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英文原文
Johanan and the captains being strongly bent upon going into Egypt, either their affections or politics advising them to take that course, they had a great desire that God should direct them to do so too like Balaam, who, when he was determined to go and curse Israel, asked God leave. Here is, I. The fair bargain that was made between Jeremiah and them about consulting God in this matter, Jer 42:1-6. II. The message at large which God sent them, in answer to their enquiry, in which, 1. They are commanded and encouraged to continue in the land of Judah, and assured that if they did so it should be well with them, Jer 42:7-12. 2. They are forbidden to go to Egypt, and are plainly told that if they did it would be their ruin, Jer 42:13-18. 3. They are charged with dissimulation in their asking what God's will was in this matter and disobedience when they were told what it was; and sentence is accordingly passed upon them, Jer 42:19-22.
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Jeremiah Agrees to Consult God (588 BC)
耶利米答应求问神（主前588年）
¹ 于是所有的军长，和加利亚的儿子约哈难，并何沙雅的儿子耶撒尼亚，以及百姓从最小的到至大的，都前来； ² 对先知耶利米说：「求你容我们的恳求在你面前蒙允，求你为我们向耶和华你的神祷告——为我们这剩下的余民；（我们本来众多，如今剩下的却寥寥无几，正如你眼所见；） ³ 好叫耶和华你的神指示我们当行的路，当办的事。」 ⁴ 先知耶利米对他们说：「我已听见你们的话；看哪，我必照你们的话向耶和华你们的神祷告。耶和华无论回答你们什么，我必告诉你们，一点也不隐瞒。」 ⁵ 他们对耶利米说：「愿耶和华在我们中间作真实信实的见证；我们若不照耶和华你神所差遣你来告诉我们的一切话去行，愿他鉴察。 ⁶ 无论是福是祸，我们都必听从耶和华我们神的声音——就是我们现今差你去求问的那位；好叫我们因听从耶和华我们神的声音而得福。」
我们有理由希奇，先知耶利米怎能逃脱以实玛利的刀剑；看来他确实逃脱了，而主将他隐藏，这已不是头一遭。同样希奇的是，在这些剧烈的变故中，他们直到如今才来请教他，征询并采纳他的意见。但他们似乎并不晓得在他们中间有一位先知。这百姓虽如「从火中抽出来的一根柴」，却仍没有「归向主」。这百姓怀的是「悖道叛逆的心」；藐视神和他的护理，藐视神和他的先知，仍是「最易缠累他们的罪」。但如今为要应急，他们终于前来寻见耶利米——「所有的军长，连约哈难」自己也不例外，以及「众民从最小的到至大的」都来拜访他；他们「前来」（耶42:1），这表明他们先前与先知保持距离，对他存着回避之心。在此我们看到，
一、他们恳求耶利米借祷告向神求问，在这紧要关头当怎样行（耶42:2-3）。他们的措辞极为得体。1. 对先知十分恭敬。他虽贫穷卑微、在他们权下，他们却谦卑顺服地到他面前，如同恳求他帮助的请愿者，并表示自己不配蒙恩：「求你容我们的恳求在你面前蒙允。」他们这样奉承他，是想劝他照他们的心意说话。2. 对他在天上的地位极为看重：「『求你为我们祷告』，因为我们不晓得怎样为自己祷告。『求你向耶和华你的神祷告』，因为我们不配称他为我们的神，也没有理由从他得什么恩惠。」3. 深感自己需要神的指示。他们以自己为可怜的对象：「『我们只是余民，本来众多，如今剩下的却无几』；这样的余民何等容易被人吞灭，然而毁灭它实在可惜。『你的眼』看见我们所处的困境，看见我们陷在何等的为难之中；你若能做什么，求你帮助我们。」4. 渴慕神的指示：「愿『耶和华你的神』把这败落之局放在心上、交在他手中，『指示我们当行的路』——就是我们可以期望他同在的路，『并我们当办的事』——为我们安全当取的方针。」当记取：在每一件艰难可疑的事上，我们都当举目仰望神求指示。那时他们可以期望借「预言的灵」得着引导，这灵如今已经止息；但我们仍可凭信心祈求，借我们心中的「智慧之灵」和护理中的暗示得蒙引导。
二、耶利米忠实地答应为他们求指示，并保证无论神借他传给他们什么信息，他都要照所领受的原样传讲，不加、不改、不减（耶42:4）。传道人可由此学习：1. 当存着无亏的良心为那些请他们代求的人祷告：「我必照你们的话为你们祷告。」他们虽轻慢过他，他却像被人轻慢时的撒母耳一样，「断不停止为他们祷告，免得得罪耶和华」（撒上12:23）。2. 当存着无亏的良心，照神的旨意尽可能准确地 advising 那些请教他们的人，「不避讳任何与他们有益的事」，无论是讨喜还是不讨喜，乃要向他们「传讲神全备的旨意」，借此表明自己忠于所托。
三、他们爽快地应许，一知道神的旨意，就必顺服（耶42:5-6）；他们竟敢在此事上 appeal 神见证他们的诚心，虽然同时他们心怀诡诈：「『愿耶和华在我们中间作真实信实的见证』；你当敬畏神，把神的心意真实地告诉我们，我们也必在敬畏神中遵行；为此愿审判的主在我们中间作审判者。」当记取：那些盼望得着良善传道人代祷之益的人，必须认真地听从他们的讲道，并尽其与神心意相符的程度受其引导。这话实在再好不过：「『无论是福是祸，我们都必听从耶和华我们神的声音，好叫我们得福。』」1. 他们如今称神为「他们的」神，因为耶利米曾鼓励他们这样称呼他（耶42:4）：「我必向耶和华你们的神祷告。」他既是我们的神，所以「我们必听从他的声音」。我们与神的关系强烈地约束我们顺服。2. 他们应许「听从他的声音」，因为他们差先知到他那里去求问。当记取：我们若不立意完全遵行，就并非真心要知道神的心意。3. 他们在此所应许的，是一种含括一切的隐含的顺服。他们要行神所命定的一切，「无论是福是祸」：「在我们看来也许是祸，但我们仍要相信：神若吩咐，那就一定是好的，我们不可争辩，只要去行。无论神吩咐什么，无论是易是难，是合我们心愿还是逆我们心愿，是廉价还是昂贵，是合潮流还是不合潮流，无论我们在世上的利益是得是失，只要是我们的本分，我们就要去行。」4. 他们应许这事，所根据的是一个非常合理的考虑，也是一个有力的考虑——「好叫我们得福」——这表明他们深信：若非如此，就不能指望得着福祉。
