1Potom přistoupili všecka knížata vojsk, i Jochanan syn Kareachův i Jazaniáš syn Hosaiášův, i všecken lid, od nejmenšího až do největšího, 2A řekli Jeremiášovi proroku: Uslyš medle nás v ponížené prosbě naší, a modl se za nás Hospodinu Bohu svému, za všecken ostatek tento, nebo nás maličko zůstalo z mnohých, jakž oči tvé nás vidí, 3Ať nám oznámí Hospodin Bůh tvůj cestu, po níž bychom jíti, a co činiti měli. 4Jimž řekl Jeremiáš prorok: Uslyšel jsem. Aj, já modliti se budu Hospodinu Bohu vašemu podlé slov vašich, a cožkoli vám odpoví Hospodin, oznámím vám; nezatajím před vámi slova. 5Oni zase řekli Jeremiášovi: Nechť jest Hospodin mezi námi svědkem pravým a věrným, jestliže podlé každého slova, pro něž poslal tě Hospodin Bůh tvůj k nám, tak se chovati nebudeme. 6Buď dobré aneb zlé, hlasu Hospodina Boha našeho, pro nejž tě vysíláme k němu, uposlechneme, aby nám dobře bylo, když uposlechneme hlasu Hospodina Boha našeho. 7Stalo se pak po přeběhnutí desíti dnů, když se stalo slovo Hospodinovo k Jeremiášovi, 8Že povolal Jochanana syna Kareachova, a všech knížat vojsk, kteříž s ním byli, i všeho lidu, od nejmenšího až do největšího, 9A řekl jim: Takto praví Hospodin Bůh Izraelský, k němuž jste mne poslali, abych rozprostíral poníženou prosbu vaši před oblíčejem jeho: 10Jestliže navrátíce se, zůstanete v zemi této, zajisté že vzdělám vás, a nezkazím, anobrž vštípím vás, a nevypléním; neboť lituji toho zlého, kteréž jsem učinil vám. 11Nebojtež se krále Babylonského, jehož se bojíte, nebojte se ho, dí Hospodin; neboť s vámi jsem, abych vás vysvobozoval, a vytrhoval vás z ruky jeho. 12Nadto způsobím vám milost, aby se slitoval nad vámi, a dal se vám navrátiti do země vaší. 13Ale řeknete-li: Nezůstaneme v zemi této, neposlouchajíce hlasu Hospodina boha svého, 14A říkajíce: Nikoli, ale do země Egyptské vejdeme, kdež neuzříme boje, ani zvuku trouby neuslyšíme, a chleba lačněti nebudeme, pročež tam se osadíme: 15Protož nyní slyštež slovo Hospodinovo, ostatkové Judští: Takto praví Hospodin zástupů, Bůh Izraelský: Jestliže vy zarputile na tom zůstanete, abyste vešli do Egypta, a vejdete-li, abyste tam pobyli, 16Jistě stane se to, že meč, kteréhož se bojíte, tam v zemi Egyptské vás postihne, a hlad, jehož se obáváte, přijde na vás v Egyptě, a tam pomřete. 17Tak se stane všechněm těm mužům, kteříž uložili předce jíti do Egypta, aby tam byli pohostinu, že zhynou mečem, hladem a morem, a nezůstane z nich žádného, aniž kdo znikne toho zlého, kteréž já uvedu na ně. 18Nebo takto praví Hospodin zástupů, Bůh Izraelský: Jakož vylit jest hněv můj a prchlivost má na obyvatele Jeruzalémské, tak vylita bude prchlivost má na vás, když vejdete do Egypta, a budete k proklínání, a k užasnutí, a k zlořečení, a za útržku; nadto neuzříte více místa tohoto. 19K vámť mluví Hospodin, ó ostatkové Judští: Nevcházejte do Egypta. Jistotně vězte, (neboť se vám dnes osvědčuji), 20Poněvadž jste se neupřímě ke mně měli v myšleních svých, poslavše mne k Hospodinu Bohu vašemu, řkouce: Modl se za nás Hospodinu Bohu našemu, a všecko, jakžť koli dí Hospodin Bůh náš, tak nám oznam, a učiníme, 21Když pak oznamuji vám dnes, však neposloucháte hlasu Hospodina Boha vašeho hned v ničemž, pročež mne k vám poslal: 22Protož pravím, vězte jistotně, že mečem, hladem a morem pomřete v tom místě, kamž se vám zachtělo jíti, abyste tam byli pohostinu.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 2 THE JEWS AND JOHANAN INQUIRE OF GOD, THROUGH JEREMIAH, AS TO GOING TO EGYPT, PROMISING OBEDIENCE TO HIS WILL. THEIR SAFETY ON CONDITION OF STAYING IN JUDEA, AND THEIR DESTRUCTION IN THE EVENT OF GOING TO EGYPT, ARE FORETOLD. THEM HYPOCRISY IN ASKING FOR COUNSEL WHICH THEY MEANT NOT TO FOLLOW, IF CONTRARY TO THEIR OWN DETERMINATION, IS REPROVED. (Jer. 42:1-22)
Jeremiah--He probably was one of the number carried off from Mizpah, and dwelt with Johanan (
Jer 41:16). Hence the expression is, "came near" (
Jer 42:1), not "sent."
