Jeremiah 42:19

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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Jeremiah 42:19. The Lord hath said, Go ye not into Egypt — The good prophet, knowing how much it concerned this people to believe and obey the message God had sent to them by him, repeats again what he had urged before, assuring them it was by the command of the Lord that he said it. Know certainly that I have admonished you this day — Hebrew, בכם העידתי, have testified to you, or, admonished you before witnesses. “God commanded the Jews, by Moses, not to have any commerce with Egypt, that they might not practise the idolatrous customs of that country, (Leviticus 18:3,) with whose idolatries they had been defiled during their sojourning there. Afterward he often reproved them by his prophets for making alliances with Egypt. And there were particular reasons, at this time, for so severe a prohibition, as the words here and in the context import, namely, because the Jews either learned several of their idolatrous practices from the Egyptians, or, at least were confirmed in those evil customs by their example. Besides, it was the rival kingdom that contended for empire with the Babylonians; and so the Jews going into Egypt for protection was, in effect, refusing to submit themselves to the king of Babylon, to whom God had decreed the government of Judea and all the neighbouring countries, Jeremiah 27:6.” — Lowth.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The request made in Jeremiah 42:3 has been fulfilled: Yahweh has spoken. The prophet now adds these four verses as a sort of epilogue, in which he urges upon them the several points of the divine message. In the ten days which had intervened between the request and the answer Jeremiah had become aware that neither princes nor people were prepared to obey unless the answer was in accordance with their own wishes. He does therefore his best to convince them, but as usual it was his lot to speak the truth to willful men, and gain no hearing.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

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.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The good prophet, knowing how much it concerned this people to listen unto him, and to believe and obey what he said, repeats again the same thing which he had said before, assuring them that it was the Lord commanded him to say this to them. Critics note that the word which we translate admonish, in this form, signifieth to admonish before witnesses.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The Lord hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah,.... Or, "unto you" (w); by the mouth of the prophet; or, "against you" (x); that which was contrary to their inclination and will, as follows:

go ye not into Egypt: this was the express command of God:

know certainly that I have admonished you this day; not to go into Egypt: or, "have testified unto you" (y); the will of God concerning this matter; and therefore they could not plead ignorance.

(w) "alloquitur vos", Junius & Tremellius; "ad vos", so some in Vatablus. (x) "Contra vos", Calvin. (y) "contestatus sum vos", Montanus, Piscator, Cocceius.

Geneva Study Bible

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.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

19. This connects well with Jeremiah 42:14, assuming (see introd. note) that Jeremiah 42:15-18 are by a supplementer.

Jeremiah 42:19

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

ויהיוּ, used instead of the impersonal והיה, is referred to the following subject by a rather unusual kind of attraction; cf. Ewald, 345, b. All the men who set their faces, i.e., intend, to go to Egypt shall perish; not a single one shall escape the evil; for the same judgment of wrath which has befallen Jerusalem shall also come on those who flee to Egypt; cf. Jeremiah 7:20. On the expression "ye shall become a curse," etc., cf. Jeremiah 24:9; Jeremiah 25:18; Jeremiah 29:18.

Taking for granted that the leaders of the people will not obey, Jeremiah appends to the word of the Lord an earnest address, in which several points are specially insisted on, viz., that the Lord had spoken to them, that He had forbidden them to go to Egypt, and that he (the prophet), by proclaiming the word of the Lord, had warned them (העיד בּ, to testify, bear witness against a person, i.e., warn him of something, cf. Jeremiah 11:7). Thus he discloses to them the dangerous mistake they are in, when they first desire some expression of the mind of the Lord regarding their intentions, and, in the hope that He will accede to their request, promise unconditional obedience to whatever He may direct, but afterwards, when they have received a message from the Lord, will not obey it, because it is contrary to what they wish. The Kethib התעתים has been incorrectly written for התעיים, the Hiphil from תּעה, to err; here, as in Proverbs 10:17, it means to make a mistake. בּנפשׁותיכם, not, "you mislead your own selves," decepistis animas vestras (Vulg.), nor "in your souls," - meaning, in your thoughts and intentions (Ngelsbach), - but "at the risk of your souls," your life; cf. Jeremiah 17:21. וּלכל אשׁר (Jeremiah 42:21), "and that in regard to all that for which Jahveh has sent me to you," points back to their promise, Jeremiah 42:5, that they would do "according to all the word." By employing the perfect in Jeremiah 42:20, Jeremiah 42:21, the thing is represented as quite certain, as if it had already taken place. Jeremiah 42:22 concludes the warning with a renewed threat of the destruction which shall befall them for their disobedience.