9 and said to them, "Thus says the Lord the God of Israel , to whom you sent me to present your petition before Him: 10 'If you will indeed stay in this land , then I will build you up and not tear you down , and I will plant you and not uproot you; for I will relent concerning the calamity that I have inflicted on you. 11 ' Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon , whom you are now fearing ; do not be afraid of him,' declares the Lord , 'for I am with you to save you and deliver you from his hand . 12 'I will also show you compassion , so that he will have compassion on you and restore you to your own soil . 13 'But if you are going to say , "We will not stay in this land ," so as not to listen to the voice of the Lord your God , 14 saying , "No , but we will go to the land of Egypt , where we will not see war or hear the sound of a trumpet or hunger for bread , and we will stay there "; 15 then in that case listen to the word of the Lord , O remnant of Judah . Thus says the Lord of hosts , the God of Israel , "If you really set your mind to enter Egypt and go in to reside there , 16 then the sword , which you are afraid of, will overtake you there in the land of Egypt ; and the famine , about which you are anxious , will follow closely after you there in Egypt , and you will die there . 17 "So all the men who set their mind to go to Egypt to reside there will die by the sword , by famine and by pestilence ; and they will have no survivors or refugees from the calamity that I am going to bring on them.""' 18 For thus says the Lord of hosts , the God of Israel , "As My anger and wrath have been poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem , so My wrath will be poured out on you when you enter Egypt . And you will become a curse , an object of horror , an imprecation and a reproach ; and you will see this place no more ." 19 The Lord has spoken to you, O remnant of Judah , "Do not go into Egypt !" You should clearly understand that today I have testified against you. 20 For you have only deceived yourselves ; for it is you who sent me to the Lord your God , saying , "Pray for us to the Lord our God ; and whatever e the Lord our God says , tell us so , and we will do it." 21 So I have told you today , but you have not obeyed e the Lord your God , even in whatever e He has sent me to tell you. 22 Therefore you should now clearly understand that you will die by the sword , by famine and by pestilence , in the place where e you wish to go to reside .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jeremiah 42:9-22
Commentary on Jeremiah 42:7-22
(Read Jeremiah 42:7-22)
If we would know the mind of the Lord in doubtful cases, we must wait as well as pray. God is ever ready to return in mercy to those he has afflicted; and he never rejects any who rely on his promises. He has declared enough to silence even the causeless fears of his people, which discourge them in the way of duty. Whatever loss or suffering we may fear from obedience, is provided against in God's word; and he will protect and deliver all who trust in him and serve him. It is folly to quit our place, especially to quit a holy land, because we meet with trouble in it. And the evils we think to escape by sin, we certainly bring upon ourselves. We may apply this to the common troubles of life; and those who think to avoid them by changing their place, will find that the grievances common to men will meet them wherever they go. Sinners who dissemble with God in solemn professions especially should be rebuked with sharpness; for their actions speak more plainly than words. We know not what is good for ourselves; and what we are most fond of, and have our hearts most set upon, often proves hurtful, and sometimes fatal.