Jeremiah 42:4

4 I answered, "Very well, then. I will pray to the Lord our God, just as you have asked, and whatever he says, I will tell you. I will not keep back anything 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 me, "Please do what we ask you! Pray to the Lord our God for us. Pray for all of us who have survived. Once there were many of us; but now only a few of us are left, as you can see.

3 Pray that the Lord our God will show us the way we should go and what we should do."

4 I answered, "Very well, then. I will pray to the Lord our God, just as you have asked, and whatever he says, I will tell you. I will not keep back anything from you."

5 Then they said to me, "May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not obey all the commands that the Lord our God gives you for us.

6 Whether it pleases us or not, we will obey the Lord our God, to whom we are asking you to pray. All will go well with us if we obey him."