Jeremiah 42

1Then all the commanders of the forces came forward, including Johanan son of Kareah and Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah, with all the people from the least to the greatest. 2They said to the prophet Jeremiah, “Please hear our request, and pray to the LORD your God for us, for all this remnant. There were many of us, but only a few are left, as you can see for yourself. 3Let the LORD your God tell us where we should go and what we should do.” 4The prophet Jeremiah said to them, “I have heard you. I will pray to the LORD your God as you ask. Whatever the LORD answers, I will tell you; I will not keep back a single word from you.” 5They said to Jeremiah, “If we fail to do all that the LORD your God sends you to tell us, may the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us. 6Whether we find it good or bad, we will obey the LORD our God, to whom we are sending you. When we obey the voice of the LORD our God, it will go well with us.”

7Ten days later the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah. 8So he summoned Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces who were with him. He summoned all the people as well, from the least to the greatest. 9He said to them, “You sent me to the LORD, the God of Israel, to lay your plea before him, and he says this: 10If you will stay in this land, I will build you and not tear you down, and I will plant you and not uproot you, because I relent concerning the disaster I have brought on you. 11Do not fear the king of Babylon, though you are afraid of him now. Do not fear him, declares the LORD. I am with you, and I will save you and rescue you from his power. 12I will grant you compassion, so that he will have compassion on you and let you return to your own land. 13But suppose you say, ‘We will not stay in this land,’ and so disobey the voice of the LORD your God, 14and say, ‘No, we will go to the land of Egypt, where we will see no war, hear no ram’s horn sounding and never go hungry for bread. That is where we will live,’ 15then hear the word of the LORD, remnant of Judah. The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says this: If you are set on going to Egypt, and you go to settle there, 16then the sword you fear will catch up with you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine you dread will follow close behind you into Egypt, and you will die there. 17All the people who are set on going to Egypt to settle there will die by sword, famine and plague. No one among them will survive or escape the disaster I am bringing on them.

18For the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says this: Just as my anger and my fury were poured out on the people of Jerusalem, so my fury will be poured out on you when you go to Egypt. You will become a name used in curses, a horror, a curse and a disgrace, and you will never see this place again. 19The LORD has told you, remnant of Judah, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Know for certain that I have warned you today. 20You have deceived yourselves, and it will cost you your lives. You yourselves sent me to the LORD your God and said, ‘Pray for us to the LORD our God. Tell us everything the LORD our God says, and we will do it.’ 21Today I have told you, yet you have not obeyed the LORD your God in anything he sent me to tell you. 22So now know for certain that you will die by sword, famine and plague in the place where you want to go and settle.”