Jeremiah 42:13

13 But if you say: We will not stay in this land, so as not to obey the voice of the Lord your God,

Jeremiah 42:13 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 42:13

But if ye say, we will not dwell in this land
Or continue any longer in it, but go into Egypt:, neither obey the voice of the Lord your God;
or, "so as not to hearken to" or "obey" ^F21; for they did not say in so many words that they would not obey the voice of the Lord; they had promised they would; but resolving, against his declared will, that they would not abide in the land, but go into Egypt, was interpretatively saying they would not obey his voice.

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 (emv ytlbl) "ita ut non auscultetis", Piscator, Cocceius; "ut non obediatis", Pagninus, Schmidt; "ut non audiatis", so some in Vatablus.

Jeremiah 42:13 In-Context

11 Don't be afraid of the king of Babylon whom you now fear; don't be afraid of him'-[this is] the Lord's declaration-'because I am with you to save you and deliver you from him.

12 I will grant you compassion, and he will have compassion on you and allow you to return to your own soil.

13 But if you say: We will not stay in this land, so as not to obey the voice of the Lord your God,

14 and if you say: No, instead we'll go to the land of Egypt where we will not see war or hear the sound of the ram's horn or hunger for food, and we'll live there,

15 then hear the word of the Lord, remnant of Judah! This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: If you are firmly resolved to go to Egypt and live there for a while,