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Jeremiah 42: Asking God, Then Not Listening

In Jeremiah 42 the people ask Jeremiah to pray and find out what God wants them to do. They promise to obey, whether the answer is good or bad. After ten days God answers. Stay in this land, and I will build you up and plant you. Don't be afraid of the king of Babylon, for I am with you. But if you go to Egypt, the trouble you fear will find you there. Jeremiah warns them that their hearts are not really ready to obey.

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Read Jeremiah 42

World English Bible · 22 verses

  1. 1 Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, came near,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  2. 2 and said to Jeremiah the prophet, “Please let our supplication be presented before you, and pray for us to Yahweh your God, even for all this remnant, for we are left but a few of many, as your eyes see us,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  3. 3 that Yahweh your God may show us the way in which we should walk, and the things that we should do.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  4. 4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, “I have heard you. Behold, I will pray to Yahweh your God according to your words; and it will happen that whatever thing Yahweh answers you, I will declare it to you. I will keep nothing back from you.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  5. 5 Then they said to Jeremiah, “May Yahweh be a true and faithful witness among us, if we don’t do according to all the word with which Yahweh your God sends you to tell us.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  6. 6 Whether it is good, or whether it is bad, we will obey the voice of Yahweh our God, to whom we send you; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of Yahweh our God.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  7. 7 After ten days, Yahweh’s word came to Jeremiah.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  8. 8 Then he called Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  9. 9 and said to them, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your supplication before him, says:This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  10. 10 ‘If you will still live in this land, then I will build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I grieve over the distress that I have brought on you.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  11. 11 Don’t be afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Don’t be afraid of him,’ says Yahweh, ‘for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  12. 12 I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy on you, and cause you to return to your own land.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  13. 13 “‘But if you say, “We will not dwell in this land,” so that you don’t obey Yahweh your God’s voice,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  14. 14 saying, “No, but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we will see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there we will dwell;”’This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  15. 15 now therefore hear Yahweh’s word, O remnant of Judah! Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says, ‘If you indeed set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to live there,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  16. 16 then it will happen that the sword, which you fear, will overtake you there in the land of Egypt; and the famine, about which you are afraid, will follow close behind you there in Egypt; and you will die there.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  17. 17 So will it be with all the men who set their faces to go into Egypt to live there. They will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence. None of them will remain or escape from the evil that I will bring on them.’This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  18. 18 For Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘As my anger and my wrath has been poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so my wrath will be poured out on you, when you enter into Egypt; and you will be an object of horror, an astonishment, a curse, and a reproach; and you will see this place no more.’This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  19. 19 “Yahweh has spoken concerning you, remnant of Judah, ‘Don’t go into Egypt!’ Know certainly that I have testified to you today.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  20. 20 For you have dealt deceitfully against your own souls; for you sent me to Yahweh your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to Yahweh our God; and according to all that Yahweh our God says, so declare to us, and we will do it.’This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  21. 21 I have declared it to you today; but you have not obeyed Yahweh your God’s voice in anything for which he has sent me to you.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  22. 22 Now therefore know certainly that you will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence in the place where you desire to go to live.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org

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Jeremiah 42 · Preschool

God Is With You

Name Date

Color the people praying with Jeremiah. God is with us!

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

“I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy on you, and cause you to return to your own land.”

Jeremiah 42:12 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Then explain that the people asked God what to do. God told them not to be afraid, because he was with them. God wants us to trust him and obey. Talk about something you can ask God to help you with.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.

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