Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 42:2
And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, [even] for all this remnant; (for we are left [but] a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us: )
2. be accepted ] For mg. See on Jer 36:7.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
2. then spake Azariah ] See on ch. Jer 42:1.
all the proud men, saying ] The word in MT. ( ’mrim) corresponding to “saying” here does not represent the ordinary Hebrew idiom. We should therefore, by a slight change in the original, read the proud and defiant ( hammrim) men.
Thou speakest falsely, etc.] The attack upon Baruch, and only indirectly and through him upon the prophet, may have arisen from their being reluctantly compelled to acknowledge that Jeremiah himself at any rate was possessed of integrity of purpose. This he had shewn by his refusal to seek protection and honourable treatment from the Chaldaeans, whose favour the worse section of his countrymen always suspected him of seeking.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
These men (though wretched hypocrites) yet come to the prophet with great respect and reverence, first desiring that he would allow them to make their request to him: probably the evidence they had had so lately of his being a prophet of the Lord, by the fulfilling of all that he had foretold against both the city and the temple, might in some measure occasion this. Their request was, that he would put up his prayer to God for the remnant, for now there was but a small remnant of Jews left, a few of many.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. JeremiahHe probably wasone of the number carried off from Mizpah, and dwelt with Johanan(Jer 41:16). Hence theexpression is, “came near” (Jer42:1), not “sent.”
Let . . . supplication beacceptedliterally, “fall” (see on Jer36:7; Jer 37:20).
pray for us (Gen 20:7;Isa 37:4; Jas 5:16).
thy God (Jer42:5). The Jews use this form to express their belief in thepeculiar relation in which Jeremiah stood to God as Hisaccredited prophet. Jeremiah in his reply reminds them that God istheir God (“your God”) as well as his asbeing the covenant people (Jer42:4). They in turn acknowledge this in Jer42:6, “the Lord our God.”
few of manyas had beenforetold (Le 26:22).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And said unto Jeremiah the prophet,…. That is, some one of them, as the mouth of the whole body, very probably Johanan:
let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee; they treat the prophet with great respect, and are very humble and submissive, as if they were very hearty and sincere in their request:
and pray for us unto the Lord thy God; as if they were conscious of their own inability to pray for themselves, and of their unworthiness to call God their God; and as if they had a high opinion of, he prophet, as having an interest in God, and great power with him in prayer, whom he could not well deny anything:
[even] for all this remnant; this poor remnant, this handful of people, left of the sword, famine, and pestilence, left in the land by the Chaldeans, and who had escaped the cruelty of Ishmael; and for whom it might be hoped the Lord would still have a regard, since he had so mercifully and wonderfully preserved them:
for we are left [but] a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us; the number of the people had been very large, but by the judgments of the sword, famine, and pestilence, and captivity, they were greatly reduced; here was their whole number before the prophet; his eyes beheld them, and the condition they were in: this they said to move his compassion, and very likely to suggest to him how improbable it was that they should ever be able to continue in their own land; but that it would be better to put themselves under the protection of a neighbouring nation, Egypt, whither they were inclined to go; and hoped to have a word from the Lord by the prophet, to direct them thither.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
It is added, that they said, as though they were ready to obey, Let our prayer fall before thee. This, as we have said, when addressed to God, is an evidence of humility; but it is applied here to man; and when the Hebrews make a humble request, they say, “Let my prayer fall before thee,” that is, Hear what I suppliantly and humbly ask. Pray, they said, to Jehovah thy God for us They called him the God of Jeremiah, not that they intended to exempt themselves from his authority; they did not mean that they were alienated from God; but in this way they extolled Jeremiah, and acknowledged him to be God’s true and lawful Prophet. In short, this saying refers to the prophetic office, as though they had said, that Jeremiah had hitherto confirmed his vocation, so that it was clearly evident that he had been sent from above.
We hence see why they called Jehovah the God of Jeremiah, not as though they had rejected God, and as though he was not their God in common with Jeremiah, but they allowed that the Prophet possessed a higher honor, and that his faithfulness and integrity were beyond controversy.
