Jeremiah 42:4

4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, I have heard [you]; behold, I will pray to the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, [that] whatever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare [it] to you; I will keep nothing back 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, We beseech thee, let our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us to the LORD thy God, [even] for all this remnant; (for we are left [but] a few of many, as thy eyes do behold us:)

3 That the LORD thy God may show us the way in which we may walk, and the thing that we may do.

4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, I have heard [you]; behold, I will pray to the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, [that] whatever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare [it] to you; I will keep nothing back from you.

5 Then they said to Jeremiah, The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for which the LORD thy God shall send thee to us.

6 Whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.