Jeremiah 42:7

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Contextual Overview

⁷After ten days, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah,⁸and he summoned Johanan son of Kareah, all the commanders of the forces who were with him, and all the people from the least to the greatest. ⁹Jeremiah told them, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your petition: ¹⁰If you will indeed stay in this land, then I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I shall relent of the disaster I have brought upon you. ¹¹Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you now fear; do not be afraid of him, declares the LORD, for I am with you to save you and deliver you from him. ¹²And I will show you compassion, and he will have compassion on you and restore you to your own land. ¹³But if you say, 'We will not stay in this land,' and so disobey the voice of the LORD your God, ¹⁴and if you say, 'No, but we will go to the land of Egypt and live there, where we will not see war, or hear the sound of the trumpet, or hunger for food,' ¹⁵then hear the word of the LORD, O remnant of Judah! This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: If you are determined to go to Egypt and reside there, ¹⁶then the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow on your heels into Egypt, and you will die there.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

At this time he was waiting for a revelation from God in answer to the enquiries of the people; who probably thus delayed to make known his will, in order to shew them that Jeremiah did not speak of his own mind, but when and as he was directed. The delay was also suited to give time for consideration, and to retard their rash project; and, as it would render them impatient, it tended to detect their hypocrisy, and to shew more clearly their determined rebellion against God. Psalms 27:14, Isaiah 28:16, Habakkuk 2:3

Reciprocal: Ezekiel 12:12 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 42:9
Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said, "You are spies! You have come to see if our land is vulnerable."

Genesis 42:12
"No," he told them. "You have come to see if our land is vulnerable."

Genesis 42:14
Then Joseph said to them, "Just as I said, you are spies!

Genesis 42:17
So Joseph imprisoned them for three days,

Genesis 42:19
If you are honest, leave one of your brothers in custody while the rest of you go and take back grain to relieve the hunger of your households.

Genesis 42:20
Then bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be verified, that you may not die." And to this they consented.

Genesis 42:23
They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them.

Genesis 42:26
and they loaded the grain on their donkeys and departed.

Genesis 42:30
"The man who is the lord of the land spoke harshly to us and accused us of spying on the country.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah. Abarbinel thinks it was on the tenth day of the seventh month, the day of atonement, that the answer was returned; but it is clear, from the context, that it was ten days from the time the Jews applied to the prophet to inquire of the Lord for them, and he promised to do it, that this word came from the Lord to him; not that he was praying all this while, as some think; but, having spread the case before the Lord, he waited for an answer; which was deferred, that it might have the greater weight with it when it came; and that it might appear that it was not of the prophet himself, a device of his own; and chiefly this was to mortify these people, who were impatient of an answer; and whose hypocrisy the Lord knew; and whose disobedience he foresaw; and therefore did not think fit to give the answer directly, but keep them in suspense awhile.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

After ten days - On previous occasions Jeremiah when consulted answered at once Jeremiah 21:3. The present delay (compare Jeremiah 28:12) was probably granted by God in order to free the minds of the people from the panic caused by the murder of Gedaliah and their fear of Chaldaean vengeance. Jeremiah could have had no doubt that the flight into Egypt was contrary to the tenor of his former prophecies.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 42:7. After ten days — All this time he was waiting upon God; for it is evident the prophets could not prophesy when they pleased, any more than the disciples of our Lord could work miracles when they wished. The gift of prophecy and the gift of miracles were both dependent on the will of the Most High, and each of them was given only for the moment; and when the necessity was over, the influence ceased.