John Gill Commentary Jeremiah 42

Then all the captains of the forces
Having taken up their residence at the habitation of Chimham, in their way to Egypt, where they were desirous of going, and being afraid of the Chaldeans, as they pretended: and Johanan the son of Kareah ;
or, "even Johanan" ^F19 ; especially and particularly he, the principal captain and chief spokesman in this affair: and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah ;
said to be the son of a Maachathite, (Jeremiah 40:8) ; and all the people from the least even unto the greatest :

a phrase expressive of the universality of them in the strongest terms:

came near ;
that is, to Jeremiah; who either was at Mizpah when Gedaliah was slain, but preserved by the Lord; and though carried captive by Ishmael with the rest, was rescued by Johanan; and now along with him:

or rather after he had been with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and made a short stay there, he went to Anathoth, and there abode till now; and when Johanan took those that were left at Mizpah, he gathered together all the rest of the Jews in different places to him, in order to go to Egypt, and among the rest the Prophet Jeremiah; for it can hardly be thought, had he been at Mizpah when Ishmael was there, he would have escaped without a miracle.

FOOTNOTES:

• F19: (Nnxwyw) "imprimis Johanan", Schmidt; "nempe Johanan", Piscator, Grotius.

And said unto Jeremiah the prophet: That is, some one of them, as the mouth of the whole body, very probably Johanan: let, we beseech you, our supplication be accepted before you; they treat the prophet with great respect, and are very humble and submissive, as if they were very hearty and sincere in their request.

And pray for us unto the Lord your God; as if they were conscious of their own inability to pray for themselves, and of their unworthiness to call God their God; and as if they had a high opinion of the prophet, as having an interest in God, and great power with him in prayer, whom he could not well deny anything: [even] for all this remnant; this poor remnant, this handful of people, left of the sword, famine, and pestilence, left in the land by the Chaldeans, and who had escaped the cruelty of Ishmael; and for whom it might be hoped the Lord would still have a regard, since he had so mercifully and wonderfully preserved them.

For we are left [but] a few of many, as your eyes do behold us; the number of the people had been very large, but by the judgments of the sword, famine, and pestilence, and captivity, they were greatly reduced; here was their whole number before the prophet; his eyes beheld them, and the condition they were in: this they said to move his compassion, and very likely to suggest to him how improbable it was that they should ever be able to continue in their own land; but that it would be better to put themselves under the protection of a neighbouring nation, Egypt, whither they were inclined to go; and hoped to have a word from the Lord by the prophet, to direct them thither.

That the Lord your God may show us the way in which we may walk ,
&c.] Not the way of their duty as to religious worship, or their moral conversation, which was the way of God's commandments, and had been shown them, and they knew it; but which way they should steer their course for their safety; they had departed from Mizpah of themselves, and had taken up their dwelling at Geruthchimham, in the way to Egypt; where they had set their faces, and where their hearts were, only they wanted the Lord's sanction for it, pretending they would be directed by him.

and the thing that we should do ;
the steps they should take in order to proceed; and what they should do before they left their own country, and went into another.

Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, I have heard [you] , &c.] He took notice of what they said to him, and found himself disposed to comply with their request, and readily granted it: behold, I will pray to the Lord your God, according to your words ;

Be an intercessor for them; use his interest with his God, and their God; and, on account of relation, might expect to be heard; whom he would humbly entreat to direct what they should do, as they desired: and it shall come to pass, [that] whatsoever thing the Lord shall answer you, I will declare [it] to you; I will keep nothing back from you ;

But faithfully make known the whole mind and will of God, just as it is delivered, be it in what way soever: and though it is not expressed, he might suggest that he had some doubt on his mind whether they would obey it or not; and that he expected they would be open and free in declaring themselves on that point; since he had so readily complied with their request, and was determined to act the faithful part to them; hence the following reply:

Then they said to Jeremiah, the Lord be a true and faithful
witness between us
Which is the form of an oath; a solemn appeal to God, as a witness to what they were about to say, and to the sincerity of their hearts in it; who is true to his word, and faithful to his promises and threatenings; and who bears a true and faithful testimony, and will do what is just and right; and yet these people never intended to perform what they promised; which is a most shocking piece of atheism in a professing people; and who, at this very time, could not but observe the judgments of God upon their nation, city, and temple: if we do not even according to all things for the which the Lord your
God shall send thee to us ;
they promise to do everything the Lord should signify by the prophet as his will; and, if they did not, wish the severest judgments of God might fall upon them.