英文原文
Jeremiah Agrees to Consult God (588 BC)
¹ 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 greatest, came near,
² And 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:)
³ That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.
⁴ Then 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.
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 the 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.
We have reason to wonder how Jeremiah the prophet escaped the sword of Ishmael; it seems he did escape, and it was not the first time that the Lord hid him. It is strange also that in these violent turns he was not consulted before now, and his advice asked and taken. But it should seem as if they knew not that a prophet was among them. Though this people were as brands plucked out of the fire, yet have they not returned to the Lord. This people has a revolting and a rebellious heart; and contempt of God and his providence, God and his prophets, is still the sin that most easily besets them. But now at length, to serve a turn, Jeremiah is sought out, and all the captains, Johanan himself not excepted, with all the people from the least to the greatest, make him a visit; they came near (Jer 42:1), which intimates that hitherto they had kept at a distance from the prophet and had been shy of him. Now here,
I. They desire him by prayer to ask direction from God what they should do in the present critical juncture, Jer 42:2,3. They express themselves wonderfully well. 1. With great respect to the prophet. Though he was poor and low, and under their command, yet they apply to him with humility and submissiveness, as petitioners for his assistance, which yet they intimate their own unworthiness of: Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee. They compliment him thus in hopes to persuade him to say as they would have him say. 2. With a great opinion of his interest in heaven: "Pray for us, who know not how to pray for ourselves. Pray to the Lord thy God, for we are unworthy to call him ours, nor have we reason to expect any favour from him." 3. With a great sense of their need of divine direction. They speak of themselves as objects of compassion: "We are but a remnant, but a few of many; how easily will such a remnant be swallowed up, and yet it is a pity that it should. Thy eyes see what distress we are in, what a plunge we are at; if thou canst do any thing, help us." 4. With desire of divine direction: "Let the Lord thy God take this ruin into his thoughts and under his hand, and show us the way wherein we may walk and may expect to have his presence with us, and the thing that we may do, the course we may take for our own safety." Note, In every difficult doubtful case our eye must be up to God for direction. They then might expect to be directed by a spirit of prophecy, which has now ceased; but we may still in faith pray to be guided by a spirit of wisdom in our hearts and the hints of Providence.
