What scriptural connections exist between Jeremiah 42:16 and trusting God in Proverbs 3:5-6?

Jeremiah 42:16: “…then the sword you fear will overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine you dread will follow on your heels. You will die there.”

Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Connections

• Obedience versus self-reliance

– Judah’s remnant planned to flee to Egypt for safety, leaning on their own strategy instead of God’s word (Jeremiah 42:10-14).

– Proverbs calls for wholehearted reliance on the Lord, not on human logic.

• Consequences of distrust

– Disobeying God’s clear directive leads to the very dangers they hoped to escape (Jeremiah 42:16-17).

– Proverbs promises straight paths when God is trusted; the inverse is crooked, perilous paths when He is ignored.

• God’s foreknowledge and protection

– The Lord foresaw calamity in Egypt and warned through Jeremiah, showing His ability to direct and protect (Jeremiah 42:9-12).

– Proverbs 3:6 affirms the same guiding character: “He will make your paths straight.”

• Heart posture

– The remnant’s fear (sword, famine, plague) outweighed faith, revealing divided hearts (cf. Jeremiah 42:20).

– Proverbs demands full-heart trust, not partial or conditional.

Supporting texts

• Jeremiah 17:5-8—blessing for trusting God; curse for trusting man.

• Isaiah 30:1-3—those who flee to Egypt without seeking the Lord find shame.

• Psalm 37:3-5—“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it.”

Takeaway

Jeremiah 42:16 illustrates the negative outcome when people reject God’s counsel, while Proverbs 3:5-6 sets forth the positive principle: security and direction come only from trusting Him completely rather than choosing self-devised escape routes.