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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)
耶利米答允求問神（主前 588 年）
¹ 那時一切軍長，以及加利亞的兒子約哈難，並何沙雅的兒子耶撒尼亞，以及眾百姓從最小的到至大的，都來近前，
² 對先知耶利米說：求你准我們在你面前懇求，為我們這剩下的人禱告耶和華你的神；因為我們本來眾多，剩下的極少，正如你親眼所見的。
³ 求耶和華你的神指示我們當走的路，當作的事。
⁴ 先知耶利米對他們說：我已經聽見你們了；照你們所說的話，我必禱告耶和華你們的神。耶和華無論回答甚麼，我必都告訴你們，毫不隱瞞。
⁵ 於是他們對耶利米說：我們若不照耶和華你的神差遣你所說的一切話行，願耶和華在我們中間作真實誠信的見證。
⁶ 我們無論是好是歹，必聽從耶和華我們神的聲音——我們差你去的耶和華；好叫我們因聽從耶和華我們神的聲音而得享平安。
我們有理由希奇先知耶利米是如何逃過以實瑪利的刀劍的；看來他確實逃脫了，這也不是主第一次將他隱藏。同樣令人費解的是，在如此動盪的變故中，他們竟直到如今才來求問，尋求並採納他的建議。但他們似乎不知道有一位先知在他們中間。這百姓雖然如同從火中抽出來的一根柴，卻仍沒有歸向主。這百姓有背叛悖逆的心；輕看神和祂的護理、輕看神和祂的先知，仍然是他們最容易纏累的罪。但如今，為了一時的需要，耶利米被找了出來；一切軍長，連約哈難自己也不例外，以及從最小的到最大的眾百姓，都來見他；他們來近前（Jer 42:1），這暗示他們迄今一直與先知保持距離，對他心存疏遠。如今在此：
一. 他們請他藉著禱告向神求問方向，在如今危急的關頭當怎樣行（Jer 42:2,3）。他們表達得極其懇切。1. 對先知極為尊敬。先知雖然貧窮卑微、在他們的權下，他們卻以謙卑順服的態度來求他，如同求人幫助的請願者，同時又暗示自己的不配：求你准我們在你面前懇求。他們如此奉承他，是盼望能說服他照他們所要的說。2. 對他在天上的影響力極有信心：「為我們禱告」——我們自己不會禱告。「禱告耶和華你的神」——因為我們不配稱祂為我們的神，也無理由期望從祂得任何恩惠。3. 深感自己需要神的指引。他們以自己為可憐的對象：「我們本來眾多，剩下的極少；」這極少的餘民何等容易被吞滅，然而被吞滅卻是可惜。「你的眼」看見我們的困境，看見我們何等進退兩難；你若能作甚麼，求你幫助我們。4. 渴望神的指引：「求耶和華你的神」顧念這毀壞的情形，親手掌管，「指示我們當走的路」——我們可以期望祂同在的路——「和當作的事」——我們為自己的安全當採取的途徑。注意，在每一個艱難可疑的情形中，我們的眼目都當仰望神求指引。他們那時可以期望藉預言的靈得指引——如今這靈已經止息；但我們仍可憑信心求靠心中的智慧之靈和護理的引導來帶領我們。
二. 耶利米忠實地應許為他們求問指引，並且無論神藉他傳甚麼信息，他都要照所領受的原原本本傳給他們——不加、不減、不改（Jer 42:4）。傳道人由此可以學到：1. 良心上有責任為那些渴望代禱的人禱告：我必照你們的話為你們禱告。他們雖然從前輕看他，他卻如撒母耳被輕看時一般，不肯得罪耶和華而停止禱告（撒上 12:23）。2. 良心上有責任照著神的心意，盡其所知地勸戒那些尋求建議的人——不避諱任何對他們有益的事，無論是否中聽，而要向他們傳講神全部的旨意，好證明自己忠於所託。