II. Jeremiah faithfully promises them to pray for direction for them, and, whatever message God should send to them by him, he would deliver it to them just as he received it without adding, altering, or diminishing, Jer 42:4. Ministers may hence learn, 1. Conscientiously to pray for those who desire their prayers: I will pray for you according to your words. Though they had slighted him, yet, like Samuel when he was slighted, he will not sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for them, 1Sa 12:23. 2. Conscientiously to advise those who desire their advice as near as they can to the mind of God, not keeping back any thing that is profitable for them, whether it be pleasing or no, but to declare to them the whole counsel of God, that they may approve themselves true to their trust.
III. They fairly promise that they will be governed by the will of God, as soon as they know what it is (Jer 42:5,6), and they had the impudence to appeal to God concerning their sincerity herein, though at the same time they dissembled: "The Lord be a true and faithful witness between us; do thou in the fear of God tell us truly what his mind is and then we will in the fear of God comply with it, and for this the Lord the Judge be Judge between us." Note, Those that expect to have the benefit of good ministers' prayers must conscientiously hearken to their preaching and be governed by it, as far as it agrees with the mind of God. Nothing could be better than this was: Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God, that it may be well with us. 1. They now call God their God, for Jeremiah had encouraged them to call him so (Jer 42:4): I will pray to the Lord your God. He is ours, and therefore we will obey his voice. Our relation to God strongly obliges us to obedience. 2. They promise to obey his voice because they sent the prophet to him to consult him. Note, We do not truly desire to know the mind of God if we do not fully resolve to comply with it when we do know it. 3. It is an implicit universal obedience that they here promise. They will do what God appoints them to do, whether it be good or whether it be evil: "Though it may seem evil to us, yet we will believe that if God command it it is certainly good, and we must not dispute it, but do it. Whatever God commands, whether it be easy or difficult, agreeable to our inclinations or contrary to them, whether it be cheap or costly, fashionable or unfashionable, whether we get or lose by it in our worldly interests, if it be our duty, we will do it." 4. It is upon a very good consideration that they promise this, a reasonable and powerful one, that it may be well with us, which intimates a conviction that they could not expect it should be well with them upon any other terms.
