Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 42:18
For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.
A curse – contempt, or ignominy.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
If you would see your doom in a glass, look upon Jerusalem, which according to my word I have dealt so severely with, that amongst men it would be called fury, though in me it was but deliberate justice, that my wrath declared against it (like liquid things melted) diffused itself into all the parts of it: I will deal so with you soon after you shall have entered into that land, where you promise yourselves so much ease, rest, and prosperity; and as I threatened to make Jerusalem a curse, an astonishment, and a reproach, Jer 24:9; 29:18, so I will deal with you; and in this I will (saith God) deal worse with you, that whereas those of your brethren that were carried from Jerusalem to Babylon shall some of them come back again after sixty years, you shall see this place no more. There was this aggravation of the Jews sin, to whom God was now by his prophet speaking, they had lately seen the words of the Lord spoken by the same prophet verified, and yet would take no warning, but ran into the same sin of unbelief.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
18. As mine anger, c.As yehave already, to your sorrow, found Me true to My word, so shall yeagain (Jer 7:20 Jer 18:16).
shall see this place nomoreYe shall not return to Judea, as those shall who have beenremoved to Babylon.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel,….
[See comments on Jer 42:15];
as mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; like a large hasty shower of rain; or rather like melted metal, which suddenly and swiftly runs, and spreads itself, and burns and consumes with a violent heat; such was the wrath of God on Jerusalem, in the destruction of it by the Chaldeans:
so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt; as soon as they had well got there, quickly after they were settled there; for it was in the time of the then present king of Egypt, Pharaohhophra, and by the then present king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, that the destruction of Egypt was, in which these Jews suffered:
and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; men should be astonished at the hand of God upon them, reproach them for their sins; and when they made any imprecation on themselves, it would be in this form, if it be so, let the same calamities come upon me as upon the Jews in Egypt:
and ye shall see this place no more; and so their case would be worse than their brethren in Babylon; who, after a term of years were expired, would return to their own land, which these would never see any more.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Vs. 18-22: JEREMIAH DENOUNCES THE HYPOCRISY OF HIS PEOPLE
1. Jeremiah is aware that, though they have asked him to seek God’s direction for them, his people have their minds set on fleeing to Egypt; like many self-willed people today, they simply want the Lord and his prophet to APPROVE THEIR PLANSI
2. Thus, Jeremiah warns that God’s anger and wrath will as surely fall upon them, for this disobedience of their unbelieving hearts, as it fell upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, (vs. 18a; Jer 7:20; Jer 33:4-5; Jer 39:1-9; 2Ch 36:14-19).
3. In Egypt they will be an execration, desolation, curse and reproach; nor will they be permitted to see their own land again, (vs. 18b; Jer 29:18-19; comp. Deu 29:19-21; Isa 65:14-15; Jer 22:10; Jer 22:27).
4. Jeremiah pleads with them not to disobey the voice of the Lord as their fathers have done, (vs. 19; comp. Isa 30:1-7; Neh 9:26; Neh 9:29-30).
5. He upbraids them for their hypocrisy in sending him to inquire of the Lord for them – solemnly swearing that they would receive and obey that word – though they had already determined that, in spite of the word of the Lord, they would not turn aside from placing their trust in Egypt, (vs. 20-21, 2, 5; comp. Deu 11:26-28; Act 20:26-27).
6. They must certainly understand, therefore, that the fruit of their rebellion will not be the peace, security and plenty that they suppose; rather, in Egypt, they will die by sword, famine and disease, (vs. 22; comp. vs. 17; Jer 43:11; Hos 9:6; 1Sa 15:22-23).
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
The Prophet confirms what he had already said, by an example of God’s vengeance, which had lately been shewn as to the Jews; for though the destruction of the city and the Temple had been often predicted to them, they yet had become torpid as to God’s threatenings. God, however, after having delayed for a long time, at length executed what he had threatened. They had titan seen that dreadful example, which ought to have filled them, and also their posterity, with fear. Then the Prophet, as he saw that they were so tardy and stupid that they thoughtlessly derided God’s threat-enings, reminded them of what they had lately seen. “Ye know,” he says, “how God’s fury had been poured forth on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, such also will be poured forth on those who will flee into Egypt.”
Now Jeremiah was able to speak with authority, as he had been the herald of that vengeance now mentioned. If any other had declared in God’s name what had happened, they might have objected and said, that they had indeed been justly punished by God, but that it did not hence follow flint what he said was true; but as the Prophet had for forty years often and constantly denounced on them what at length they had really and by experience found to have been predicted to them from above, he was able to repeat a similar judgment of God with the highest authority, as he now does.
Thus saith Jehovah, he says, as my fury was poured forth, etc. The similitude is taken either from water or from metals: hence some give this rendering, “As my fury flowed down;” but the verb used by Jeremiah means properly to pour forth. It may, however, as I have said, be applied to water, which spreads when poured out, or to metals, which being liquid spread here and there. He then means, that all who should go to Egypt would be wretched and miserable; for wheresoever they might try to withdraw themselves, the vengeance of God would yet find them though exiles, for it would spread like a deluge over all the inhabitants, so that they would in vain seek hiding-places. We now see the design of the Prophet. The meaning is, that as the Jews had by their calamity known him to have been a true and faithful servant of God in foretelling the destruction of the city and Temple, so would they find now, except they repented, that the message by which he threatened a second destruction, had come also from God. Poured forth, he says, shall be mine indignation on you when ye come into Egypt
He afterwards adds a passage from the Law, which often occurs in the Prophets, that they would be an execration, an astonishment, a curse, and a reproach The word אלה , ale, which we have rendered “execration,” means properly an oath; but as imprecation is often added, when we wish to be believed, it is also understood as an execration. He then says that they would be an execration, that is, a formula of execration, as we have elsewhere explained. Whosoever then had a wish to express a curse, they would, as the Prophet says, use this form as a common proverb, “May God curse thee as he did the Jews,” — “May I perish as the Jews perished.” In short, he intimates that the punishment would be so horrible that men would turn it to a common proverb, he adds, And an astonishment, that is, that God’s vengeance would be so dreadful, that all would be filled with amazement. He further adds, And a curse and a reproach The sum of what is said is, that God would inflict on the Jews not a common punishment, but such as would be remembered among all the heathens, in order that it might appear that their wickedness in obstinately rejecting the prophetic word was not light.