三. 他們爽快地應許：一旦知道神的旨意，就必順從（Jer 42:5,6）；而且他們竟厚顏地以此向神 appeal 自己的誠心——其實同時在裝假：「願耶和華在我們中間作真實誠信的見證」；你存敬畏神的心，誠實地告訴我們祂的心意，我們也必存敬畏神的心遵行；這事就以耶和華——那審判的主——為我們之間的審判者。注意，那些想要得著好牧者禱告之益處的人，必須良心上留心他們的講道，並照之而行——只要它與神的心意相符。再沒有比這更好的了：我們無論是好是歹，必聽從耶和華我們神的聲音，好叫我們得享平安。1. 他們如今稱神為他們的神，因為耶利米曾鼓勵他們如此稱呼（Jer 42:4）：*我必禱告耶和華你們的神。*祂既是我們的神，我們就當聽從祂的聲音。我們與神的關係有力地約束我們順服。2. 他們應許聽從祂的聲音，因為他們差先知到祂那裏求問。注意，我們若不是在知道神的心意之後完全決心遵行，就沒有真正渴望知道神的心意。3. 他們在此應許的是一種毫無保留的全面順服。他們要行神所吩咐他們的，無論是好是歹：「縱然在我們看來是歹的，我們仍要相信：神既吩咐，就必定是好，我們不可爭辯，只要遵行。無論神命令甚麼——無論是容易或艱難，是合我們心意或與我們心意相違，是廉價或昂貴，是合潮流或逆潮流，無論我們在世界利益上因之得利或失虧——只要是本分，我們就必遵行。」4. 他們如此應許是基於一個極好的考量——一個合理而有力的理由：好叫我們得享平安；這暗示他們確信：在任何別的條件下，都不能指望平安。
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)
耶利米對百姓的宣告（主前588年）
⁷ 過了十天，耶和華的話臨到耶利米。
⁸ 他就加利亞的兒子約哈難和與他在一起的一切軍長，以及從最小到至大的一切百姓，都叫了來，
⁹ 對他們說：你們差我去在他面前呈送懇求的那位耶和華－以色列的神如此說：
¹⁰ 「你們若仍住在這地，我就建立你們，必不拆毀；栽植你們，並不拔出；因我為降與你們的災禍後悔了。
¹¹ 你們所怕的巴比倫王，不要怕他；不要怕他——這是耶和華說的——因為我與你們同在，要拯救你們，將你們從他手中救出來。
¹² 我必向你們施憐憫，他也憐憫你們，使你們歸回本地。」
¹³ 「你們若說：『我們不住在這地』，不聽從耶和華－你們神的話，
¹⁴ 說：『不；我們要到埃及地去，在那裡我們看不見戰爭，聽不見角聲，也不致缺糧挨餓；我們要住在那裡』；
¹⁵ 如今，猶大餘民哪，要聽耶和華的話！萬軍之耶和華－以色列的神如此說：你們若定意要進入埃及去，在那裡寄居，
¹⁶ 你們所怕的刀劍，必在埃及地追上你們；你們所懼怕的饑荒，必在埃及緊緊跟隨你們；你們必死在那裡。
¹⁷ 凡定意進入埃及在那裡寄居的，都必如此；他們必死於刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫，直到滅盡；無一人逃脫我所降與他們的災禍。」
¹⁸ 「萬軍之耶和華－以色列的神如此說：我怎樣將我的怒氣和憤怒傾倒在耶路撒冷的居民身上，你們進入埃及的時候，我的憤怒也必照樣傾倒在你們身上；你們必成為可咒可詛、可驚駭、可咒詛、可羞辱的；你們必不得再見這地方。」
¹⁹ 「猶大餘民哪，耶和華論到你們說：不要進埃及去。你們今日當確實知道，我已警告你們。
²⁰ 因為你們差我去見耶和華－你們神的時候，心裡是詭詐的，說：求你為我們禱告耶和華－我們的神；凡耶和華－我們的神無論說甚麼，你求你告訴我們，我們必行。
²¹ 我今日將這話告訴了你們，你們卻不聽從耶和華－你們神的話，也不聽從他差我來對你們所說的一切。
²² 如今你們要確實知道：在你們所渴想去寄居的地方，你們必死於刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫。」
這裡我們看見耶利米奉差遣對那些託他去求問神旨意的人所作的回答。
一、這回答沒有立刻來到，而是「過了十天」才到（耶42:7）。他們就這樣被懸在那裡，或許是為了因他們的虛偽而懲罰他們，或許是為了表明耶利米不是憑自己說話，也不是憑自己所要的說——因為他不能在自己所要的時候說話，必須等候指示。然而，這教導我們當持續等候神的指引，以明我們的道路。「默示有一定的時候，終末必發聲。」
二、回答臨到時，他公開傳達，無論對「軍長」還是對一切「百姓」，從最小的到地位最高的都一樣；他忠實而完整地照所領受的傳達，正如他曾答應絕不向他們隱瞞甚麼。耶利米若憑自己的謀略來引導他們，也許不知當勸他們怎樣行，因為情形如此困難；但他所要勸的是「耶和華－以色列的神所說的」——他們曾差他去求問的那位，所以他們在道義和責任上都當遵行。他告訴他們：