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Jeremiah's Address to the People (588 BC)
耶利米对百姓的宣告（公元前588年）
⁷ 过了十天，耶和华的话临到耶利米。 ⁸ 他就将在他面前的加利雅的儿子约哈难，和与他同在的一切军长，并众百姓，从最小的到至大的，都召了来， ⁹ 对他们说：耶和华——以色列的神，就是你们差我去在他面前呈情祈求的那位，如此说： ¹⁰ 你们若仍住在这地，我就建立你们，必不拆毁；栽植你们，并不拔出；因我为降与你们的灾祸后悔了。 ¹¹ 你们现在所怕的巴比伦王，不要怕他；不要惧怕他，这是耶和华说的；因为我与你们同在，要拯救你们，将你们从他的手中救出来。 ¹² 我也要向你们施怜悯，使你们可怜你们，叫你们归回本业。 ¹³ 你们若说：『我们不住在这地』，又不听从耶和华你们神的话， ¹⁴ 说：『不然，我们要下埃及地去，在那里看不见战争，听不见角声，也不致无食挨饿；我们要住在那里』； ¹⁵ 你们犹大剩下的人哪，现在要听耶和华的话；万军之耶和华——以色列的神如此说：你们若立志下埃及去，在那里寄居； ¹⁶ 你们所惧怕的刀剑，必在埃及地追上你们；你们所惧怕的饥荒，必在埃及紧紧跟随你们；你们必死在那里。 ¹⁷ 凡定意下埃及去在那里寄居的人，必都如此；他们必因刀剑、饥荒、瘟疫而死；在我所要降与他们的灾祸中，无一存留、无一逃脱。 ¹⁸ 万军之耶和华——以色列的神如此说：我怎样将我的怒气和忿怒倾倒在耶路撒冷的居民身上，你们进入埃及的时候，我也必照样将我的忿怒倾倒在你们身上；你们必成为咒诅、惊骇、咒骂、羞辱；你们必不再见这地。 ¹⁹ 犹大剩下的人哪，耶和华论到你们说：不要下埃及去；你们今日确实知道，我已经警戒你们了。 ²⁰ 你们差我去见耶和华你们神的时候，你们心里自欺；你们说：『求你为我们向耶和华我们的神祷告；耶和华我们神无论说什么，你都要照着向我们宣告，我们就必遵行。』 ²¹ 我今日将这话告诉了你们，你们却没有听从耶和华你们神的话，也没有听他差我来告诉你们的任何事。 ²² 所以你们如今确实知道：在你们所渴望去寄居之地，你们必因刀剑、饥荒、瘟疫而死。
我们在这里看见耶利米被差遣向那些雇他求问神之人所传的答复。
I. 答复没有立即来到——直到『过了十天』才临到（耶42:7）。他们这样长久悬而未决，也许是为了惩治他们的虚伪，或为了显明耶利米并非凭自己说话，并非说他想说的——因为他不能想说就说，而必须等候指示。无论如何，这教导我们要在所行的路上持续等候神的指引。『异象是为所定的时期，到了末了必然发声。』
II. 答复来到时，他公开传达——既向『军长』也向一切『百姓』，从最小的到地位最高的；他照所领受的，完整而忠实地传达，正如他应许绝不向他们隐瞒一言。若要耶利米凭自己的判断指教他们，他也许不知当如何建议，因情形如此棘手；但他所要建议的，是『耶和华——以色列的神』所启示的——他们正是为此差遣他到神面前——所以他们有责任在道义和本分上遵行。他告诉他们，
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神的旨意是要他们仍留在原处，神的应许是：他们若如此行，必无疑地『得福』；他要他们仍『住在这地』（耶42:10）。他们的同胞被掳离开此地，这是他们的苦楚；所以让那些得以留下的人把能留下视为怜悯，留下来也视为本分。那些分得迦南之业的人，只要能守住，就永不可放弃。神若只说：『我以你们的效忠吩咐你们仍住在地上』，就足以叫他们听从；他却不是以君王之尊命令他们，而是以朋友之谊劝服他们。（1.）他对他们目前灾难中的处境表示极温柔的关切：『我为降与你们的灾祸后悔了。』虽然他们悔改自己罪的迹象甚少，神却如同『为以色列的苦难担忧』一般（士10:16），开始为他因他们的罪而降的审判后悔。这并非他改变心意，而是他极乐意改变方法，以怜悯归回他们。神为他的仆人后悔的时候，是当他看见他们的力量消散，正如这里，『无所保留、无所存留』之时（申32:36）。（2.）他回答了他们心中反对住在这地的理由。他们『怕巴比伦王』（耶41:18），唯恐他来为基大利的死向他们报复——虽然他们毫无干系，并且曾经作证反对这事。这疑虑既离题又不合理；但即便其中有何根据，这里所说也已足够消除它（耶42:11）：『不要怕巴比伦王』，虽然他大有能力、缺乏怜悯，又是一个极其专横、以己意为法律的君王，所以你们怕他会以此为借口——虽毫无道理——对你们不利；『不要怕他』，因为那惧怕必成为网罗：不要怕他，因为『我与你们同在』；若神为你们拯救你们，谁能敌对你们、伤害你们呢？』神如此为他百姓在尽本分之路上使他们灰心的无端惧怕提供了消除和安抚的方法；应许中所有的，足以鼓励他们。（3.）