Jeremiah 42:4
in Jeremiah 42“I have heard you,” replied Jeremiah the prophet. “I will surely pray to the LORD your God as you request, and I will tell you everything that the LORD answers; I will not withhold a word from you.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto Jehovah your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass that whatsoever thing Jehovah shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.
KJV
Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the Lord your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the Lord shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.
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This verse in Jeremiah 42
Commentary
3 notes on this verseMinisters may hence learn, 1. Conscientiously to pray for those who desire their prayers: I will pray for you according to your words. Though they had slighted him, yet, like Samuel when he was slighted, he will not sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for them, 1 Sam. xii.
This site's exposition
from the least even unto the greatest, came near
on Jeremiah 42:1-6
The whole remnant, from the least even to the greatest, comes to Jeremiah asking him to pray and to bring back whatever the Lord answers, however good or evil, and to name themselves bound by that answer. Gill notes the vow is emphatic and repeated, the Lord be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things, language that reads like sincere submission at the moment it is spoken. Henry reads the scene against what follows in the chapter after, remarking that the loudest promises of obedience often precede the plainest disobedience, since these same men will reject the very answer they are asking for.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
They promise to obey his voice because they sent the prophet to him to consult him. Note, We do not truly desire to know the mind of God if we do not fully resolve to comply with it when we do know it. It is an implicit universal obedience that they here promise.
The words behind it
24 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם | ʾaleihem | to them | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יִרְמְיָ֤הוּ | yirmeyahu | Jeremiah | H3414 → | 147 times |
| הַנָּבִיא֙ | hanavi' | the prophet | H5030 → | 314 times |
| שָׁמַ֔עְתִּי | shama'ti | I have heard | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| הִנְנִ֧י | hini | here I | H2005 → | 316 times |
| מִתְפַּלֵּ֛ל | mitpalel | [am] about to pray | H6419 → | 84 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יְהוָ֥ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם | ʾeloheikhem | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| כְּדִבְרֵיכֶ֑ם | kedivreikhem | according to words your | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| וְֽהָיָ֡ה | vehayah | and it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| כָּֽל־ | kal- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַדָּבָר֩ | hadavar | <the> word | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יַעֲנֶ֨ה | yaaneh | he will answer | H6030 → | 331 times |
| יְהוָ֤ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶתְכֶם֙ | ʾetkhem | <obj.> you | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אַגִּ֣יד | ʾagid | I will tell | H5046 → | 370 times |
| לָכֶ֔ם | lakhem | to <the> you | ||
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| אֶמְנַ֥ע | ʾemna' | I will withhold | H4513 → | 29 times |
| מִכֶּ֖ם | mikem | from <the> you | ||
| דָּבָֽר׃ | davar | a word | H1697 → | 1440 times |
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֲלֵיהֶ֜םto them
ʾaleihemH413 →5510 times
יִרְמְיָ֤הוּJeremiah
yirmeyahuH3414 →147 times
הַנָּבִיא֙the prophet
hanavi'H5030 →314 times
שָׁמַ֔עְתִּיI have heard
shama'tiH8085 →1159 times
הִנְנִ֧יhere I
hiniH2005 →316 times
מִתְפַּלֵּ֛ל[am] about to pray
mitpalelH6419 →84 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
יְהוָ֥הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖םGod your
ʾeloheikhemH430 →2601 times
כְּדִבְרֵיכֶ֑םaccording to words your
kedivreikhemH1697 →1440 times
וְֽהָיָ֡הand it will be
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
כָּֽל־every
kal-H3605 →5413 times
הַדָּבָר֩<the> word
hadavarH1697 →1440 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
יַעֲנֶ֨הhe will answer
yaanehH6030 →331 times
יְהוָ֤הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶתְכֶם֙<obj.> you
ʾetkhemH853 →10935 times
אַגִּ֣ידI will tell
ʾagidH5046 →370 times
לָכֶ֔םto <the> you
lakhem
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
אֶמְנַ֥עI will withhold
ʾemna'H4513 →29 times
מִכֶּ֖םfrom <the> you
mikem
דָּבָֽר׃a word
davarH1697 →1440 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Samuel 12:23As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you the good and right way.
it leads to
- Colossians 1:9
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and…
- Romans 1:9
God, whom I serve with my spirit in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you
- 2 Timothy 1:3
I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience as did my forefathers, as I constantly remember you night and day in my prayers.
- 1 Thessalonians 3:10
Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking from your faith.
- 1 Kings 8:36
then may You hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, so that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk. May You send rain…
- Colossians 1:9
Through
Psalms 40:10I have not covered up Your righteousness in my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and salvation; I have not concealed Your loving devotion and faithfulness from the great assembly.
it leads to
- Romans 1:16–17
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.
- Acts 20:20–21
I did not shrink back from declaring anything that was helpful to you as I taught you publicly and from house to house,
- Romans 1:16–17
Through
Jeremiah 23:28Let the prophet who has a dream retell it, but let him who has My word speak it truthfully. For what is straw compared to grain?” declares the LORD.
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 1:12
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, that He considered me faithful and appointed me to service.
- 1 Timothy 1:12
About Jeremiah

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