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神的旨意是他們當留在原地，神的應許是他們若如此行，就必定「得好處」。他願他們仍「住在這地」（耶42:10）。他們的弟兄被強迫離開此地被擄，這是他們的苦難；所以讓那些可以留在這地的人以能留在其中為憐憫，以留在其中為本分。產業在迦南的人，只要能持守，就絕不可放棄。神若只說「我以你們的效忠命令你們仍住在這地」，那就足以約束他們了；但他寧可作朋友勸說，而不作君王命令。(1) 他對他們目前苦難的境遇表示十分溫柔的關切：「我為降與你們的災禍後悔了。」雖然他們對自己的罪沒有多少悔改的跡象，神卻如那位「為以色列的苦難擔憂」者（士10:16），開始為因他們的罪而降在他們身上的審判後悔。這不是說他改變了心意，而是他非常樂意改變作法，以憐憫歸回他們。神為他的僕人後悔的時候，是他看見他們的力量已經消失、「被囚的都沒有留下」之時（申32:36）。(2) 他答覆他們對住在這地的疑慮。他們「怕巴比倫王」（耶41:18），怕他來為基大利的死報仇，雖然他們毫無同謀，不，還曾作證反對這事。這疑慮毫不切題、毫不合理；但即使真有根據，這裡也說了足夠的話來消除它（耶42:11）：「不要怕巴比倫王」，雖然他是大有能力、少有憐憫的人，又十分專橫，他的旨意就是律法，所以你們怕他會趁這藉口——雖然毫無道理——向你們下手；「不要怕他」，因為這懼怕必成為網羅：不要怕他，因為「我與你們同在」；神若為你們拯救你們，誰能反對你們害你們呢？神就是這樣為他的百姓預備，為要消除並使他們在盡本分的路上灰心的無端恐懼閉口；應許中有足夠的話來鼓勵他們。(3) 他保證他們若仍住在這地，不僅能免於巴比倫王的害，更要因萬王之王而得福：「我必建立你們，栽植你們；你們必重新扎根，作另一個國家的新根基——如同鳳凰之國，從前一國的灰燼中升起。」（耶42:12）又說：「我必向你們施憐憫。」請注意，在我們一切的安慰中，我們都可以讀出神的憐憫。神要向他們施憐憫，不僅使巴比倫王不毀滅他們，更使他「憐憫他們」，幫助他們安居。請注意，人對我們所行的任何善意，我們都當歸功於神的恩慈。他使他所憐恤的人，連「擄掠他們的人也憐恤他們」（詩16:46）。「巴比倫王如今有這地的處分權，必使你們歸回本地」，使你們重新在自己的住處安居，使你們得著從前屬於你們的地業。請注意，神已經以我們的特欅作為我們的本分，而我們的順服本身就是自己的賞賜。「住在這地，這地就必再成為你們的地，你們也必繼續在其上。如今你們既然如此有望重新得享這地，就不可放棄它。不可如此愚昧，為『虛謊的虛空』而『離棄自己的憐憫』。」
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他們若珍惜神的恩惠和自己的幸福，就絕不可想到埃及去——不可去任何地方，尤其不可去那地——就是神曾把他們列祖從其中領出來、並屢次警告他們不可結盟、不可信靠的那地。請注意這裡：(1) 他們所被設想要犯的罪（對那知道他們內心的主而言，這不僅僅是設想）：「你們開始說：『我們不住在這地』（耶42:13）；我們永不以為能在這地安全，不，即使神親自保護我們也不行。我們不肯留在其中，不，就是『不聽從耶和華我們神的話』也不肯。他愛怎麼說就怎麼說，我們愛怎麼行就怎麼行。我們要到埃及地去，在那裡居住，無論神是否允許我們、是否與我們同去」（耶42:14）。又設想他們的心意已定：「你們若定意要進入埃及」，頑固地決定要去，在那裡「寄居」，雖然神藉他的話和他的護理都反對你們如此行，那麼請聽以下所說的。」他們如此決定所根據的理由是：「在埃及我們看不見戰爭，也不致缺糧挨餓，如同我們在這地長久以來所遭遇的那樣」（耶42:14）。請注意，因遇見患難而離開自己的地位——尤其是聖地——是愚昧的；但更大的愚昧是以為改換地位就能逃避神的審判，逃避那在一切不順服的路上追趕罪人的災禍——除了歸回效忠，別無逃避之法。(2) 他們若堅持此罪，所判的刑罰。