King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 42:12 Mean?

Jeremiah 42:12 in the King James Version says “And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.” — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 42 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.”

Jeremiah 42:12 · KJV

Context

10

If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.

11

Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.

12

And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.

13

But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God,

14

Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell:

Read Jeremiah 42 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
God's promise continues with unexpected graciousness: 'And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.' The phrase 'I will shew mercies' (literally 'I will give you compassions/mercies') emphasizes divine initiative—God's mercy produces mercy from others. The result 'that he may have mercy upon you' indicates God will move Nebuchadnezzar's heart toward clemency rather than vengeance despite Gedaliah's murder. This echoes Proverbs 21:1, 'The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.' God controls even pagan rulers' responses to accomplish His purposes. The promise 'cause you to return to your own land' addresses their deeper need: not just survival but restoration. The phrase 'your own land' recalls covenant promise—this is the land God gave them, and He intends them to remain and eventually flourish there. Remarkably, God promises mercy despite their complicity in circumstances leading to Gedaliah's death (they ignored warnings, trusted unwisely). This grace should have evoked grateful obedience, but instead they rejected it, choosing Egypt's false security over God's promised provision. Their rejection proved that fear dominated their hearts more than faith in God's grace.

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Historical & Cultural Context

The promise that God would cause Babylon to show mercy rather than exact vengeance represented extraordinary grace given ancient Near Eastern political realities. Normally, assassination of an appointed governor triggered automatic military reprisal with no mercy shown to surviving populations. That God promised to turn Nebuchadnezzar's expected wrath into mercy demonstrated His sovereign control over even pagan kings' responses. Historical examples of such divine intervention include: Pharaoh releasing Israel at the Exodus, Cyrus decreeing Jewish return from exile (Ezra 1:1-4), Artaxerxes supporting Nehemiah's wall-rebuilding (Nehemiah 2:1-9), and Darius protecting temple reconstruction (Ezra 6:1-12). In each case, God moved pagan rulers to act favorably toward His people beyond natural political calculation. The promise to 'cause you to return to your own land' may seem odd since they were still in Judah (near Bethlehem), but it anticipates their intended flight to Egypt: God promised if they remained, they wouldn't permanently lose their ancestral territories but would be preserved in the land despite temporary instability. This contrasts with the judgment pronounced on those who fled to Egypt (verses 15-18)—they would die in Egypt by sword, famine, and pestilence, never returning to Judah. The historical irony is that those who trusted God's promise of mercy and remained in Judah participated in the eventual restoration under Cyrus (Ezra 1-2), while those who fled to Egypt vanished from redemptive history.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does God's promise to give them mercies that produce mercy from Babylon illustrate His sovereignty over human political responses?
  2. What does this extraordinary grace toward a partially complicit remnant teach about God's character and purposes?
  3. Why did the remnant reject God's gracious promise of protection in favor of fear-driven flight to Egypt, and how do believers make similar choices today?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 9 words
וְאֶתֵּ֥ן1 of 9

“And I will shew”

H5414

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

לָכֶ֛ם2 of 9
H0
רַחֲמִ֖ים3 of 9

“mercies”

H7356

compassion (in the plural)

וְרִחַ֣ם4 of 9

“unto you that he may have mercy”

H7355

to fondle; by implication, to love, especially to compassionate

אֶתְכֶ֑ם5 of 9
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

וְהֵשִׁ֥יב6 of 9

“upon you and cause you to return”

H7725

to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point);

אֶתְכֶ֖ם7 of 9
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

אֶל8 of 9
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

אַדְמַתְכֶֽם׃9 of 9

“to your own land”

H127

soil (from its general redness)

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Jeremiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Jeremiah 42:12 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Jeremiah 42:12 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Psalms 106:45-46Nehemiah 1:11Proverbs 16:7

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