他向他们保证：他们若仍住在这地，不但可脱离巴比伦王的手，更将因万王之王而得福：『我必建立你们，栽植你们』；你们必重新扎根，成为另一个国度的新根基——如凤凰之国，从前一个的灰烬中复起。』又补充（耶42:12）：『我必向你们施怜悯。』注意，我们一切的安慰中，都可读出神的怜悯。神要在这方面向他们施怜悯：不仅巴比伦王不毁灭他们，他还要『怜悯他们』，帮助他们安顿。注意，人向我们行何种善事，我们都当归因于神的恩慈。他使他所怜悯的人，连『那些掳掠他们的人』也怜悯他们（诗16:46——译注：原文如此）。『巴比伦王如今掌管此地，必使你们回到自己的地业』，必重新使你们住在自己的住处，使你们得着从前属于你们的地。』注意，神把我们当尽的本分定为我们的特权，而我们的顺服本身就必得着自己的赏报。『住在这地，它必再成为你们的地，你们必继续其中。如今你们既然如此有望重新得享它，就不可弃之而去。不可如此糊涂，为了「虚妄的谎言」而「离弃自己的怜悯」。』
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他们若看重神的恩惠和自己的幸福，就绝不可想下埃及去——尤其不可下到那地——那正是神曾把他们的列祖领出来的地，也是他屡次警告他们不可结盟、不可仰赖的地。请观察，（1.）他们所犯的罪（在那知道人心之神看来，这不仅是假设）：『你们开始说：「我们不住在这地」（耶42:13）；我们绝不想在此能得安全，不，即便神亲自承担保护我们也不行。我们不愿留在此地，不，即便为顺服『耶和华我们神的话』也不留。他尽可说他所愿说的，我们却要行我们所愿行的。我们要『下埃及地去』，并『在那里居住』，无论神是否许可我们、是否与我们同行。』（耶42:14）。圣经假设他们的心已经倾向这事：『你们若立志下埃及去』，并且顽固决意要去『在那里寄居』，纵然神借他的话和他的护理反对这事，那么就要听下面的话。』他们这一决定所根据的理由是：『在埃及我们看不见战争，也不致无食挨饿』，正如我们在这地长久以来所受的（耶42:14）。注意，因为我们遇见患难就离开本位——尤其是离开圣地——乃是愚妄；但想借更换地方来逃避神的审判，想逃避那在一切悖逆之路上追赶罪人、除了归回效忠之外无可逃避的祸患，更是愚妄。（2.）他们若坚持此罪，必因此受判。这判语奉神的名宣告（耶42:15）：『你们这犹大剩下的人哪，要听耶和华的话』——你们以为自己是剩下的人就必蒙宽免（耶42:2），必被纵容随己意而行。［1.］刀剑和饥荒使你们惊恐吗？那些审判必追赶他们直到埃及，在那里追上他们、胜过他们（耶42:16,17）：『你们以为战争和饥荒长久在这地肆虐，就必定与这地相属；其实你们若信靠神，他能使这地成为你们得平安之地；你们以为它们只限于这地，你们若能脱离这地，就能脱离它们所及之处；神却要差遣它们随你们到任何地方。』注意，我们想借犯罪逃避的祸患，正是我们无可避免地要奔向的。那些违背神旨意下埃及逃避『刀剑和饥荒』的人，必在埃及死于刀剑和饥荒。我们可以将此应用于人生共同的灾祸；那些不能忍受、想借迁地逃避的人，必发现自己受骗，毫无改善。人所共有的忧愁，无论在何处都遇见他们。我们在世上的一切迁移，不过是从一个荒野到另一个荒野；我们仍在原处。［2.］耶路撒冷的荒凉使他们惊恐吗？他们愿意尽量远离它吗？他们也必在埃及遇见它的第二回合（耶42:18）：『我的怒气和忿怒怎样倾倒在此处的耶路撒冷，也必照样倾倒在你们身上——在埃及。』注意，那些因罪使神为敌的人，无论何往，必发现他乃是吞灭的火。那时你们必成为『咒诅、惊骇』。希伯来人向来为埃及人所憎恶（创43:32），如今必更甚从前。当神自称的百姓与不信的人混杂，又向他们谄媚时，他们就丧失了自己的尊严，使自己成为羞辱。
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神知道他们求问时的虚伪——他们求问神要他们怎样行的时候，心里已经定意要照自己的路走；所以先前有条件地宣告的判语，如今变为绝对的。在他们面前既陈明善恶、祝福和咒诅之后，他在末了就把他所说的话加以应用。这里，（1.）他郑重声明自己已忠心传达了信息（耶42:19）。整件事的总结论是：『不要下埃及去；你们若去，就是违背神的命令，我对你们所说的话必作见证反对你们；因为你们要确实知道，无论你们肯听还是拒听，我已经明明地警戒了你们；如今你们不能再以不知神的心意作为借口。』（2.）他指控他们当初求问神指引时，行了卑鄙的虚假（耶42:20）：『你们在心里自欺；你们口里说一回事，心里想另一回事，应许了你们本无心履行的事。』旁注如此读：『你们以诡诈待自己的灵魂』；因为那些想欺哄神的人，至终必发现自己行了毁灭自己的诡诈。（3.）他已经看出他们决意要违背神的命令；也许他们在脸色和暗中的低声嘀咕中已经显出，他尚未讲完就如此。