He lastly adds that they should never see their own land; for it was not the design of the Jews to dwell perpetually in Egypt; for they pretended that they remained firm and constant in their dependence on God’s promise, and boasted that they had a hope of a return, because God had fixed seventy years for their exile. As they then thus foolishly gloried, that they hoped in God for the promised favor, he says that they were shut out as to any hope of a return; for though God would restore the other captives dispersed throughout the East, yet the Egyptian guests were doomed to die in their exile. This then was to cut off from them every hope, in order that they might know that they were wholly rejected, and would have a place no more among- God’s people, however they might wish to be deemed the first. It follows, —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Jer 42:18 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.
Ver. 18. As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth, ] a scil., Like scalding lead or burning bell-metal, b which runneth fiercely, spreadeth far, and burneth extremely.
Upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
a Metaph. a metallis.
b The substance of which bells are made; an alloy of copper and tin, the tin being in larger proportion than in ordinary bronze.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Jer 42:18-22
18For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, As My anger and wrath have been poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so My wrath will be poured out on you when you enter Egypt. And you will become a curse, an object of horror, an imprecation and a reproach; and you will see this place no more. 19The LORD has spoken to you, O remnant of Judah, Do not go into Egypt! You should clearly understand that today I have testified against you. 20For you have only deceived yourselves; for it is you who sent me to the LORD your God, saying, Pray for us to the LORD our God; and whatever the LORD our God says, tell us so, and we will do it. 21So I have told you today, but you have not obeyed the LORD your God, even in whatever He has sent me to tell you. 22Therefore you should now clearly understand that you will die by the sword, by famine and by pestilence, in the place where you wish to go to reside.
Jer 42:18 you will see this place no more This is God’s stern warning that if they violated His words, there would be no restoration for them!
Notice the list of negative consequences for disobeying YHWH’s revealed will.
1. as My anger and wrath have been poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so too, on you
2. you will become a curse (BDB 46, cf. Jer 29:18; Jer 42:18; Jer 44:12)
3. you will become an object of horror (BDB 1031 I, cf. Jer 5:30; Jer 25:9; Jer 25:11; Jer 29:18; Jer 42:18; Jer 44:12; Jer 44:22; Jer 49:13; Jer 49:17; Jer 50:23; Jer 51:37; Jer 51:41)
4. you will become an imprecation (BDB 887, cf. Jer 24:9; Jer 25:18; Jer 29:22)
5. you will become a reproach (BDB 357, cf. Jer 6:10; Jer 24:9; Jer 29:18; Jer 42:18; Jer 44:8; Jer 44:12; Jer 49:13)
6. you will see this place (i.e., Judah) no more
Jer 42:19 clearly understand This is an INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and an IMPERFECT VERB from the same root (BDB 393, KB 390) used for emphasis. For even added emphasis, it is repeated twice (Jer 42:19; Jer 42:22). These Judeans asked for YHWH’s guidance and now they were knowingly rejecting it! Ignorance is one thing, but open-eyed disobedience is another.
Jer 42:20 you have only deceived yourselves How characteristic of fallen mankind! We tend to do what we want to do! We only appear to be religious!
we will do it They were planning incredible disobedience in light of Jer 42:5-6!
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
As mine: The people had witnessed the tremendous effects of the wrath of God, in the siege and destruction of Jerusalem; and had they not been past feeling, this denunciation must have made their ears tingle, and appalled their very souls. Jer 6:11, Jer 7:20, Jer 39:1-9, Jer 52:4-11, 2Ki 25:4-7, 2Ch 34:25, 2Ch 36:16-19, Lam 2:4, Lam 4:11, Eze 22:22, Dan 9:11, Dan 9:27, Nah 1:6, Rev 14:10, Rev 16:2-21
ye shall be: Jer 18:16, Jer 24:9, Jer 25:9, Jer 26:6, Jer 29:18, Jer 29:22, Jer 44:12, Deu 29:21, Deu 29:22, 1Ki 9:7-9, Isa 65:15, Zec 8:13
and ye shall see: Jer 22:10-12, Jer 22:27
Reciprocal: Lev 26:38 – General Num 5:27 – the woman Neh 1:3 – reproach Psa 79:4 – become Psa 89:41 – he is Isa 24:2 – as with the people Jer 23:40 – General Jer 44:6 – my fury Jer 44:8 – a curse Jer 44:13 – General Eze 5:14 – I will Eze 20:33 – surely
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 42:18. The ruin the Lord brought on Jerusalem was In punishment for the sins of the nation. Now that which was to be imposed on these who would not accept the punishment of Jerusalem submissively would also be great. An execration means something worthy of being cursed.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
42:18 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As my anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an horror, and a {g} curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.
(g) Read Jer 26:6 showing that this would come on them for their infidelity and stubbornness.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
As the Lord had dealt with the people of Judah and Jerusalem in the invasion, so He would deal with the remnant if they went to Egypt. He would pour out His wrath on them when they entered Egypt, they would become a terrible object lesson to others, and they would never return to the Promised Land.