The Tanakh · JPS 1917 Translation

Jeremiah 42

Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Nevi'im — the Prophets

Jeremiah chapter 42 — part of the Nevi'im — the Prophets in the Jewish Bible. In the classic JPS 1917 translation it opens: “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…” — the complete text of all 22 verses is below, free to read online.

1Then 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 unto the greatest, came near,

2and said unto Jeremiah the prophet: 'Let, we pray thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto HaShem thy G-d, even for all this remnant; for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us;

3that HaShem thy G-d may tell us the way wherein we should walk, and the thing that we should do.'

4Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them: 'I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto HaShem your G-d according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing HaShem shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.'

5Then they said to Jeremiah: 'The HaShem be a true and faithful witness against us, if we do not even according to all the word wherewith HaShem thy G-d shall send thee to us.

6Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will hearken to the voice of HaShem our G-d, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we hearken to the voice of HaShem our G-d.'

7And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of HaShem came unto Jeremiah.

8Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,

9and said unto them: 'Thus saith HaShem, the G-d of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before Him:

10If 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.

11Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith HaShem; for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.

12And I will grant you compassion, that he may have compassion upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.

13But if ye say: We will not abide in this land; so that ye hearken not to the voice of HaShem your G-d;

14saying: No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the horn, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we abide;

15now therefore hear ye the word of HaShem, O remnant of Judah: Thus saith HaShem of hosts, the G-d of Israel: If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there;

16then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye fear, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye are afraid, shall follow hard after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.

17So 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.

18For thus saith HaShem of hosts, the G-d of Israel: As Mine anger and My fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so shall My fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt; and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.

19HaShem hath spoken concerning you, O remnant of Judah: Go ye not into Egypt; know certainly that I have forewarned you this day.

20For ye have dealt deceitfully against your own souls; for ye sent me unto HaShem your G-d, saying: Pray for us unto HaShem our G-d; and according unto all that HaShem our G-d shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it;

21and I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not hearkened to the voice of HaShem your G-d in any thing for which He hath sent me unto you.

22Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go to sojourn there.'

22 verses · JPS 1917 (public domain)

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