无论如何，他说话乃出于那知道人心的主：『你们没有听从耶和华你们神的话；你们没有顺从的意向。』摩西在他告别讲道的末了，也曾这样对他们说（申31:27,29）：『我知道你的叛逆和你的顽梗，你们必全然败坏。』当赞叹神的忍耐——他仍乐意对那些他明知不会留心的人说话，仍乐意对待那些他明知『行事诡诈』的人（赛48:8）。（4.）因此他向他们宣读判语，确认先前所说的话：『你们确实知道：你们必因刀剑而死』（耶42:22）。神的威胁可被人轻看，却不能因人的不信而失效。『饥荒和瘟疫』必追赶这些罪人；因为没有地方可免于神的拘提，也没有犯人能逃出神的管辖区。『你们必死在你们所渴望去寄居之地。』注意，我们不知何为自己有益；我们最钟爱、心里最倾注的事，往往成为我们的痛苦，有时甚至是致命的。
英文原文
Jeremiah's Address to the People (588 BC)
⁷ And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah.
⁸ Then 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,
⁹ And said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him;
¹⁰ If 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.
¹¹ 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 to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.
¹² And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.
¹³ But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God,
¹⁴ Saying, 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:
¹⁵ And 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;
¹⁶ Then 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.
¹⁷ 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, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.
¹⁸ For 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.
¹⁹ The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day.
²⁰ For 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.
²¹ And 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.
²² 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.
We have here the answer which Jeremiah was sent to deliver to those who employed him to ask counsel of God.
I. It did not come immediately, not till ten days after, Jer 42:7. They were thus long held in suspense, perhaps, to punish them for their hypocrisy or to show that Jeremiah did not speak of himself, nor what he would, for he could not speak when he would, but must wait for instructions. However, it teaches us to continue waiting upon God for direction in our way. The vision is for an appointed time, and at the end it shall speak.
