CHAPTER 42
Then all
the commanders
of the forces,
along with Johanan
son
of Kareah,
Jezaniah
son
of Hoshaiah,
and all
the people
from the least
to
the greatest,
approached
Jeremiah
the prophet
and said,
“May our petition
come
before you;
pray
to
the LORD
your God
on behalf of
this
entire
remnant.
For
few
of us remain
of the many,
as
you can see
with your own eyes.
“I have heard you,”
replied
Jeremiah
the prophet.
“I will surely
pray
to
the LORD
your God
as you request,
and I will tell you
everything
that
the LORD
answers;
I will not
withhold
a word
from you.”
Then they
said
to
Jeremiah,
“May the LORD
be
a true
and faithful
witness against us
if
we do not
act upon
every
word
that
the LORD
your God
sends you
to tell us.
Whether
it is pleasant
or
unpleasant,
we will obey
the voice
of the LORD
our God
to
whom
we
are sending
you,
so that
it may go well with us,
for
we will obey
the voice
of the LORD
our God!”
and he summoned
Johanan
son
of Kareah,
all
the commanders
of the forces
who
were with him,
and all
the people
from the least
to
the greatest.
Jeremiah told
them,
“Thus
says
the LORD,
the God
of Israel,
to
whom
you sent
me
to present
your petition:
If
you will indeed stay
in this
land,
then I will build
you up
and not
tear you down;
I will plant
you
and not
uproot you,
for
I shall relent
of
the disaster
I have brought
upon you.
Do not
be afraid
of
the king
of Babylon,
whom
you
now fear;
do not
be afraid
of him,
declares
the LORD,
for
I
am with
you to save
you
and deliver
you
from him.
And I will show
you
compassion,
and he will have compassion
on you
and restore
you
to
your own land.
and if you say,
‘No,
but
we will go
to the land
of Egypt
and live
there,
where
we will not
see
war,
or hear
the sound
of the trumpet,
or hunger
for food,’
then
hear
the word
of the LORD,
O remnant
of Judah!
This is what
the LORD
of Hosts,
the God
of Israel,
says:
If
you
are determined
to go
to Egypt
and reside
there,
then the sword
you
fear
will overtake
you
there,
and the famine
you
dread
will follow on your heels
into Egypt,
and you will die
there.
So all
who
resolve
to go
to Egypt
to reside there
will
die
by the sword,
famine,
and plague.
Not one
of them will
survive
or escape
the disaster
I
will bring
upon them.
For
this is what
the LORD
of Hosts,
the God
of Israel,
says:
‘Just as
My anger
and wrath
were poured out
on
the residents
of Jerusalem,
so
will My wrath
be poured out
on you
if you go
to Egypt.
You will become
an object of cursing
and horror,
of vilification
and disgrace,
and you will never
see
this
place
again.'
The LORD
has told
you,
O remnant
of Judah,
‘Do not
go
to Egypt.’
Know
for sure
that
I have warned
you
today!
For
you
have deceived
yourselves
by sending
me
to
the LORD
your God,
saying,
‘Pray
to
the LORD
our God
on our behalf,
and as for all
that
the LORD
our God
says,
tell it to us,
and we will do it.'
For I have told
you
today,
but you have not
obeyed
the voice
of the LORD
your God
in all
He has sent me
to tell you.
Now therefore,
know
for sure
that
by the sword,
famine,
and plague
you will die
in the place
where
you desire
to go
to reside.”