Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “However, if you say, ‘We will not stay in this land,’ and so disobey the LORD your God, New Living Translation “But if you refuse to obey the LORD your God, and if you say, ‘We will not stay here; English Standard Version But if you say, ‘We will not remain in this land,’ disobeying the voice of the LORD your God Berean Standard Bible But if you say, ‘We will not stay in this land,’ and you thus disobey the voice of the LORD your God, Berean Literal Bible And if you⁺ are saying ‘We do not dwell in this land, so as not to listen to the voice of YHWH your⁺ God, King James Bible But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God, New King James Version “But if you say, ‘We will not dwell in this land,’ disobeying the voice of the LORD your God, New American Standard Bible 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, NASB 1995 ‘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, NASB 1977 ‘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, Legacy Standard Bible But if you are going to say, “We will not stay in this land,” so as not to listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, Amplified Bible But if you are going to say, “We will not stay in this land,” and [in so doing] do not listen to the voice of the LORD your God, Berean Annotated Bible But if you⁺ say, ‘We will not stay in this land,’ and you thus disobey the voice of the LORD your⁺ God {YHWH Eloheikem}, Christian Standard Bible “But if you say, ‘We will not stay in this land,’ in order to disobey the LORD your God, Holman Christian Standard Bible But if you say, ‘We will not stay in this land,’ so as not to obey the voice of the LORD your God, American Standard Version But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land; so that ye obey not the voice of Jehovah your God, Contemporary English Version But you might keep on saying, "We won't stay here in Judah, and we won't obey the LORD our God. English Revised Version But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land; so that ye obey not the voice of the LORD your God; GOD'S WORD® Translation "But suppose you say, 'We won't stay in this land,' and you disobey the LORD your God. International Standard Version But if you disobey the LORD your God by saying, "We won't stay in this land," NET Bible "You must not disobey the LORD your God by saying, 'We will not stay in this land.' New Heart English Bible But if you say, 'We will not dwell in this land'; so that you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, Webster's Bible Translation But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God, Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleBut if you say, ‘We will not stay in this land,’ and you thus disobey the voice of the LORD your God, World English Bible “‘But if you say, “We will not dwell in this land,” so that you don’t obey Yahweh your God’s voice, Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd if you are saying, We do not dwell in this land—not to listen to the voice of your God YHWH, Berean Literal Bible And if you⁺ are saying ‘We do not dwell in this land, so as not to listen to the voice of YHWH your⁺ God, Young's Literal Translation 'And if ye are saying, We do not dwell in this land -- not to hearken to the voice of Jehovah your God, Smith's Literal Translation And if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, not hearing to the voice of Jehovah your God, Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBut if you say: We will not dwell in this land, neither will we hearken to the voice of the Lord our God, Catholic Public Domain Version But if you say: ‘We will not live in this land, nor will we heed the voice of the Lord our God,’ New American Bible But if you keep saying, “We will not stay in this land,” thus disobeying the voice of the LORD, your God, New Revised Standard Version But if you continue to say, ‘We will not stay in this land,’ thus disobeying the voice of the LORD your God Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleBut if you say, We will not dwell in this land, because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God, Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And if you say, ‘We will not dwell in this land!”, because you will not listen to the voice of LORD JEHOVAH your God OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917But if ye say: We will not abide in this land; so that ye hearken not to the voice of the LORD your God; Brenton Septuagint Translation But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, that we may not hearken to the voice of the Lord; Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Warning Against Going to Egypt…12And I will show you compassion, and he will have compassion on you and restore you to your own land.’ 13But if you say, ‘We will not stay in this land,’ and you thus disobey the voice of the LORD your God, 14and 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 ram’s horn or hunger for bread,’… Cross References But if you say, Jeremiah 6:16 This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask for the ancient paths: ‘Where is the good way?’ Then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’ Exodus 5:2 But Pharaoh replied, “Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go.” Isaiah 30:9 These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to obey the LORD’s instruction. ‘We will not stay in this land,’ Jeremiah 43:2-4 Azariah son of Hoshaiah, Johanan son of Kareah, and all the arrogant men said to Jeremiah, “You are lying! The LORD our God has not sent you to say, ‘You must not go to Egypt to reside there.’ / Rather, Baruch son of Neriah is inciting you against us to deliver us into the hands of the Chaldeans, so that they may put us to death or exile us to Babylon!” / So Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces disobeyed the command of the LORD to stay in the land of Judah. Jeremiah 40:9-10 Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, swore an oath to them and their men, assuring them, “Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you. / As for me, I will stay in Mizpah to represent you before the Chaldeans who come to us. As for you, gather wine grapes, summer fruit, and oil, place them in your storage jars, and live in the cities you have taken.” Genesis 26:2-3 The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt. Settle in the land where I tell you. / Stay in this land as a foreigner, and I will be with you and bless you. For I will give all these lands to you and your offspring, and I will confirm the oath that I swore to your father Abraham. and you thus disobey the voice of the LORD your God, Deuteronomy 28:15 If, however, you do not obey the LORD your God by carefully following all His commandments and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: Jeremiah 7:23-24 but this is what I commanded them: Obey Me, and I will be your God, and you will be My people. You must walk in all the ways I have commanded you, so that it may go well with you. / Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but they followed the stubborn inclinations of their own evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. Deuteronomy 13:4 You are to follow the LORD your God and fear Him. Keep His commandments and listen to His voice; serve Him and hold fast to Him. Jeremiah 44:12-14 And I will take away the remnant of Judah who have resolved to go to the land of Egypt to reside there; they will meet their end. They will all fall by the sword or be consumed by famine. From the least to the greatest, they will die by sword or famine; and they will become an object of cursing and horror, of vilification and reproach. / I will punish those who live in the land of Egypt, just as I punished Jerusalem, by sword and famine and plague, / so that none of the remnant of Judah who have gone to reside in Egypt will escape or survive to return to the land of Judah, where they long to return and live; for none will return except a few fugitives.” Deuteronomy 17:16 But the king must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire more horses, for the LORD has said, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’ Isaiah 30:1-3 “Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out a plan that is not Mine, who form an alliance, but against My will, heaping up sin upon sin. / They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shade. / But Pharaoh’s protection will become your shame, and the refuge of Egypt’s shade your disgrace. Isaiah 31:1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD. Ezekiel 17:15 But this king rebelled against Babylon by sending his envoys to Egypt to ask for horses and a large army. Will he flourish? Will the one who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and yet escape?’ 2 Kings 25:26 Then all the people small and great, together with the commanders of the army, arose and fled to Egypt for fear of the Chaldeans. Hosea 7:11 So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove—calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria. Treasury of Scripture But if you say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God, Jeremiah 42:10 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. Jeremiah 44:16 As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee. Exodus 5:2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go. Jump to Previous Abide Desire Disobey Disobeying Dwell Ear Hearken However Obey VoiceJump to Next Abide Desire Disobey Disobeying Dwell Ear Hearken However Obey VoiceJeremiah 42 1. Johanan desires Jeremiah to enquire of God, promising obedience to his will.7. Jeremiah assures him of safety in Judea; 13. and destruction in Egypt. 19. He reproves their hypocrisy. But if you say, This phrase introduces a conditional statement, indicating a choice or decision that the people of Judah are contemplating. It reflects the human tendency to question or resist divine guidance, a recurring theme throughout the Bible. This choice is set against the backdrop of the Babylonian conquest, where the remnant of Judah is considering their options for survival. ‘We will not stay in this land,’ and you thus disobey the voice of the LORD your God, Persons / Places / Events 1. JeremiahA major prophet in the Old Testament, known for his messages of warning and hope to the people of Judah. 2. The Remnant of Judah The group of Israelites who remained in Judah after the Babylonian conquest and exile. 3. Egypt The land to which the remnant considered fleeing, seeking safety from Babylonian rule. 4. The LORD (Yahweh) The covenant God of Israel, who speaks through Jeremiah to guide His people. 5. Babylonian Conquest The historical context of this passage, where Babylon had conquered Judah, leading to the exile of many Israelites. Teaching Points Obedience to God's VoiceThe importance of listening to and obeying God's instructions, even when they seem counterintuitive or difficult. Trust in God's Plan Encourages believers to trust in God's plan and timing, rather than seeking their own solutions out of fear or impatience. Consequences of Disobedience Highlights the potential negative consequences of disobedience, as seen in the historical context of Israel's exile. Seeking God's Guidance Stresses the importance of seeking God's guidance in decision-making, especially in times of uncertainty or crisis. Avoiding the Temptation of Worldly Security Warns against the temptation to seek security in worldly powers or solutions, such as Egypt, instead of relying on God. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Jeremiah 42:13?2. What does Jeremiah 42:13 reveal about trusting God's guidance over personal desires? 3. How can we apply the warning in Jeremiah 42:13 to modern decision-making? 4. In what ways does Jeremiah 42:13 connect with Proverbs 3:5-6 on trust? 5. How does Jeremiah 42:13 challenge us to examine our obedience to God's will? 6. What practical steps can we take to avoid the rebellion mentioned in Jeremiah 42:13? 7. What does Jeremiah 42:13 reveal about obedience to God's commands? 8. How does Jeremiah 42:13 challenge our trust in divine guidance? 9. Why did the people resist God's message in Jeremiah 42:13? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Jeremiah 42? 11. Do the promises in Jer 42 about the safety of the remnant conflict with the calamities in Jer 43? 12. Jeremiah 42:11-12: The text promises divine protection from Babylon; do non-biblical historical records confirm or contradict this claim? 13. Jeremiah 42:1-6: If the people truly sought God's guidance, why did they ignore it immediately after receiving Jeremiah's answer? 14. (Jeremiah 13:1-11) How could a buried linen belt remain intact long enough to serve as an effective prophetic sign? What Does Jeremiah 42:13 Mean But if you say• The verse opens with a choice put in the remnant’s own mouth: “But if you say….” God allows His people to voice their intentions, yet He immediately holds them accountable for those words (cf. Matthew 12:36; Numbers 14:28). • This conditional introduces a fork in the road. The Lord has already revealed His will—to remain in Judah under Babylonian oversight (Jeremiah 42:10–12). Anything different originates in human fear, not divine command (compare Isaiah 30:1–2). We will not stay in this land • The spoken decision directly contradicts God’s instruction. Staying required faith that the Lord would “build you up and not tear you down” (Jeremiah 42:10). • Throughout Scripture, refusing the place God appoints always brings loss: – Lot’s wife looked back and forfeited her life (Genesis 19:17, 26). – Elimelech moved his family from Bethlehem to Moab and encountered famine and death (Ruth 1:1–5). – Israel’s first generation refused Canaan and wandered forty years (Numbers 14:29–34). • The land was not merely geography; it was a symbol of covenant faithfulness. To leave it by choice was to step outside God’s shelter (Psalm 91:1). and you thus disobey • Disobedience is never passive; it is an act of the will. Saying “no” to God’s clear word equals rebellion (1 Samuel 15:23). • The adverb “thus” links their words to the inevitable consequence: speech becomes action, action becomes sin (James 1:14–15). • God had just promised security if they stayed (Jeremiah 42:11–12). Rejecting that promise meant inviting the very dangers they feared (Jeremiah 42:16–17). the voice of the LORD your God • “Voice” underscores personal relationship. He still calls Himself “the LORD your God,” showing covenant loyalty even while warning them (Exodus 20:2). • To disregard His voice is to disregard Him. Jesus later affirmed, “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). • The remnant had sought this voice (Jeremiah 42:3–5) but now prepared to ignore it—an unsettling picture of double-mindedness (James 1:8). summary Jeremiah 42:13 captures the critical moment when God’s people debate obedience. Their own words—“We will not stay”—would cut them off from promised safety. Scripture links every step of rebellion: choosing different ground, voicing refusal, and silencing God’s voice. The lesson is timeless—when His directions are clear, blessing rests on staying where He plants us, trusting His covenant care instead of our fearful plans. Hebrew But ifוְאִם־ (wə·’im-) Conjunctive waw | Conjunction Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not you אַתֶּ֔ם (’at·tem) Pronoun - second person masculine plural Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you say, אֹמְרִ֣ים (’ō·mə·rîm) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 559: To utter, say ‘We will not לֹ֥א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no stay נֵשֵׁ֖ב (nê·šêḇ) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry in this הַזֹּ֑את (haz·zōṯ) Article | Pronoun - feminine singular Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that, land,’ בָּאָ֣רֶץ (bā·’ā·reṣ) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 776: Earth, land and so disobey שְׁמֹ֔עַ (šə·mō·a‘) Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently the voice בְּק֖וֹל (bə·qō·wl) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 6963: A voice, sound of the LORD יְהוָ֥ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel your God, אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ (’ĕ·lō·hê·ḵem) Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative Links Jeremiah 42:13 NIVJeremiah 42:13 NLT Jeremiah 42:13 ESV Jeremiah 42:13 NASB Jeremiah 42:13 KJV Jeremiah 42:13 BibleApps.com Jeremiah 42:13 Biblia Paralela Jeremiah 42:13 Chinese Bible Jeremiah 42:13 French Bible Jeremiah 42:13 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Jeremiah 42:13 But if you say We will not (Jer.) |
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