II. When it did come he delivered it publicly, both to the captains and to all the people, from the meanest to those in the highest station; he delivered it fully and faithfully as he received it, as he had promised that he would keep nothing back from them. If Jeremiah had been to direct them by his own prudence, perhaps he could not have told what to advise them to, the case was so difficult; but what he has to advise is what the Lord the God of Israel saith, to whom they had sent him, and therefore they were bound in honour and duty to observe it. And this he tells them,
1. That it is the will of God that they should stay where they are, and his promise that, if they do so, it shall undoubtedly be well with them he would have them still to abide in this land, Jer 42:10. Their brethren were forced out of it into captivity, and this was their affliction; let those therefore count it a mercy that they may stay in it and a duty to stay in it. Let those whose lot is in Canaan never quit it while they can keep it. It would have been enough to oblige them if God had only said, "I charge you upon your allegiance to abide still in the land;" but he rather persuades them to it as a friend than commands it as a prince. (1.) He expresses a very tender concern for them in their present calamitous condition: It repenteth me of the evil that I have done unto you. Though they had shown small sign of their repenting of their sins, yet God, as one grieved for the misery of Israel (Jdg 10:16), begins to repent of the judgments he had brought upon them for their sins. Not that he changed his mind, but he was very ready to change his way and to return in mercy to them. God's time to repent himself concerning his servants is when he sees that, as here, their strength is gone, and there is none shut up or left, De 32:36. (2.) He answers the argument they had against abiding in this land. They feared the king of Babylon (Jer 41:18), lest he should come and avenge the death of Gedaliah upon them, though they were no way accessory to it, nay, had witnessed against it. The surmise was foreign and unreasonable; but, if there had been any ground for it, enough is here said to remove it (Jer 42:11): "Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, though he is a man of great might and little mercy, and a very arbitrary prince, whose will is a law, and therefore you are afraid he will upon this pretence, though without colour of reason, take advantage against you; be not afraid of him, for that fear will bring a snare: fear not him, for I am with you; and, if God be for you to save you, who can be against you to hurt you?" Thus has God provided to obviate and silence even the causeless fears of his people, which discourage them in the way of their duty; there is enough in the promises to encourage them. (3.) He assures them that if they will still abide in this land they shall not only be safe from the king of Babylon, but be made happy by the King of kings: "I will build you and plant you; you shall take root again, and be the new foundation of another state, a phoenix-kingdom, rising out of the ashes of the last." It is added (Jer 42:12), I will show mercies unto you. Note, In all our comforts we may read God's mercies. God will show them mercy in this, that not only the king of Babylon shall not destroy them, but he shall have mercy upon them and help to settle them. Note, Whatever kindness men do us we must attribute it to God's kindness. He makes those whom he pities to be pitied even by those who carried them captives, Ps 16:46. "The king of Babylon, having now the disposal of the country, shall cause you to return it to your own land, shall settle you again in your own habitations and put you in possession of the lands that formerly belonged to you." Note, God has made that our duty which is really our privilege, and our obedience will be its own recompence. "Abide in this land, and it shall be your own land again and you shall continue in it. Do not quit it now that you stand so fair for the enjoyment of it again. Be no so unwise as to forsake your own mercies for lying vanities."
2. That as they tender the favour of God and their own happiness they must by no means think of going into Egypt, not thither of all places, not to that land out of which God had delivered their fathers and which he had so often warned them not to make alliance with nor to put confidence in. Observe here, (1.) The sin they are supposed to be guilty of (and to him that knew their hearts it was more than a supposition): "You begin to say, We will not dwell in this land (Jer 42:13); we will never think that we can be safe in it, no, not though God himself undertake our protection. We will not continue in it, no, not in obedience to the voice of the Lord our God. He may say what he please, but we will do what we please. We will go into the land of Egypt, and there will we dwell, whether God give us leave and go along with us or no," Jer 42:14. It is supposed that their hearts were upon it: "If you wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and are obstinately resolved that you will go and sojourn there, though God oppose you in it both by his word and by his providence, then take what follows." Now the reason they go upon in this