King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 42:15 Mean?

Jeremiah 42:15 in the King James Version says “And now therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye...” — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 42 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And now therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there;”

Jeremiah 42:15 · KJV

Context

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:

15

And now therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there;

16

Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die. shall follow: Heb. shall cleave after you

17

So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them. So: Heb. So shall all the men be

Read Jeremiah 42 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah—Jeremiah addresses them by their identity: the she'erit (שְׁאֵרִית, remnant), emphasizing both their precious status as survivors and their covenant responsibility. The prophetic formula Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel invokes Yahweh's full covenant title: YHWH Tseva'ot Elohei Yisra'el (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל), the sovereign commander of heavenly armies who entered covenant with Israel.

The conditional warning begins: If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt. The phrase set your faces (sum panim, שׂוּם פָּנִים) means to determine resolutely, to fix one's purpose—the same expression used when Jesus 'set his face to go to Jerusalem' (Luke 9:51). The adverb wholly (som tasimun, an emphatic Hebrew construction) intensifies their stubborn determination. They had already decided; Jeremiah's inquiry (42:1-3) was mere pretense.

Go to sojourn there uses gur (גּוּר, to dwell as foreigners/sojourners), ironically the same word describing Israel's original sojourn in Egypt that ended in slavery (Genesis 15:13). By returning to Egypt, they completed the circle of apostasy—rejecting the Exodus deliverance and choosing bondage over covenant faithfulness.

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Historical & Cultural Context

The 'remnant of Judah' consisted of the poorest citizens left after Nebuchadnezzar's deportations (52:16), plus refugees who returned after Jerusalem's fall. Gedaliah had governed this remnant under Babylonian oversight (40:7-12), but his assassination by Ishmael (41:1-3) shattered this fragile stability. The survivors feared Babylon would punish the entire community for Ishmael's regicide, though Gedaliah's murder was politically motivated (Ishmael was of royal seed, likely resentful of Gedaliah's Babylonian appointment). Egypt, under the 26th Dynasty, actively recruited refugees and mercenaries, making it an attractive destination. Yet God had explicitly forbidden returning to Egypt (Deuteronomy 17:16), making this choice not merely unwise but covenantally forbidden.

Reflection Questions

  1. What does it mean to 'set your face' toward something contrary to God's will, and how does stubborn determination compound disobedience?
  2. How does the language of 'sojourning' in Egypt reveal the irony of seeking security in the place of former bondage?
  3. Why might we seek God's guidance while having already determined our course, and what does this reveal about our hearts?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 23 words
וְעַתָּ֕ה1 of 23
H6258

at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletive

לָכֵ֛ן2 of 23
H3651

properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner

שִׁמְע֥וּ3 of 23

“And now therefore hear”

H8085

to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)

דְבַר4 of 23

“the word”

H1697

a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause

יְהוָ֨ה5 of 23

“of the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

שְׁאֵרִ֣ית6 of 23

“ye remnant”

H7611

a remainder or residual (surviving, final) portion

יְהוּדָ֑ה7 of 23

“of Judah”

H3063

jehudah (or judah), the name of five israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory

כֹּֽה8 of 23
H3541

properly, like this, i.e., by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now

אָמַר֩9 of 23

“Thus saith”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

יְהוָ֨ה10 of 23

“of the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

צְבָא֜וֹת11 of 23

“of hosts”

H6635

a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized for war (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (speci

אֱלֹהֵ֣י12 of 23

“the God”

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל13 of 23

“of Israel”

H3478

he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

אִם14 of 23
H518

used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not

אַ֠תֶּם15 of 23
H859

thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you

תְּשִׂמ֤וּן16 of 23

“If ye wholly”

H7760

to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)

תְּשִׂמ֤וּן17 of 23

“If ye wholly”

H7760

to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)

פְּנֵיכֶם֙18 of 23

“your faces”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

וּבָאתֶ֖ם19 of 23

“and go”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

מִצְרַ֔יִם20 of 23

“into Egypt”

H4714

mitsrajim, i.e., upper and lower egypt

וּבָאתֶ֖ם21 of 23

“and go”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

לָג֥וּר22 of 23

“to sojourn”

H1481

properly, to turn aside from the road (for a lodging or any other purpose), i.e., sojourn (as a guest); also to shrink, fear (as in a strange place);

שָֽׁם׃23 of 23
H8033

there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence

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 42:15 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 42:15 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Jeremiah 44:12-14Deuteronomy 17:16Jeremiah 42:17Daniel 11:17Genesis 31:21Luke 9:51

Places in This Verse

EgyptRegion · Modern: Ain Shams · 30.13°N, 31.31°E658 verses across 33 books
View all places in Jeremiah 42 →

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