Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 42:13
But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God,
Our translation a little darkens the sense, translating the Hebrew particle
neither, which signifies no more than not, or by no means, Num 14:16; 1Sa 2:2; 20:26; Hos 13:4; and it is certain here is but one thing spoken of, for the thing wherein they disobeyed the voice of the Lord was not continuing in their own land, but going into the land of Egypt.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. if ye say, &c.avowedrebellion against God, who had often (De17:16), as now, forbidden their going to Egypt, lest they shouldbe entangled in its idolatry.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But if ye say, we will not dwell in this land,…. Or continue any longer in it, but go into Egypt:,
neither obey the voice of the Lord your God; or, “so as not to hearken to” or “obey”, c. u for they did not say in so many words that they would not obey the voice of the Lord; they had promised they would; but resolving, against his declared will, that they would not abide in the land, but go into Egypt, was interpretatively saying they would not obey his voice.
u “ita ut non auscultetis”, Piscator, Cocceius; “ut non obediatis”, Pagninus, Schmidt; “ut non audiatis”, so some in Vatablus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The threatening if, in spite of warning and against God’s will, they should still persist in going to Egypt. The protasis of the conditional sentence begun in Jer 42:13, “If ye say,” etc., extends onwards through Jer 42:14; the apodosis is introduced co-ordinately with the commencement of Jer 42:15, “Now therefore,” etc. , “the sound of war-trumpet,” as in Jer 4:19. On “hungering after bread,” cf. Amo 8:11. (with the article) is the bread necessary for life. “The remnant of Judah” is to be understood of those who still remained in the land, as is shown by Jer 42:2; see also Jer 42:19, Jer 43:5; Jer 44:12, Jer 44:14. The warning given in Jer 42:16 contains the idea that the very evil which they feared would come on them in Judah will befall them in Egypt. There they shall perish by sword, famine, and plague, since Nebuchadnezzar will conquer Egypt; cf. Jer 43:8-13.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Vs. 13-17: A DIVINE WARNING AGAINST TRUSTING IN EGYPT
1. If they refuse the work of the Lord – determined that their true welfare is under the protection of Egypt; they will have made a fatal mistake, (vs. 13-14).
2. The choice is theirs! (Note the divine “if”); they do not HAVE TO GO to Egypt! and God warns them NOT to go!
3. In like manner, various ways are still open before US; God points to the right way, while warning against our choosing the other -stating the consequences if we do; yet, He leaves the ultimate choice to us!
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
God having promised, that the counsel he gave to the Jews would be good and safe, now, on the other hand, threatens them, that if they disobeyed, everything they would attempt would end miserably. They had not expressly asked whether it would be for their good to go into Egypt, or whether it would be pleasing to God; but God, who penetrates into all hidden purposes, anticipated them, and declared that their going would be unhappy, if they fled into Egypt. We hence see how the Prophet, or rather God himself, who spoke by his servant, tried by all means to keep them in the way of duty.
He then says, If ye say, We shall not dwell in this land, it shall be ill with you, he says: but before he denounced punishment, he shewed that they deserved to be destroyed, if they went to Egypt; for had the thing been in itself lawful, yet to attempt such a thing against the express will of God was, as we know, an impious and a diabolical presumption and rashness. God had forbidden them specifically in his Law ever to set their hearts on Egypt, (Deu 17:16😉 and he had often confirmed the same thing by his Prophets, (Isa 30:2; Isa 31:1😉 and now again he seals the former prophecies, as he expressly forbids them to go to Egypt. The Prophet then sets this crime before their eyes: “If ye flee into Egypt, what is it that compels you? even because ye will not obey God.” There is then great weight in these words, Nor obey the voice of Jehovah your God; as though he had said, that they could not think of Egypt, except they designedly, as it were, rejected the authority of God, and resisted his counsel.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Jer 42:13 But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God,
Ver. 13. But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land. ] Because more barren than Egypt, and besides beset with many and mighty enemies
Neither obey the voice of the Lord your God.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 42:10, Jer 44:16, Exo 5:2
Reciprocal: Jer 42:16 – that the sword
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 42:13. But if ye say. This phrase, considered in the light of the context shows that the people rejected the advice of God through the prophet, and declared their determination of going to Egypt. This and the following verse is their rebellious assertion against the admonition of the prophet.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jer 42:13-18. But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey Hebrew, , so as not to obey. If they did not continue in their own land, they disobeyed the voice of the Lord. Saying, No; we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, &c. Their great sin was unbelief: they would not take the promise of God as a security to them for a quiet and peaceable abode, and a supply of all their wants, in Judea: but they resolved to go into Egypt, where they expected to have a greater certainty of peace and plenty. Therefore the Lord declares by his prophet, that the evils which they feared in Canaan should overtake them with double violence in Egypt, namely, both the sword and famine, by which they should die, and that they should be an execration and an astonishment: a curse and a reproach: (Jer 42:18,) as God had threatened to make the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Jer 24:9; Jer 29:18, where see the notes. And ye shall see this place no more And in this, saith God, will I deal worse with you than with those who were carried captive to Babylon; many of them shall return, after the time fixed for the duration of their captivity is expired, but you shall return into this land no more. There was this aggravation in the sin of those Jews to whom God was now speaking by his prophet, that they had lately seen his words, by the same prophet, fully verified; yet would not take warning, but ran into the same sin of unbelief.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
However, if the people decided to leave the land and not listen to the Lord’s voice, if they chose to go to Egypt where they thought they would be safe and have plenty of food, they would surely die by the sword, famine, and disease there. The Lord made His will very clear to the remnant. None of them would survive the calamity He would bring on them.
"Just as Yahweh’s sovereignty can insure the safety of the faithful against repercussions from the king of Babylon, so will the judgment of Yahweh reach even to Egypt." [Note: Keown, p. 251.]