Let . . . supplication be accepted--literally, "fall" (see on
Jer 36:7;
Jer 37:20).
pray for us-- (
Gen 20:7;
Isa 37:4;
Jas 5:16).
thy God-- (
Jer 42:5). The Jews use this form to express their belief in the peculiar relation in which Jeremiah stood to God as His accredited prophet. Jeremiah in his reply reminds them that God is their God ("your God") as well as his as being the covenant people (
Jer 42:4). They in turn acknowledge this in
Jer 42:6, "the Lord our God."
few of many--as had been foretold (
Lev 26:22).
3 They consulted God, like many, not so much to know what was right, as wishing Him to authorize what they had already determined on, whether agreeable to His will or not. So Ahab in consulting Micaiah (
1Kgs 22:13). Compare Jeremiah's answer (
Jer 42:4) with Micaiah's (
1Kgs 22:14).
4 I have heard--that is, I accede to your request.
your God--Being His by adoption, ye are not your own, and are bound to whatever He wills (
Exod 19:5-
Exod 19:6;
1Cor 6:19-20).
answer you--that is, through me.
keep nothing back-- (
1Sam 3:18;
Acts 20:20).
5 Lord be a true . . . witness-- (
Gen 31:50;
Ps 89:37;
Rev 1:5;
Rev 3:14;
Rev 19:11).
6 evil--not moral evil, which God cannot command (
Jas 1:13), but what may be disagreeable and hard to us. Piety obeys God, without questioning, at all costs. See the instance defective in this, that it obeyed only so far as was agreeable to itself (
1Sam 15:3,
1Sam 15:9,
1Sam 15:13-15,
1Sam 15:20-23).
7 ten days--Jeremiah did not speak of himself, but waited God's time and revelation, showing the reality of his inspiration. Man left to himself would have given an immediate response to the people, who were impatient of delay. The delay was designed to test the sincerity of their professed willingness to obey, and that they should have full time to deliberate (
Deut 8:2). True obedience bows to God's time, as well as His way and will.
10 If ye . . . abide--namely, under the Babylonian authority, to which God hath appointed that all should be subject (
Dan 2:37-
Dan 2:38). To resist was to resist God.
build . . . plant--metaphor for, I will firmly establish you (
Jer 24:6).
I repent . . . of the evil-- (
Jer 18:8;
Deut 32:36). I am satisfied with the punishment I have inflicted on you, if only you add not a new offense [GROTIUS]. God is said to "repent," when He alters His outward ways of dealing.
12 show mercies--rather, I will excite (in him) feelings of mercy towards you [CALVIN].
cause you to return--permit you to return to the peaceable enjoyment of the possessions from which you are wishing to withdraw through fear of the Chaldeans. By departing in disobedience they should incur the very evils they wished thereby to escape; and by staying they should gain the blessings which they feared to lose by doing so.
13 if ye say, &c.--avowed rebellion against God, who had often (
Deut 17:16), as now, forbidden their going to Egypt, lest they should be entangled in its idolatry.
14 where we shall see no war--Here they betray their impiety in not believing God's promise (
Jer 42:10-
Jer 42:11), as if He were a liar (
1John 5:10).
15 wholly set your faces--firmly resolve (
Luke 9:51) in spite of all warnings (
Jer 44:12).
16 sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you--The very evils we think to escape by sin, we bring on ourselves thereby. What our hearts are most set on often proves fatal to us. Those who think to escape troubles by changing their place will find them wherever they go (
Ezek 11:8). The "sword" here is that of Nebuchadnezzar, who fulfilled the prediction in his expedition to Africa (according to MEGASTHENES, a heathen writer),300 B.C.
17 all the men--excepting the "small number" mentioned (
Jer 44:14,
Jer 44:28); namely, those who were forced into Egypt against their will, Jeremiah, Baruch, &c., and those who took Jeremiah's advice and fled from Egypt before the arrival of the Chaldeans.
18 As mine anger, &c.--As ye have already, to your sorrow, found Me true to My word, so shall ye again (
Jer 7:20;
Jer 18:16).
shall see this place no more--Ye shall not return to Judea, as those shall who have been removed to Babylon.
19 I have admonished--literally, "testified," that is, solemnly admonished, having yourselves as My witnesses; so that if ye perish, ye yourselves will have to confess that it was through your own fault, not through ignorance, ye perished.
20 dissembled in your hearts--rather, "ye have used deceit against your (own) souls." It is not God, but yourselves, whom ye deceive, to your own ruin, by your own dissimulation (
Gal 6:7) [CALVIN]. But the words following accord best with English Version, ye have dissembled in your hearts (see on
Jer 42:3) towards me, when ye sent me to consult God for you.
21 declared it--namely, the divine will.
I . . . but ye--antithesis. I have done my part; but ye do not yours. It is no fault of mine that ye act not rightly.
22 sojourn--for a time, until they could return to their country. They expected, therefore, to be restored, in spite of God's prediction to the contrary.