But this admission justly recoiled on their own head; for if Jeremiah was God’s Prophet, why did they not instantly obey him, after knowing that what he faithfully told them he had received from God? and why did they insolently and ferociously resist him and accuse him of falsehood? Their own admission then was not sincere, but a fallacious flattery, as is the case with all hypocrites, who never speak in sincerity and truth.
They afterwards added, Pray for all this remnant, for we are left, a few from many This they added to produce pity, in order that they might more easily obtain from Jeremiah what they asked; nor was that difficult; but as they felt conscious of wrong, they sought the favor of the Prophet by flatteries, Had they asked him without disguise, they knew that he was of himself disposed to seek the well being of the people; but as they were of a double mind, they set before him their miserable state, which might; have roused the Prophet still more to make intercession to God for them. And for this reason they added, as thine eyes see us And they set before him this sad spectacle, to create sympathy in the Prophet. And it then follows, And may Jehovah thy God shew us the way in which we are to walk. They now explained more clearly why they wished prayer to be made for them, even that God might answer and shew what he wished them to do.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(2) Pray for us unto the Lord thy God.The prophet had gone to Gedaliah at Mizpah (Jer. 40:6), and would seem to have been among the captives whom Ishmael was carrying off when they were rescued by Johanan at Gibeon (Jer. 41:13-14). The people now turn to him, acknowledging him as a true prophet, and, trusting to his patriotism. ask for his guidance. Their position was difficult and dangerous. Would he not pray to Jehovah for wisdom, that they might see their waythe way to escape from the threatening perilclearly? He complies with their wishes, and they, on their side, promise to follow the guidance for which they ask.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Pray for us Nagelsbach regards this as a piece of hypocrisy, since their mind seems to have been already strongly set to go to Egypt. But this is by no means necessary. They may have been sincerely desirous to know God’s will, even though they greatly preferred that it should be in a given direction. It is not unusual for honest people to consult God or his servants, not so much to know the right as to secure approval for that already determined on.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 42:2-3. Pray for us, &c. It is the constant method of hypocrites to pretend an absolute submission to the will of God, till that will is found to run counter to their inclinations or interest. Lowth.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jer 42:2 And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, [even] for all this remnant; (for we are left [but] a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:)
Ver. 2. Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee. ] Here they seem to humble themselves before Jeremiah the prophet; which, because King Zedekiah did not, he came to ruin. 2Ch 36:12
And pray for us unto the Lord thy God.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
thy. A special various reading, called Sevir (App-34), reads “our”, as in Jer 42:20.
a few. Reference to Pentateuch (Lev 26:22).
as = according as.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
be accepted before thee: Heb. fall before thee, Jer 36:7, Jer 37:20, *marg.
and pray: Jer 17:15, Jer 17:16, Jer 21:2, Jer 37:3, Exo 8:28, Exo 9:28, 1Sa 7:8, 1Sa 12:19, 1Sa 12:23, 1Ki 13:6, Isa 1:15, Isa 37:4, Act 8:24, Jam 5:16
left: Lev 26:22, Deu 4:27, Deu 28:62, Isa 1:9, Lam 1:1, Eze 5:3, Eze 5:4, Eze 12:16, Zec 13:8, Zec 13:9, Mat 24:22
Reciprocal: Num 11:2 – cried Num 12:11 – I beseech thee 1Ki 12:6 – consulted 1Ki 22:5 – Inquire 2Ch 10:6 – took counsel 2Ch 18:5 – Shall we go 2Ch 34:21 – that are left Ezr 9:8 – a remnant Isa 29:13 – Forasmuch Isa 30:2 – and have Isa 42:20 – opening Isa 58:2 – they ask Jer 27:18 – let them Jer 38:14 – I will Jer 38:26 – General Jer 42:9 – unto Jer 42:20 – Pray Amo 7:2 – for Mat 22:17 – What Mar 12:14 – Master Luk 20:21 – Master
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 42:2. Having paused at the habitation of Chimham, the group headed by Johanan made this personal approach unto the prophet to make an urgent request.