Jeremiah 42:5

5 Then they said to Jeremiah, "May the 1LORD 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.

Jeremiah 42:5 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 42:5

Then they said to Jeremiah, the Lord be a true and faithful
witness between us
Which is the form of an oath; a solemn appeal to God, as a witness to what they were about to say, and to the sincerity of their hearts in it; who is true to his word, and faithful to his promises and threatenings; and who bears a true and faithful testimony, and will do what is just and right; and yet these people never intended to perform what they promised; which is a most shocking piece of atheism in a professing people; and who, at this very time, could not but observe the judgments of God upon their nation, city, and temple: if we do not even according to all things for the which the Lord thy
God shall send thee to us;
they promise to do everything the Lord should signify by the prophet as his will; and, if they did not, wish the severest judgments of God might fall upon them.

Jeremiah 42:5 In-Context

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."
7 Now at the end of ten days the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah.

Cross References 1

  • 1. Genesis 31:50; Judges 11:10; Jeremiah 43:2; Micah 1:2; Malachi 2:14; Malachi 3:5

Footnotes 1

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