resolution is that "in Egypt we shall see no war, nor have hunger of bread,; as we have had for a long time in this land," Jer 42:14. Note, It is folly to quit our place, especially to quit the holy land, because we meet with trouble in it; but greater folly to think by changing our place to escape the judgments of God, and that evil which pursues sinners in every way of disobedience, and which there is no escaping but by returning to our allegiance. (2.) The sentence passed upon them for this sin, if they will persist in it. It is pronounced in God's name (Jer 42:15): "Hear the word of the Lord, you remnant of Judah, who think that because you are a remnant you must be spared of course (Jer 42:2) and indulged in your own humour." [1.] Did the sword and famine frighten them? Those very judgments shall pursue them into Egypt, shall overtake them, and overcome them there (Jer 42:16,17): "You think, because war and famine have long been raging in this land, that they are entailed upon it; whereas, if you trust in God, he can make even this land a land of peace to you; you think they are confined to it, and, if you can get clear of this land, you shall get out of the reach of them, but God will send them after you wherever you go." Note, the evils we think to escape by sin we certainly and inevitably run ourselves upon. The men that go to Egypt in contradiction to God's will, to escape the sword and famine, shall die in Egypt by sword and famine. We may apply it to the common calamities of human life; those that are impatient of them, and think to avoid them by changing their place, will find that they are deceived and that they do not at all better themselves. The grievances common to men will meet them wherever they go. All our removes in this world are but from one wilderness to another; still we are where we were. [2.] Did the desolations of Jerusalem frighten them? Were they willing to get as far as they could from them? They shall meet with the second part of them too in Egypt (Jer 42:18): As my anger and fury have been poured out here upon Jerusalem, so they shall be poured out upon you in Egypt. Note, Those that have by sin made God their enemy will find him a consuming fire wherever they go. And then you shall be an execration and an astonishment. The Hebrews were of old an abomination to the Egyptians (Ge 43:32), and now they shall be made more so than ever. When God's professing people mingle with infidels, and make their court to them, they lose their dignity and make themselves a reproach.
3. That God knew their hypocrisy in their enquiries of him, and that when they asked what he would have them to do they were resolved to take their own way; and therefore the sentence which was before pronounced conditionally is made absolute. Having set before them good and evil, the blessing and the curse, in the close he makes application of what he had said. And here, (1.) He solemnly protests that he had faithfully delivered his message, Jer 42:19. The conclusion of the whole matter is, "Go not down into Egypt; you disobey the command of God if you do, and what I have said to you will be a witness against you; for know certainly that, whether you will hear or whether you will forbear, I have plainly admonished you; you cannot now plead ignorance of the mind of God." (2.) He charges them with base dissimulation in the application they made to him for divine direction (Jer 42:20): "You dissembled in your hearts; you professed one thing and intended another, promising what you never meant to perform." You have used deceit against your soul (so the margin reads it); for those that think to put a cheat upon God will prove in the end to have put a damning cheat upon themselves. (3.) He is already aware that they are determined to go contrary to the command of God; probably they discovered it in their countenance and secret mutterings already, before he had finished his discourse. However, he spoke from him who knew their hearts: "You have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God; you have not a disposition to obey it." Thus Moses, in the close of his farewell sermon, had told them (De 31:27,29), I know thy rebellion and thy stiff neck, and that you will corrupt yourselves. Admire the patience of God, that he is pleased to speak to those who, he knows, will not regard him, and deal with those who, he knows, will deal very treacherously, Isa 48:8. (4.) He therefore reads them their doom, ratifying what he had said before: Know certainly that you shall die by the sword, Jer 42:22. God's threatenings may be vilified, but cannot be nullified, by the unbelief of man. Famine and pestilence shall pursue these sinners; for there is no place privileged from divine arrests, nor can any malefactors go out of God's jurisdiction. You shall die in the place whither you desire to go. Note, We know not what is good for ourselves; and that often proves afflictive, and sometimes fatal, which we are most fond of and have our hearts most set upon.
约哈难和众首领因执意下埃及——无论是出于感情倾向还是政治考量——便极愿神也指示他们如此行；这犹如巴兰，他既定意要去咒诅以色列，便求神允许。本章内容：一、耶利米与他们之间就此事求问神所定的明确约定（耶 42:1-6）。二、神答复他们的询问所赐下的详尽信息，其中：1. 他们被命令并受鼓励留在犹大地，并蒙应许若如此行必得平安（耶 42:7-12）。2. 他们被禁止下埃及，并明明被告知若去那里必自取灭亡（耶 42:13-18）。3. 他们被指控在此事上求问神旨意时心怀虚假，得知旨意后又违背不从；因此判决便临到他们（耶 42:19-22）。