the way in which we should walk and the thing that we should do."
4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, "I have heard you. Behold, I am going to pray to the LORD your God in accordance with your words; and I will tell you the whole message which the LORD will answer you. I will not keep back a word from you."
5 Then they said to Jeremiah, "May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with the whole message with which the LORD your God will send you to us.
6 "Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, we will listen to the voice of the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, so that it may go well with us when we listen to the voice of the LORD our God."

Cross References 3

  • 1. Exodus 8:29; 1 Samuel 12:23
  • 2. 1 Kings 22:14; Jeremiah 23:28
  • 3. 1 Samuel 3:17, 18; Psalms 40:10; Acts 20:20

Footnotes 1

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