The big picture
Jeremiah 42 opens in verse 1 with “Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 11 with “Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith…”, and closes in verse 22 with “Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, Egypt, land, afraid, Jeremiah. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Jeremiah · King James Version · 22Jeremiah 42:1-8
1–8: All the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and…
Jeremiah 42:1–8 opens with “Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of…” and reaches “Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 42 develops its own movement around LORD, Egypt, land, afraid, Jeremiah, with particular weight carried by LORD, Jeremiah, captains.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the…” Naming Hoshaiah and Jezaniah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.
“Then they said to Jeremiah, The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah.” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.
Jeremiah 42:1-8
King James Version1Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came near,
2And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:)
3That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.
4Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; 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.
5Then they said to Jeremiah, The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the LORD thy God shall send thee to us.
6Whether 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.
7And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah.
8Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,
Jeremiah 42:9-16
9–16: Said unto them, Thus saith the LORD , the God of Israel, unto whom ye…
Jeremiah 42:9–16 opens with “And said unto them, Thus saith the LORD , the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present…” and reaches “Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 42 develops its own movement around LORD, Egypt, land, afraid, Jeremiah, with particular weight carried by land, LORD, afraid.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And said unto them, Thus saith the LORD , the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before…” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD : for I am with you…” Naming Babylon keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God,” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.
“And now therefore hear the word of the LORD , ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If…” Naming Egypt keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Jeremiah 42:9-16
King James Version9And said unto them, Thus saith the LORD , the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him;
10If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.
11Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD : for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.
12And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.
13But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God,
14Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell:
15And now therefore hear the word of the LORD , ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there;
16Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.
Jeremiah 42:17-22
17–22: So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to…
Jeremiah 42:17–22 opens with “So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they…” and reaches “Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 42 develops its own movement around LORD, Egypt, land, afraid, Jeremiah, with particular weight carried by LORD, Egypt, certainly.
Context that brings the passage to life
“So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Jeremiah 42:17-22
King James Version17So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.
18For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.
19The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day.
20For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the LORD your God, saying, Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and according unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it.
21And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God, nor any thing for the which he hath sent me unto you.
22Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Jeremiah 42:1 begins with “Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the…”
Where the chapter turns
Jeremiah 42:13 forms a natural hinge: “But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God,”
The final note
Jeremiah 42:22 leaves the reader with “Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, Egypt, land, afraid, Jeremiah, voice help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What new information appears about the original betrayal?
The brothers remember Joseph's distress and pleas, which they refused to hear.
Why does the returned money frighten them?
They already fear accusation and divine reckoning; unexplained money makes their position seem more dangerous.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thy
- your
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.