這是奉神的名宣告的（耶42:15）：「猶大餘民哪，要聽耶和華的話」——你們以為自己是餘民就必蒙寬免（耶42:2），可以放縱自己的偏好。[1.] 刀劍和饑荒曾使你們驚惶嗎？那些審判必追趕你們到埃及，在那裡追上你們、勝過你們（耶42:16-17）：「你們以為因這地長久有戰爭和饑荒，這些就是這地的特色；其實你們若信靠神，他能使這地成為你們的太平之地；你們以為這些只限於這地，只要你們能離開這地就脫離了它們的範圍，神卻要使它們追趕你們，無論你們往何處去。」請注意，我們想以犯罪逃避的災禍，我們正是確定無疑地將自己投入其中。那些違背神旨意到埃及去逃避「刀劍和饑荒」的人，必「在埃及死於刀劍和饑荒」。我們可將此應用於人生常見的苦難；那些不能忍受、想以改換地方來逃避的人，必發現自己受騙了，情形毫無改善。人所共有的苦惱，無論在哪裡都會遇上。我們在這世上的一切搬遷，不過是從一個曠野到另一個曠野；我們仍是在原處。[2.] 耶路撒冷的荒涼使他們驚惶嗎？他們巴望離它越遠越好嗎？他們在埃及也要遇見它的第二部分（耶42:18）：「我的怒氣和憤怒怎樣傾倒在耶路撒冷，你們進入埃及時，它們也必照樣傾倒在你們身上。」請注意，那些因罪使神作仇敵的人，無論往何處去，都必發現他是烈火。那時你們必「成為可咒可詛、可驚駭的」。希伯來人古時是埃及人所憎惡的（創43:32），如今他們必比從前更被憎惡。神的百姓若與不信的人混雜、向之諂媚，就失去自己的尊嚴，使自己蒙羞。
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神知道他們求問時的虛偽，知道他們問當怎樣行的時候已決定走自己的路；所以從前有條件地宣告的判決如今成了絕對的。既把善與惡、福與禍擺在他們面前，最後他便將所說的加以應用。這裡：(1) 他鄭重聲明自己已忠實傳達了信息（耶42:19）。全事的結論是：「不要下埃及去；你們若去，就是違背神的命令，我所說的話必作見證定你們的罪；因為你們當確實知道，『無論你們聽或不聽』，我已明明『警告你們』；你們如今不能以不知神的心意為辭。」(2) 他指控他們求問神指引時卑鄙地虛偽（耶42:20）：「你們心裡是詭詐的；你們口裡說的是一回事，心裡想的卻是另一回事，應許了你們從不打算履行的事。」旁註讀作「你們用詭詐待自己的靈魂」；因為那些想欺哄神的人，終必證明是把自己欺哄到滅亡。(3) 他已知道他們定意要違背神的命令；大概他們在他說完之前已經在臉色和私下的嘀咕中露出來了。然而他是替那知道他們內心的主說話：「你們不聽從耶和華－你們神的話；你們沒有聽從的心。」摩西在告別講章的末了也曾如此告訴他們（申31:27、29）：「我知道你的叛逆和頑梗」，「你們必敗壞自己」。當欽佩神的忍耐，他樂意對那些他知道不會理會他的人說話，也樂意與那些他知道「行事詭詐」的人交往（賽48:8）。(4) 因此他向他們宣判厄運，印證先前所說：「你們當確實知道，你們必死於刀劍」（耶42:22）。神的威脅可被藐視，卻不能因人的不信而失效。「饑荒和瘟疫」必追趕這些罪人；因為沒有甚麼地方可以免受神的拘捕，罪人也不能走出神的管轄範圍。「你們必死在你們所渴想去寄居的地方。」請注意，我們不知道甚麼對自己才是好的；我們最貪戀、最專注的事，往往成為我們的痛苦，有時成為致命的事。
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.
約哈難與眾軍長因着決心要下埃及——或是出於情感、或是出於謀略使他們選擇這條路——便極切盼望神也指引他們這樣行，正如巴蘭一樣：他既已決定要去咒詛以色列，就求神允准。本章內容為：一、耶利米與他們之間關於在這事上求問神所達成的公正協議（耶 42:1-6）。二、神回答他們的求問所差遣的完整信息，其中：1. 他們被命令並受鼓勵繼續留在猶大地，並得着保證：他們若如此行，就必得好處（耶 42:7-12）。2. 他們被禁止下埃及，並被明明告知：他們若去，就必自取滅亡（耶 42:13-18）。3. 他們被指控在求問神這事上的旨意時心懷虛假，並在被告知之後又不順從；判決也隨之宣告在他們身上（耶 42:19-22）。